Dwain White, a revenue protection inspector at Great Western Railway, won the Outstanding Personal Contribution Award for his single-handed efforts to change the behaviour of school children on the Severn Beach Line. Working in his own time, he improved the travelling experience for both passengers and staff.
The runner up in the same category was TransPennine Express’s Nikki May, a conductor at York station, who judges praised for her enthusiastic customer service and ability to “conduct the train like an orchestra.” The judges also noted that when Nikki was asked how she dealt with difficult customers, she stated that they were the ones who “needed the most love.”
Templecombe station, which has been managed by FirstGroup’s South Western Railway since August, was highly commended in the Small Station of the Year category.
GWR’s Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, won the Outstanding Personal Contribution in Senior Management award. Throughout the operator’s ‘biggest fleet upgrade in a generation,’ which has brought challenges, Mark led his team without acclaim to overcome each difficulty to improve passenger experience.
Mark Hopwood said: “I am proud to once again see GWR succeeding at the National Rail Awards. We are currently undergoing a massive fleet transformation, with our new Intercity Express Trains set to enter service next month, and these awards reaffirm what we are trying to achieve in providing a better travelling experience for our customers.”
Steve Montgomery, managing director for First Rail, said: “I am delighted to see our rail business recognised in this way. It is particularly pleasing that several of these awards are for members of our team, at all levels of the business, from frontline staff to senior management. Working together, colleagues such as Nikki, Mark and Dwain are helping to improve travel on a daily basis for our customers.”
“Throughout the Great Western Railway network community rail groups play a leading role, adding value to projects designed to improve services and make stations safer, friendlier and greener.”
FirstGroup’s other prizes were:
- Highly commended: GWR - Fleet management in adversity
- Highly commended: John J Murphy (GWR) – Outstanding personal contribution
- Highly commended: Barnstaple station (GWR) – Small station of the year
