West Midlands Trains

Keeping rail users safe as they use the network is our top priority and at West Midlands Trains we have a dedicated team focused on safeguarding - but on such a complex topic it isn't possible to work in isolation. With that in mind, we were delighted to welcome representatives from charitable organisations Base 25, Samaritans, Railway Children and The Way Youth Zone to Wolverhampton station this week. Hosted by our customer experience manager Sam, guest speakers from the charities outlined the work they do to support vulnerable people in times of crisis and how cross-agency working is vital in reaching positive outcomes. Our dedicated Security & Suicide Prevention Manager Thomas Harty also demonstrated the measures West Midlands Trains uses to protect vulnerable people who travel on the railway or visit our stations every day. With more than 5.5 million passengers passing through every year, Wolverhampton is a key location on our network for this important work and we're busy developing more local initiatives with our partners as we move into 2025. Thank you to all our partner organisations who attended this week's event and to all the individuals working in safeguarding locally and across the country for the work you do in helping to keep the railway a safe place. ❤️ British Transport Police | City of Wolverhampton Council Jamie Ainsworth | Melanie Bryett | Jonny Wiseman | Shaun Keeling | Matthew Bradley

We are thrilled to announce that Transport UK is a UNESCO commercial partner for its 2025 World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development campaign.   This campaign will recognise the role of science and engineering in sustainable development. A short film will showcase Britain’s unrivalled rail heritage and highlight Transport UK’s innovative sustainable transport solutions, which reduce emissions and improve community safety. 🚆 🚍   The film features the sustainability initiatives we are undertaking at Merseyrail, Greater Anglia, and Transport UK London Bus. As a group, we are continuing to expand these initiatives across all our operating companies in line with - and in some cases ahead of - the Government’s net-zero decarbonisation timelines.    The film was produced by the SJH Group, in partnership with Transport UK.   See the film below 📽 ⬇ #UNESCO #Sustainability UNESCO World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development East Midlands Railway West Midlands Trains Alan Pilbeam Martin Beable Lorna Murphy

👑 This year, for the second year in a row, West Midlands Trains, alongside Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry Trains, have partnered with The King's Trust (formerly the Princes Trust) to deliver an effective Customer Services Programme to 22 young persons. The aim of these programmes is to increase the confidence and customer service skills of young people, as well as providing them with a unique insight into the rail industry. 📚 Each of the 22 individuals earned an Emergency First Aid Qualification, partook in conflict management training, and improved their interview, EDI, food hygiene, and customer service skills. During their time us, the young persons worked with our Revenue & Security Managers and Wolverhampton Train Station staff. Here they saw the vital role that such staff play in assisting customers on their journeys. 🛠️ They also received a guided tour of Tyseley Engineering Depot where they peeked behind-the-scenes at how we service and maintain our Diesel fleets. This gave them a taste of the railway industry, alongside an understanding of how our staff, stations, and fleets operate. After completing the 3-week programme, all participants were talent banked for customer service positions within WMT, as well other positions with Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry.

Project Update 🚨 Spencer Group’s Tyseley Depot project achieved a major milestone this week as steel erection commenced as part of the 100m extension to the existing depot building. The installation of steel work follows the completion of new pits for roads 11 and 12. Essential mechanical and electrical services will also be installed as part of works package 5. The works are part of a £36m enhancement project in Birmingham that will enable the depot to accommodate larger fleets and reduce its carbon footprint. The project is a collaborative working partnership between Spencer Group, West Midlands Trains, Network Rail & Angel Trains 🤝

It was great to join colleagues from fellow train operators this morning at the Rail Delivery Group parliamentary drop in. We met with lots of MPs and had some good discussions about West Midlands Trains £1bn investment programme, our stations, timetables and ticketing. Thank you to everyone who came to talk to us today. Well done and thanks to Verity Palmer Rosie Greaves and the RDG public affairs team. #rail #publicaffairs

👋 Our drivers say goodbye to the Class 323 fleet, and hello to our Class 730 fleet 👋 Last week we took a trip down memory lane with two of our amazing drivers, Michelle Nicholson-Scraggs ACIRO and Ben, discussing their careers on the railway, and their favourite memories of the Class 323 fleet. Of course, we couldn't forget our new Class 730 units, so our drivers also describe what they like about our new flagship fleet. #WestMidlands #WMR #TrainDriver

🎉 We were delighted to see that several of our Community Rail Partnerships were included in the Community Rail Network and Rail Delivery Group's latest report: ‘The Value Of Community Rail’ 🎉 On the London Northwestern Railway network, The Marston Vale ‘Rail to Roots’ gardening group came together to plant a wellbeing garden at Ridgmont station. The garden incorporates food & herb growing, and the volunteers, some of whom became involved via links with local social prescribing services, have emphasised the value of learning new skills and enjoying improved mental and physical health. The gardening project was part of the redevelopment of the Grade II-listed station house. This development also included a Heritage Centre and tearoom which act as hub of community activity, taking pride of place in the village, and acting as a visitor attraction in its own right. Meanwhile, on the West Midlands Railway network, the community rail education scheme ‘Platform’ takes place at Worcester station (and many others around the country). Through free talks, train trips, and bespoke local resources, the scheme has delivered rail education to thousands of students, raising their rail confidence, railway knowledge, and understanding of sustainable, safe & healthy travel. The report concluded that that community rail is thriving. It ensures that railway development prioritises the needs of the local community, fosters pride and positivity towards stations, promotes healthy and sustainable travel habits, and offers opportunities for all sections of society. 📖 You can read the full report here: https://shorturl.at/nbIum #CommunityRail

An early October sunrise over Birmingham Snow Hill as another day dawns for the fleet of West Midlands Railway Class 172 units. Early mornings are always interesting on the railway.

✨ The Evolution Drone Light Show is coming to Birmingham on 26th October! We're proud to be partnering with Yuup to support this event. Watch hundreds of animated drone lights tell an extraordinary story from the dawn of time in an immersive show that will spark imagination and stir the soul. Witness the recreation of monumental moments in history - from the Big Bang and reign of the dinosaurs right through to the modern-day moon landings and life as it is today. Expect immersive storytelling of extraordinary proportions, in a brand-new narrated show with a powerful cinematic soundtrack. Tickets are available at > https://lnkd.in/ebZeY9em We're also running a competition, supported by Yuup, for the chance to win free tickets. Full details can be found at > https://lnkd.in/eww5FuJA

🎓 We launched our very own graduate development programme this year to provide opportunities for young people to kickstart their careers and as part of our commitment to helping develop the next generation of talent for the transport industry. 💬 At last week's conference, we caught up with Alexandra Smith and Melissa Green about what they've learned already and what they hope to get out of the year ahead, as part of our seven strong, very first cohort of graduates for 2024-25. ℹ️ For more information about the programme > wmr.uk/careers #gradscheme #skillsdevelopment #nextgeneration #westmidlands