Issue65 Regular news and views on ever ything Nor thern
August2012
quality Star 06
Our Northern Stars 2011-2012 special
Northern Star of the Year 2011-2012 – Eddie Burns, Conductor from Liverpool Lime Street
02 Upfront
Hello!
t the end of last month I had the privilege to be on stage to present some very special people with our very special awards and prizes. At the Northern Stars Celebration Event 2012, we heard really amazing stories of customer focus, team work, selflessness, compassion, and bravery.
A
Our people
My proud congratulations to Eddie Burns, Conductor at Liverpool Lime Street and to our four Rising Stars Mark Hyde and Peter James, Shaun Clayforth and Jonathan Hare, who between them, have demonstrated our values of Progressive, Accountable, Ambitious, Genuine and Efficient to the max. Hearing the reasons for their nominations was a humbling experience for me and for many other people in the room judging on the reactions. As I said on the night, it’s knowing that we have people making such a difference to our customers which motivates me each and every day.
orget! tf
Don ’
Thanks as ever. And well done again Eddie!
Ian Bevan, Managing Director
Log onto rn.org yournorthe and all is th to view sues previous is ! e onlin
“Read more about our Northern Stars winners in our special feature on p6-7. We’ve also got the usual favourites of Fighting Crime (p5), news of our success at Railsport 2012 (p3) and as ever, we answer your questions in Your Say (p12). Please feel free to feedback using the Your Say slip or give me a call on 01904 568650.”
Peter McClure holds the trophy for the wigan wallgate station team
The start of
something beautiful
Local rivalry took a back-seat when colleagues from Wigan Wallgate station took on a team from Manchester Victoria station in a charity football match.
he game was in aid of the Neuroblastoma Alliance for the Emma Hoolin appeal. Peter McClure (pictured with the trophy) explains, “Emma is a local Wigan girl suffering from cancer and an inspiration to many, so we’re delighted to have raised over £400 for her appeal. The final score was 4–2 to Wigan. We’ve all promised to have recovered in time for next year’s return match in Manchester!”.
T
Nicola Whitefield, Internal Communications Manager
Your Northern is designed and produced by scarlettabbott. 01904 633399 scarlettabbott.co.uk
Amazing
volunteering
Please recycle me
A number of our stations benefited from some great volunteering work last month.
Northern snippets What’s happening across your Northern
safety
fleet
Customer – accidents: Assaults: Employee – accidents: Assaults: Failures to call: 5 SPADS: 0
Days availability – Last month: 16. This month: 13 MPC: 7,713 miles. MPC MAA: 7,242 miles Our Class 142s achieved a franchise-best
It’s all about you!
03
l a d e M nners wi Before Team GB took the London games by storm, our very own Team Northern Rail were making waves at the Railsport Games 2012 held at the end of June in Blackpool.
4yea0rs
e entered teams in various events and we won more medals than any other company! BPN FC took gold in the Over 35s five-a-side football (pictured), while we shared golds in the Grass Volleyball (with a mixed Northern/ RVEL team including Becky Daniels) and in doubles ten pin bowling (with a Northern Rail/Southern Rail partnership including John Pattison). For a full report go to railsport.org.uk Well done team!
W
We’re delighted that John Wright, RSA at Barnsley Interchange, has reached the amazing milestone of working in the rail industry for 40 years.
ohn shares some memories: “I began my career in July 1972 at Bradford, where I sorted thousands of parcels a day from a local mail order company – there was only one passenger service an hour back then! Later, as a Passenger Guard based Huddersfield I was mostly on the Penistone line to Sheffield and the Clayton West branch. In fact, when the Clayton West branch closed in 1983, I was one of the three guards who worked the last train. I was then promoted to Station Supervisor at Huddersfield where I remained for many years. Five years ago I took the opportunity to reduce my hours and joined Northern as part time RSA at Barnsley. I certainly don’t have any plans to retire in the foreseeable future. You may have guessed I have enjoyed every minute of my railway career where I have always felt part of a large family. Most people I’ve known over the years have worked together as a team making the railway life very enjoyable.”
J
he Friends of Goostrey Group collected an amazing 60 bags of waste and heavy vegetation from platforms and the surrounding area during one of their clean-up days. Their work and effort has made an incredible difference to the station. Bramhall station also benefited from a clean-up, when a well organised local young offenders group achieved some great results.
