A former pupil and personal friend of Livio Dante Porta, Manuel has worked with steam locomotives for most of his working life.  In the period 1990-93 he was an advisor to the Spanish National Railway Museum, and subsequently director of railway publications for one specialized railway magazine.

Manuel is currently a partner of, and Rolling Stock & Locomotive Manager with, ARMF, the only workshop specialized in steam and historical railway equipment in Spain and which covers major railway projects in some parts of the world although specially in Spain on diverse track gauges. Also, ARMF has skill about non historic railway vehicles, developing maintenance and consulting operations for diverse railway companies in Spain.

Manuel has extensive experience in the overhaul, repair and maintenance of large steam locomotives, and extensive experience on the footplate and in the operation of steam locomotives, including a large Spanish (broad gauge) Garratt locomotive No 282F-0421.

Manuel studied directly under Porta during the period when Porta was involved in a steam locomotive project under the Spanish Ministry of Infrastructure, and is currently member of a Commission on General Direction of Railway Infrastructures that covers and regulates the operation of historic trains in Spain

Manuel and ARMF also have close associations with Phil Girdlestone in South Africa, developing successfully the introduction of light oil firing on Spanish steam locomotives.