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Monday 17 Feb 2025

Manny Squared: Award winning Mannys team up to create a rail safety lesson that will never be forgotten as school children head off for their half term break

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National

Tik Tok sensation Big Manny teamed up with Network Rail community safety manager Manny Kang to deliver an informative and interactive rail safety talk to pupils of the King Charles I school in Kidderminster. The session served as a timely reminder for students to stay vigilant and safe around railways, as they approached the half-term holiday.

Manny Kang delivered an engaging rail safety talk alongside Big Manny who used his knowledge to visually demonstrate the science behind the three main dangers present on the railway: trains, overhead line cables, and the electrified third rail.

The Manny Squared presentation was recorded and will be made available on the Switched On website for schools to view and replicate Big Manny’s experiments, which included his electric rail experiment, using a car battery and packet of sliced roast beef.

The session built on the success of the campaign films that Big Manny produced in early 2024 as part of the rail industry’s You vs Train anti -trespass campaign which have been viewed more than six million times, with many praising the simplistic way in which he explains the complex science of the railway.

Network Rail’s Manny Kang, explained: “It's essential for young people to understand the very real dangers present on our railways. We see an average of 19,000 incidents a year of people straying onto parts of the rail network that they shouldn’t be on, where they put themselves at risk of serious harm and cause delays to train services.

“Roughly a quarter of these incidents involve young people, and we see a significant spike in those numbers during school holidays. I’ve spoken to thousands of children about railway safety and this session could be seen by thousands more. This type of interactive education means we can help prevent accidents and keep all members of our communities safe."

Big Manny, who was named Tik Tok Science Education Creator of the Year in the summer of last year, said: “I love being able to use science to be able to explain things to people in an easily accessible manner. I created the You vs Train experiments using items that I knew children would be familiar with, so they understood exactly why parts of the railway were dangerous and to dispel myths such s you always being able to hear a train in good time to get yourself to a position of safety. I’m proud that they have been well-received and in the part that they have played in helping to keep people safe.”

Katie Perry, director of curriculum and learning at The Four Stones Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the King Charles I school said: “We are proud to have worked with Manny Kang from Network Rail to educate students across the Trust about the dangers of trespassing on railway lines. With many of our students relying on trains for their daily commute, raising awareness of this issue was a key priority.

“Manny’s engaging approach made a lasting impact, and Having Big Manny, a TikTok superstar, interact with students at King Charles I School created an unforgettable experience that reinforced the importance of railway safety in a truly engaging way. Students have enjoyed Big Manny's presence at the school today and I'm sure they will look forward to seeing the films utilised in schools.'"