T
on the railway You may have guessed I have enjoyed every minute of my railway career where I have always felt part of a large family. Frontline Frid ays
As we go to print, we a re making pla ns for a spe cial day – ‘Frontline Fr iday’. The fir st one is a and once trial we know h ow it’s gon tweak plan e we can s for future days. The d be an opp ay will ortunity to sp end time w different pe ith ople – cust omers and employees – and learn from the exp erience. Watch this space!
customer service
service
Stations – Last month: 90.5%. This month: 90.3% Trains – Last month: 86.5%. This month: 85.5% A great month for station cleanliness
PPM – Last month: 93.9%. This month: 93.9% PPM MAA – Last month: 91.9%. This month: 91.9% Almost 94% of our trains arrived on time for our customers
04 News round-up
Know your number s
Look out fo r informatio n about a he alth check roadshow to uring our n etwork. The health checks are in partners with the Blo hip od Pressure Association’ ‘Know your s numbers’ c ampaign. Visit bpasso c.org.uk/m icrosites/ kyn/Home for more information about the campaign.
Our business Northern Rail
Walk
for all
Did you kn ow?
During th e course of the Northern Rail Cup 2012 sea we gave son away ove r 770 tick to collea ets gues for Northern Rail Cup games a nd other rug by leagu e competiti ons.
The Northern Rail Cup Final is a firm fixture in the rugby league calendar and as in previous years was played at Bloomfield Road in Blackpool in July. early 7,000 rugby fans, including 200 Northern employees, friends and families took to the stands to watch
N
Halifax RFLC take on Featherstone Rovers. Halifax were looking to go one step further than last year when they were defeated finalists, however Rovers went into the game as the favourites off the back of 10 straight wins.
To celebrate another year of Northern Rail’s partnership with Jane Tomlinson’s Walk for All Yorkshire Dales Walking Festival, Conductors on the Leeds – Settle line have been clocking up their mileage with pedometers. heir collective steps over one week are being totted up to see if between them they’ve walked the equivalent of one of the 26, 14, 5 or 4.5 mile festival walks.
T
It might come as a surprise to discover just how many miles our Conductors cover just by walking up and down the carriage!
Halifax led for the majority of the game and at the final whistle they were clear winners with a score of 21-12. Our sponsorship of the Northern Rail Cup will continue in 2013; it’s a great way to raise awareness of Northern and our services to rugby league fans. Many of the towns and cities closely associated with rugby league are located on our network.
North & East, Richard Allan, Area Director linson’s For Emma Griffiths from Jane Tom en, Conductor, All Events and Anthony Warr Leeds join in the challenge
hello, well done and goodbye to these starters, movers and leavers Hello to: Emma Abel, Christopher Benson, Robert Boyle, Carolyn Bray, Adam Campbell, Alasdair Cram, Nav Gopal Dutta, John Evans, Daniel Gallier, John Hampson, Andrea Hargreaves, Ben Holland, Terence Johnson, Philip Messenger, Richard Munro, Peter Oliver, William Preece, Allison Sherwood, Garry Spicer, Kevin Stancill, Arkadiusz Szwarc, Kevin Timmins.
05
An extremely worthwhile session. Previous volunteer
Coaching volunteers
fightin
Since 1 April this year we’ve successfully convicted 564 people and here’s a rk handful of stories about the o w t on our ne 216 successes that we’ve had in the past month...
crime
wanted The People Development Team needs you! Ian Francis, People Development Business Partner, explains: “We deliver a coaching skills for manager’s programme and are always on the hunt for willing volunteers to be coached. oaching for success’ promotes employee and leadership development and aims to unlock our people’s potential. The programme is really hands-on, so we need real-life learners for our coaches to practise their coaching skills on. That’s where you could step in! It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to receive free, focused and intensive development coaching to really inform your personal development.”
C
If you fancy volunteering, you’ll need to: • have genuine development issues which you are prepared to work on with your coach • be available for a full day in Leeds on either 6 September or 26 October • be prepared to give open and constructive feedback to your coach to help them develop their coaching skills.
