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Friday 1 Jul 2016

PICTURES: Students learn to drive trains during inaugural Rail Week

Region & Route:

| Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Network Rail has given students from the City of London Academy first-hand experience of driving trains and operating signalling equipment as part of the inaugural Rail Week.

Network Rail opened the doors to its Basingstoke campus on 30 June to provide nine students with a taste of life working on the railways and the enormous variety of careers that can be pursued in the rail industry. The students tested their skills on Network Rail’s driver simulators, signalling simulators and track equipment.

Lindsey Tien, Assistant Commercial Scheme Sponsor at Network Rail, said: “Network Rail will have a huge demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates and apprentices in the coming years so it is vital that we take an active role in promoting the fantastic opportunities available to young people at this crucial point in their school careers.

“It was fantastic to see the students getting stuck in to the activities, and I think we’ve really opened their minds to the range of roles that go into running a railway.”

Lisa Hall, Mathematics Curriculum Leader at the City of London Academy, said: "With the increased accountability on schools about STEM subjects it is amazing that Network Rail has opened our students’ eyes and ears and given them hands on experience of a wide-range of career opportunities available within their company as well as educated them on safety in using the railway. 

“The students were buzzing from the day’s activities and we want to thank Network Rail for this pioneering project and hope other companies will also work with schools to give students these first hand experiences."

Across the south and west, Network Rail volunteers also attended an assembly of over 100 students at Hampton Junior School in Hampton to talk about how to stay safe on the railway, and delivered a presentation to students at Henry Tynedale School in Farnborough discussing how Network Rail plans to make the railway safer and more accessible over the coming years.

Alex Boatfield, Associate Sponsor for Network Rail said: “Safety is our number one priority and so it’s vital that we continue to educate young people about the dangers the railway presents. We want everyone to know how to stay safe at level crossings and at stations so that anyone who comes into contact with the railway gets home safe, every day, and Rail Week is the perfect opportunity to spread that message.”