A FORMER railway worker who claimed overwork and constant pressure turned him into a nervous wreck has lost his battle for £75,000 compensation.

Peter Brookes, 63, formerly of Pickering, said the stress of his job with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR), which is based in the town, had forced him to retire with ill-health.

He claimed his "excessive workload" as acting manager of the firm's carriages and wagon depot had made him sick with stress, and that railway bosses should have done more to help him.

But his case was rejected at York County Court yesterday by the Recorder, Paul Kirtley, who said the company had taken steps to relieve the pressure on Mr Brookes.

He said it was a "finely balanced case", adding: "One should be slow to criticise any employee for his desire to continue at work.

"But it is quite another thing to transfer that sympathy to a finding of breach of duty on behalf of his employer."

He ordered Mr Brookes to pay £6,000 in costs to the firm.

Mr Brookes started work with the firm as a foreman fitter in 1998, but began suffering dizzy spells a year later and was diagnosed with an inner ear condition and was signed off work for eight weeks.

When he returned, he claimed that his superior, John Avery, was constantly giving him jobs that were beyond his job description, adding to his stress-related illness.

After several extended periods of sick leave, Mr Brookes took ill-health retirement with a £15,000 severance award in 2002.

He lives in Spain and was not at court yesterday to hear the judgement. But his brother, Clive Brookes, 62, of York, said he would be relieved the four-year legal battle was now over.

Updated: 10:20 Friday, October 21, 2005