History catching up with her
fined £1,175
A female defendant received fines totalling £1175 plus criminal convictions for two separate journeys she took within an hour of each other. The fares themselves totalled £9.80! Once the case was proved, our Prosecutors were able to tell the Magistrates that the female is known to the Debt Recovery & Prosecutions Unit (DRPU). The previous matters we had dealt with influenced the hefty fines handed out.
Career-limiting behaviour
fined
A Border Agency worker who had several matters outstanding contacted the DRPU to ask for matters to be put on hold so he could make arrangement to pay. Each time, our team were empathetic and allowed him more time but also advised that if payment was not received the matters would proceed to court. After five months, we were left with no other option: Magistrates fined the male £300 and he also received a criminal record which he will now have to declare to his employers.
£300
stories
from the
British Transport Police
Not in front of the children When a passenger was talking loudly and very inappropriately in front of an 11 year old girl between Huddersfield and Leeds, our Conductor intervened only to be abused himself. British Transport Police (BTP) arrested the man for Public Order offences and gave him an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice.
If you’re interested in supporting this programme by volunteering to be coached – and getting some personal development along the way – please speak to your line manager then contact the team at training.administration@northernrail.org or 01904 568703 to select the dates you can volunteer.
My coach was genuinely interested in my development areas and in what I had to say.
We’ve met before... When a man was abusive to our Conductor at Rochdale, he was recognised as the same person who’d spat at the train at Todmorden earlier. With CCTV in the mix, BTP charged him with Public Order against employees and given an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice.
Previous volunteer
hello, well done and goodbye to these starters, movers and leavers Goodbye to: Patrick Allinson, Alan Carmichael, Francis Comer, Robert Edwards, Andrew Fisher, Stephen Fodden, David Hirst, Andrew Houston, Robert Hunt, Roger Mcvay, John O’Brien, Steven Simon.
Well done to: P Smith, T Griffiths, A Ward, A Clucas, E Fisher, D Pollard, D Flood, G Burgess, J Barclay, P Wilson, D Winterbourne, D Ward, Glyn Roberts
06 Feature Pictured clockwise: Edward Burns (centre) with Mark Hyde and Peter James, Jonathan Hare, Adam Sykes and Duncan Grainger (who accepted Shaun Clayforth’s award for him)
Starqualit Congratulations to Eddie Burns, Conductor from Liverpool Lime Street! ddie was honoured with our overall Northern Star of the Year award in front of over 130 people who gathered to celebrate our very best ambassadors of customer service and selfless acts. The awards on 25 July in Manchester recognised the dedication and courage shown by our 51 Northern Stars and Halo award winners from 2011-2012.
E
to Thanks sors p nt s on our eve k n y S Kcom, nd events a bott b a tt scarle
Eddie’s nomination was for the selfless and calm way he responded to an emergency with a seriously ill customer. He walked away with a £4,000 holiday in his pocket! Four Rising Stars were also recognised with £250 weekend breaks for their acts of kindness and bravery.
From 51 to one!
A panel of judges from inside and outside Northern had the unenviable task of choosing the best of the best – without knowing who the nominees were. Judges included a representative from Passenger Focus and Leo Callaghan, one of our union representatives.
Eddie’s story Eddie went out of his way to help and at the same time drew on calmness and inner resources which impressed everyone around him – including our judges. When a customer was taken unwell at St Helens station, Eddie quickly responded to the emergency by running to the scene and assessing that the man was starting to lose consciousness. He sat the sick man in a safe corner position and phoned for an ambulance. Rather than leaving the scene there, Eddie discovered the man was a diabetic with a heart condition.
Showing great calmness under pressure, he ran to get the man some warm milk and sugar from the station cafe. This had immediate results and happily, the man started to respond.
When a customer was taken unwell at St Helens station, Eddie quickly responded... Eddie then went the extra mile again when he contacted the man’s wife – not only at
Northern Stars
07
Mark Hyde and Peter James, Drivers from Sheffield and Rising Stars
y
When there was severe disruption caused by cable theft near Meadowhall, trains were suspended and rail replacement buses were ordered.
Both immediately put on high visibility vests and became Northern points of contact, reassuring customers and keeping them informed for several hours.
Travelling through the station, Mark and Peter realised that the replacement buses wouldn’t be able to cope with the number of shoppers and commuters wanting to travel.
