Representatives from across the rail industry celebrated on Thursday 27 November at the RailStaff Awards 2025.
Held at Birmingham’s NEC, the event shines a spotlight on the people whose dedication keeps the railway running. Rail managers, customer service assistants, apprentices, training managers and many more were there, reflecting the industry’s wide range of skills and roles.
Bursting with excitement, pride, and celebration, the RailStaff Awards is more than a glittering ceremony. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the people who keep Britain’s railways running – the everyday heroes whose dedication, compassion, and professionalism make the industry what it is.
Always a spectacular event, this year was no different with attendees transported to a welcoming winter wonderland. On arrival, guests stepped into a snow-dusted Alpine village high in the mountains, where an end-of-season après ski party was in full swing. The ceremony was attended by an unprecedented 1,062 guests and attracted a record 855 nominations and 6,050 votes cast.
Broadcaster, journalist, and former politician Michael Portillo led the celebrations, putting guests at ease with his warmth, wit, and unmistakable flair. Michael rose to prominence as a cabinet minister in the 1980s and 1990s, before embarking on a hugely successful broadcasting career. His deep-rooted passion for trains has taken him across the globe as the presenter of hit series including Great British Railway Journeys, Great Continental Railway Journeys, and Great American Railroad Journeys.
“Tonight is all about celebration,” he said. “We’re here to shine a spotlight on the dedicated, passionate, and often unsung heroes who keep this country moving every day.
“2025 has been another year of challenge and progress in the industry. From infrastructure upgrades to customer service innovations, the railways are always evolving. And through it all, it is the resilience and the commitment of the people in this room tonight who keep the wheels turning.”
Michael proved to be an inspired choice of host for the evening.
After a fabulous dining experience and with each award winner named, the celebrations truly began, with fairground rides whirring into life and the dance floor welcoming anyone with the energy to dance the night way. Following a much-needed midnight breakfast, the evening drew to a close and guests made their way into the night to continue their celebrations. Once again, the event proved a huge success.
Adam O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, said: “The RailStaff Awards is a one-of-a-kind occasion, shining a light on the people in our industry who continually go above and beyond. It is inspiring and humbling to organise this event, and it’s a privilege to see the positive impact it has on our remarkable workforce. Every winner and highly commended individual deserves real recognition, as do all the finalists and nominees.
“My sincere thanks go to our sponsors and supporters, whose backing makes this special evening possible. I’d like to thank our panel of judges and the entire Rail Media team for their outstanding work in bringing this memorable event together.”
Thank you
The RailStaff Awards depends on the support of many dedicated people and groups. We’re grateful to everyone who acknowledged their colleagues’ achievements and submitted nominations. Our thanks also go to the judges, to all who voted, and to everyone who joined us at the ceremony.
Special thanks go to our category sponsors: Alstom, BTTC, Carlisle Support Services, Freightliner Group, GeoAccess, GTR, HALOS Body Cameras, Henderson & Taylor, Hitachi Rail, LNER, Readypower, ResponSec Ltd, Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, Telent, and Train’d Up. And to our gold sponsors: Amulet and Vertiv.
The winners of the 2025 RailStaff Awards are:
Apprentice of the Year Award
- Winner: Rohan Mannion, Hitachi Rail
- Highly commended: Keelie Hall, LNER and Mia Sandham, AtkinsRéalis
Graduate of the Year Award
- Winner: Yasha Siddiqui, Alstom
- Highly commended: Hana Muddasir, Heathrow Express and Oliver Ensor, Network Rail
HR & Recruitment Team or Person Award
- Winner: Deborah Birch, Hull Trains
- Highly commended: Capability and Skills Development Team, Network Rail and Lindsay Gauntlett, Lumo
Railway Depot Team or Person Award
- Winner: Jack Farley, Great Western Railway
- Highly commended: Hannah Butler, GTR and Jodie Lund, Katherine Braybrook, Rebecca Jacobs, GTR
Safety Team or Person Award
- Winner: Paula Hilliard, Network Rail
- Highly commended: Chris Cunningham, Merseyrail and TfW Trauma Training Team, Transport for Wales
Health & Welbeing Team or Person Award
- Winner: Colleen Johnston, Arriva Rail London
- Highly commended: Louise Williams, Hitachi Rail and Lucy Fawkes-Grey and Lee Bladen, Great Western Railway
Rail Manager of the Year Award
- Winner: Richard Tandy, GTR
- Highly commended: Nathan Sobers, Chiltern Railways and Sheree Whetren, South Western Railway
Lifesaver Award
- Winner: Dorothy Omovbude, Carlisle Support Services
- Highly commended: Daniel Cook, Southeastern and Hugh Irvine, Amey Rail
Project Team or Person Award (Under £5 Million)
- Winner: The Greatest Gathering, Alstom
- Highly commended: George Barratt, Network Rail and James Allman-Wright, Network Rail
Project Team or Person Award (Over £5 Million)
- Winner: Westbury South Renewal Team, South Rail Systems Alliance
- Highly commended: Diamond Rail Services and Hitachi and Julie Williams, Alstom
Charity Award
- Winner: Dave Bateson, Network Rail
- Highly commended: Aidan Courts, AtkinsRéalis and Tracey Cheung, Amulet
Sustainability Champion of the Year Award
- Winner: Advanced Hydrogen Technology (AHT), K2C Rail, RSK 1stinrail, DB-ESG, HNRC-Swietelsky
- Highly commended: Quattro Sustainability Team, Quattro Plant and Riona Ainge, Systra
Learning, Development & Investing in People Award
- Winner: Mark & Natalie, Transport for Wales
- Highly commended: Chris Davey, Transport for Wales and Jack Gookey, Network Rail
Customer Service Team or Person Award
- Winner: Customer Relations Team, Grand Central
- Highly commended: Laura Holmes, Southeastern and Ollie Ivan, South Western Railway
Station Staff Team or Person Award
- Winner: Emma-Jane Kennedy, Great Western Railway
- Highly commended: Keeley Rees and Shola Ola, Carlisle Support Services and Susan Temple & Janice Povah, ScotRail
Innovation & Technology Team or Person Award
- Winner: Southern Safer Isolations Team, Network Rail
- Highly commended: Checkpoint Authority App Team, Network Rail / Jacobs and Nathan Sealy, Amey
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team or Person Award
- Winner: Charlotte Briers, Alstom
- Highly commended: Armed Forces Employee Network, Northern and ManKind, LNER
Rail Engineer of the Year Award
- Winner: Mark Walsh, Hitachi Rail
- Highly commended: Bartosz Gapsa, AECOM and Robbie Mecrow, Morson Praxis
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Winner: Tim Shoveller, Freightliner
- Highly commended: Alison Thompson, Amey and Steve Wardle, South Western Railway
Rail Ambassador of the Year Award
- Winner: Maro Sakpere
- Highly commended: Camille Parchment, Avanti West Coast and Gregory March, Network Rail
