Josh says goodbye to Foxwood Diesel
Monday the 14th March is not only the start of National Apprenticeship Week but also the day that Foxwood Diesel’s former apprentice Josh Matthews starts his dream job.

Monday the 14th March is not only the start of National Apprenticeship Week but also the day that Foxwood Diesel’s former apprentice Josh Matthews starts his dream job.
After seven years with Foxwood Diesel, Josh is off to motorsport company, Gibson Technology - a world-leading supplier of expertise in high-performance race engines and race chassis. He is joining the 60-strong team, based at Repton, Derby, as a race engine technician.
Josh says that he owes his new job to Foxwood Diesel and owner Ken Worsdale. He said: “I’m really thankful to Ken; without him and the opportunities he’s given me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. During the interview for the role at Gibson, I was praised for my technical answers and it’s all because of what I have learned working here.”
Josh began working at Foxwood Diesel in 2009 as a 17-year-old mechanical engineering apprentice. He started in the machine shop at the Old Whittington-based facility, where he spent three years machining crankshafts and cylinder heads before progressing onto engine building.
Ken explains: “We threw Josh in at the deep end when we moved him onto building engines. He adapted well and picked it up easily and progressed to being in charge of engine building for the company. As well as being an excellent engine builder, Josh has been a great instructor and trained a number of the apprentices we have here. We’re really sorry to see him go but very proud to see him do so well.”
His new role isn’t too dissimilar to that at Foxwood Diesel. He explained: “I’m going to be stripping down, rebuilding and assembling engines for race cars. It’s exactly the same principles as at Foxwood, but I’ll be doing it for high-performance race cars rather than coaches, trucks and trains. What I’m really looking forward to is getting involved with engine design, although I have a long way to go in the company before I move onto that. There will also be a lot less oil. Gibson Technology’s workshops are actually white and spotlessly clean. I was amazed when I was shown around them.”
At Gibson Technology Josh will be working on engines for cars that race in Formula 3000 A1GP and the prestigious Formula 3.5 V8 Series (formerly Renault FR3.5) as well as race teams in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series and the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans. He’ll also get the opportunity to travel all over the world and watch the race meetings from the pits and all in the name of work.
Despite the glamour of his new job, one thing that Josh will miss are his colleagues, customers and suppliers at Foxwood Diesel. He said: “you become friends with your colleagues without realising it and I’ll really miss them all. One thing I won’t miss though is the oil!”
Good luck in your new role Josh. Your friends at Foxwood will all miss you