Our judges felt that Mark and Peter could’ve easily blended into the crowd as they were off duty. But they didn’t. They chose to put our passengers first and help out at a time of severe disruption.
Jonathan Hare, station supervisor from Hartlepool and Rising Star Hear mor e...
from Edd ie on p1 1 where h e shares his thoughts on winnin g and his experien ces at North ern. the time of the incident but again the next day, to inquire after him. The man made a full recovery and his wife felt that if Eddie hadn’t acted as he had done, her husband would almost certainly have slipped into unconsciousness and been in a worse state. In fact, the man even called to thank Eddie personally. Other people were involved that day, but our judges were bowled over by the combination of quick thinking and empathy Eddie showed.
Shaun Clayforth, Driver from Leeds and Rising Star Late one evening, three youths were being anti-social and abusive to other passengers and our employees on one of our trains. Shaun came to the aid of his colleague and helped to protect our passengers from the abuse. He managed to get the three youths off the train, despite being assaulted by one of them in the process, so that our colleague and other passengers could travel in safety for the rest of their journey. No mean feat! It was Shaun’s selfless team work and customer focus that really impressed the judges.
Jonathan picked up his award for a life-saving act of empathy when he talked a vulnerable young girl away from the tracks. Jonathan spotted the girl, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and went across to ask her to come to a safe area. The girl said she was very upset and wanted to take her own life. Jonathan stayed with her, disregarding his own safety, and talked to her, reassuring her
ns...
Congratulatio
nd all our to Eddie a – they’re Rising Stars n to us an inspiratio ern! all at North
that things could be made better. He stuck with her and eventually persuaded her to come away from the edge of the track. Jonathan saved the young girl’s life by showing her care and compassion when she believed the world was against her. The judges felt he was a true Northern Star!
Could it be you next yea r?
All our mon thly Northe rn Star and Halo award winners fro m June 20 to May 201 12 3 will be in vited to the awards ce a n nual lebration e vent. The ju each mon d g es th are looki ng for the examples best of people who have lived our va truly lues of Prog ressive, Accountab le, Ambitio n, Genuine and Efficie nt through acts of exceptiona l customer service and dedic ation.
08 Area news
Our network
Manchester Oxford Road
stati n Refurbishment work at Manchester Oxford Road station has enabled us to install dual height disabled counters.
Natasha Wilding, Head of Stations West, along with Chris Ingham, Station Manager and team members Neil Waters and Mike Shaw.
hris Ingham, Station Manager (Oxford Rd and Mid Cheshire line) told us, “We’re delighted – it’s the first time the ticket windows have had any work done to them since they were built in 1965. After working closely with Manchester City Council’s planning team we were able to come up with a design which met the strict rules that apply to listed building refurbishment. The end result is a massive hit with the team and customers. It’s made a real improvement to the station.”
C
12 months of very detailed planning with industry partners, stakeholders and the organisers came to fruition this month for the British Open Golf Championships.
Ho e in
ne!
uge credit goes to our teams in front of and behind the scenes at Ansdell & Fairhaven and surrounding stations, members of the Safety Team and the Timetable
H
NEW SERVIC E
Our new Sa turday night servic e from York to Harroga te offers an improve d link from London for people living in the market town.
Planning Team. The parcel platform at Preston was re-opened for the first time in over 20 years and the platform at Ansdell was extended, so that we could run a half-hourly shuttle during peak times. Everything ran without incident and within performance targets – in fact, we didn’t leave anyone standing at the platform. Lancashire County Council and the Championship organisers have passed on their compliments for a “successful and seamless operation and all thanks and credit must be given to the wider teams at Northern”.
Everything ran without incident and within performance targets.
DELAY REPORTING PRIZE WINNERS – area west Adam Frost, Driver from Manchester Piccadilly Graham Rodgers, Driver from Manchester Victoria Kieron Fletcher, Driver from Blackpool
DELAY REPORTING PRIZE WINNERS – area north & east Lee Cooper, Conductor from Newcastle Keith Adams, Conductor from Doncaster Alan Tait, Conductor from Carlisle
09
Keeping our
National Passenger Survey
network safe Our latest phase of Security Workplace Action Group (SWAG) roadshows started at Manchester Piccadilly station. embers of the group along with British Transport Police officers met with traincrew to talk about any issues they wished to raise about the business and, in particular, anti-social behaviour on the network. Martyn Guiver, Head of Crime Management, explained why these sessions are so important: “Your insights help us to effectively target problem hot spots, meaning we’re able to keep our network safer for you and our customers”. The SWAG roadshow moves to Sheffield station on 20 September.
