Summer is always a season of energy and change, and this year it feels especially significant as the railway marks two centuries of progress. It’s a time to celebrate the achievements that have brought us here, but also to look ahead at the challenges and opportunities shaping the next generation of rail. From innovation and careers to safety and wellbeing, as ever this issue is all about the people who keep the industry moving forward.
Unless you’ve been hidden under a rock for the past eight months, you’ll be well aware that nationwide festivities are in full swing to mark Railway200. While the industry has celebrated throughout the year with numerous special events, none has quite matched the sheer scale of Alstom’s Greatest Gathering held at its historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works. David Shirres was there and reports on his experience.
In this anniversary year, David also examines a piece of rail heritage as far removed from the tracks as is imaginable. The Paddle Steamer Waverley, built for the LNER in 1946, was the last paddle steamer built for service on the Clyde and operated the LNER’s steamer routes. In 2025, the ship is still operating excursions and is as much part of railway heritage as it is of maritime history.
Training & Careers is a key focus in this edition and the timing couldn’t be more apt, coinciding with the release of GCSE and A-Level results. While we celebrate the railway’s past, regular contributor Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain considers the roles that forthcoming generations of staff may be required to fill. While many of today’s positions would be recognisable to the railway employees of yesteryear, the role of social media manager or digital signaller, for example, would be unfathomable. The same can be said of the roles of the future.
Once again, we highlight the sterling work of the Rail Futures Alliance, the non-profit organisation helping ex-offenders find meaningful careers in transport. In this issue we examine the successes the organisation has had in attracting partners and guiding individuals into meaningful training programmes. We also welcome a new contributor, Young Rail Professional’s Molly Jean Crowther who provides an account of her experience of career change and details how a degree apprenticeship has transformed her professional pathway.
As ever, Colin Wheeler provides an update on track safety, examining the incidents and accidents reported in the past few months. He also discusses the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) recent annual report which examines Governmental plans to reduce the administrative burden of regulation and the ORR’s aspiration to encourage private investment in the railway. Colin particularly praises the report’s call for “clear accountability and visible safety leadership”.
In a slight departure from RailStaff’s usual uplifting tone, we hear from Liam Johnston of Railway Mission. In a very powerful sensitively-phrased article, he explains the work of the organisation during some of the network’s most trying circumstances and offers hope and support to anyone grappling with traumatic events they may have experienced in the line of duty.
Finally, and on a more positive note, we begin the countdown to the RailStaff Awards, revealing your host for the evening and the independent judges who help to decide who are this year’s most worthy winners. Nominations remain open and tickets are still available, so make your voice heard and prepare for the event of the year – don’t miss out!
Image credit: iStockphoto.com
