Dozens of County Durham schoolchildren received a unique introduction to train travel thanks to a collaborative rail safety event. The event, held earlier this month at the Locomotion railway museum in Shildon, saw nearly 180 Year 6 pupils learn valuable lessons about staying safe on the railways and planning their journeys.
It is one of multiple events running throughout the week as part of the annual Rail Safety Week which is organised by the Rail Forum.
Staff from Northern, CrossCountry, and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) shared their experiences working on trains, giving the children insights into how the network operates. The event, organised by the Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership, also featured representatives from Network Rail who spoke about the dangers of trespassing on the tracks.
British Transport Police officers were on hand to showcase the tools they use to keep passengers safe, while community rail representatives provided additional information.
"It's brilliant to see colleagues from across the industry come together and empower these young people to travel confidently by train in the future.” said Jason Wade, regional director for Northern.
“We also welcome any opportunity to teach children important lessons about staying safe on the railways and show them how our staff work to run services for people across the North.” He added.
Schools from Bishop Auckland, Darlington, and Middleton St George all travelled to the event by a Northern train, while a nearby school participated after a short walk.
The event was supported by various rail organisations, including the Community Rail Network, TransPennine Express, Locomotion, Shildon Station Adopters, Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership and Weardale Railway and follows a similar initiative launched in 2023 to educate children about the dangers of trespassing after a rise in local incidents.
Northern, the UK's second-largest train operator, runs over 2,500 services daily across more than 500 stations in the North of England.
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