M
In the spring wave of the National Passenger Survey (NPS), overall satisfaction with our services dropped slightly to 80%, compared to 83% in spring 2011.
s Ian Bevan said at the time, this was “disappointing for us, especially as we know the efforts colleagues have put in to improving our overall service. However, we must not be disheartened. Instead, we will use the feedback from the survey to help us tackle the areas that our customers want us to improve.”
A
Our customers told us that we could be better at communicating with them (especially during disruption) and that our train cleaning
Everyone has a part to play.
could improve. As we approach the autumn wave survey in September, what has been going on to improve these areas? • Being Northern workshops continue as a reminder of how we can make sure our customers have a good experience when travelling with us
Plus these new projects will improve communications to our customers: • information whiteboards – similar to the ones used on the London Underground
• we’ve upgraded the washer at Sheffield and new ones at Hull and Blackpool. We’ve also trialled new detergents with impressive results, helping improve the cleanliness of train exteriors
• using social media to better communicate to customers how our trains are running
Grabbing the flames with both hands!
• improving the way we provide train running information to front line colleagues to help give the best customer service possible at all times • improved on train and station announcements – e.g. mentioning on time and early arrivals • station microphones at more stations.
Did you know? • Passenger Focus, the rail passenger watchdog, runs the NPS on behalf of the government, covering all train operators
Don’t worry, it’s not a Heath & Safety breach! Colton Hyde, Station Supervisor at Harrogate explains getting his hands on not just one, but two Olympic torches: “This is the original torch from the 1948 Games – the last time they were in London. The owner was asked to be a bearer again this time around in York, so I took my chance!”
A £2.1m investment has resulted in four bridges on the Middlesbrough to Whitby line being replaced.
So if you have an y ideas about how we can impr ove our customer service then either tell your manag er or email beingnorthern@ northernrail.org
• our new uniform is on its way to help us look approachable
on one of our Whenever we’re of our stations, we trains or at one rdless of our role. can all help, rega nce customer assista From offering a to , n) ca o wh ne • we’ve installed more (or finding someo mers sto cu g rin su en d customer information an er litt up picking re we do, we fo screens and ticket be at se a ve ha e towards a vending machines. can all contribut e for We’re also working with better experienc s. er m sto partners to invest in more cu r ou facility improvements at stations.
BUILDING BRIDGES
We want to know what you th ink
• the survey asks passengers for their views about our trains and stations • the results give us a really good indication about where our customers feel we are doing well and where we can improve.
EXTRA STOPS With our trains now stopping at Garsdale, south Cumbria, even more customers will benefit from Northern services on the beautiful Settle to Carlisle line.
10
Being Northern
We wh
T hanks to you!
sent in letters our customers have Here's a few of the lovely en them... with the service you've giv because they're delighted
Re: Not forgotten
SL T AR
“We travelled from Halifax to Preston, but by Burnley R our service was ETTE running late. The Conductor came to our rescue when he remembered we were travelling to Edinburgh with a rather tight connection. He came back to tell us not to worry. He wrote us a note to pass to the staff at Preston station should we miss the train, explaining why we were late and gave us details of the trains to Edinburgh should the worst happen.”
Re: Happy shopper “After leaving a shopping bag on the train after some serious retail therapy at Carlisle I reported my mistake to Appleby’s station master who promptly took the details, reported the loss and asked me to return the following day. I returned to the station to be reunited with my shopping after its excursion to Settle! Thank you everybody involved in its rescue at Settle and Appleby. Friday 13th was definitely my lucky day!”
