Four engineers from Chiltern Railways and Wrexham and Shropshire Railway have turned their backs on the easy life to go into strict training for a challenging assault of the UK’s three highest peaks.

In June, the renowned Three Peaks Challenge, which raises money for charity, will see the intrepid outdoorsmen attempt to scale the heights of Snow-don in North Wales, the Lake District’s Scafell Pike and Scotland’s Ben Nevis in the space of 48 hours.

Challenge team leader is Chiltern Railways’ safety and environmental manager, engineering support, Michael Brignull from Aylesbury, whose outdoor activities have included trekking across Norway and climbing in the Mont Blanc Massif, Pyrenees and Austrian Tyrol. Although he has no major concerns about Britain’s Three Peaks, Michael says he’s hoping that cartilage removal from both knees won’t hold him back on the climb.

Engineering planning manager Dan Haynes, also of Chiltern, is a member of Amersham Road Cycling Club. He is currently clocking up around 100 training miles a week with a rigorous fitness programme that includes running, swimming and taking part in duathlon competitions.

Project engineer Martin Beable joined Chiltern three years ago. Along with playing in a local tribute band, ‘The Observers’, Martin has been going all out to get into shape by changing his diet and cycling up to 50 miles a week.

Fourth member Richard Sturgess is technical engineer, engineering support, for Wrex-ham and Shropshire Railways. No stranger to charity fund-raising – previous efforts have included raising money for clean water supplies to Ugandan villages – Richard admits he is ‘a bit concerned’ about climbing Snowdon in the dark, but is determined to push himself to peak fitness for the June launch date.

Supporting the team’s bid to raise money for the Railway Children are Chiltern Rail-ways engineering director Tim Sayer and Wrexham and Shropshire managing director Andy Hamilton.

All offers of sponsorship will be welcomed at www.justgiving.com/ChilternRailways-WSMR-3PeaksChallenge