WRITES MRS J C
from Miss R P
Re: Easing the way
Re: Making connections
“Yesterday, employees at Leeds station looked after my mother and father (who are both in their eighties and neither of whom can walk very far), from their train and saw them safely to the front of the taxi queue. Their age means that they both worry about managing what most of us don’t think twice about and this sometimes prevents them from getting out. Getting great service like this means a lot to them (and us, their children) and you should know that it is appreciated. Thank you”
“We have received excellent customer service tonight from your conductor Matthew Atkinson. He assisted us from Howden station when our Hull train was cancelled to London. He took great time and care to ensure that we were able to make connections and travel to London without difficulty. He was excellent. Many thanks.”
WRITES MR M A
Re: The little things “I just wanted to record how helpful your customer service man at Manchester Oxford Road was this morning. He helped me locate my coat and bags which I left on the train yesterday.” Writes Mr J E
Miss P T writes
Training upda te
We’re still in vesting in o ur Retail colleagues through ou r Being Nort training pro hern gramme. Th e day is in safety brief, 4 parts: Being North ern, Comm skills and St unication ay Safe. So fa r 579 (66% 872 collea ) of our gues from Gateline, RPA, Despa tch and Bo oking Offices have attended th e course. Sess ions start a gain on 11 Septe mber.
TICKETS PLEASE We’re delighted that the ticket office at Thorne North station will continue to open; our next plan is to improve access to the platform at this wonderful station.
You won a Halo award in May 2012 (for the way he reacted when a customer was taken very ill at St Helens Station – see p6-7) and then went on to be crowned our Northern Star of the Year 2011-2012, beating 50 other Stars – well done! What made you do what you did? I only did what I think others would’ve done. A customer needed help. Instinct took over. I took it one step at a time but without taking my time about it. Once I knew the man was in safe hands with the station team I was on my way again – I was still on duty and had to consider the welfare of my customers and my duties on other services. I phoned the next day as it was still on my mind and the man’s daughter told me how he was and how thankful the family were. What’s your role and how long have you worked at Northern? I’ve been a Conductor Instructor for two years now after seven
Being Northern
e quizzed Edd ie Burns on hat it was like to win this year’s Northe rn Star of the Year award and ho w he approach es life at Northern ...
11
Your Northern Stars for June are:
This sounds clichéd but every day really is different, every trip is different. I’m a people person so chatting to customers comes naturally to me.
years as a Conductor, so I’ve been at Northern for nine years so far. Before joining Northern I had a year as a Station Supervisor at Merseyrail and before that I was in the army then security. And what did it feel like to win? How was the awards do? The awards night was not at all what I expected! I thought I’d turn up and it’d be full of managers and I’d be gone again a couple of hours later! But it wasn’t like that at all – I was made welcome by everyone I came in contact with – even before the awards were announced. The meal was superb and drinks flowed very nicely all night (complimentary I might add!). Picking up the award itself was very surreal. When I was watching the film about the judging and listening to the introduction I thought they must be talking about someone else. It was only when my name was called, everyone was congratulating me, and I had a TV camera and photographer right there in my face that it suddenly dawned on me I’d won! I went up on stage to collect my award from the sponsors and Ian Bevan and everyone in the hall was on their feet giving me a standing ovation and cheering. Next came the 1001 photographs which no doubt will be shown throughout the year on our trains and in this magazine! Overall it was an excellent night enjoyed by everybody. What’s involved in an average day in your job? This sounds clichéd but every day really is different, every trip is different. I’m a people person so chatting to customers comes naturally to me.
Safety has to be the priority but I also have to remember that we are a business and need to carry out revenue duties. I make sure that when I carry out door procedures everyone gets on and off the train safely. I also support customers with disabilities, help the elderly and also vulnerable customers and look out for people with their luggage – I manage my trains in a nutshell. When I’m not working trains, I deliver the company brief to each Conductor at Lime Street in turn twice a year. What do you love about your job? I love knowing that I’m helping people to get to work on time, taking people on their holiday or days out and helping others. As I said I’m a people person so I love the interaction I have with my customers every day. You are the Northern Stars 2012 Star of the Year. What’s your top tip to people who want to be in with a chance of getting to the awards ceremony next year?! This is a hard one to answer! I didn’t think for one moment when I booked on to work that day that I’d be helping such a sick person. I’d say – think on your feet look after your customers. Look out for any signs of distress; think about what you’re doing. If you do see someone in a similar situation, think of their family – they need to be informed. Empathise with them and keep them informed with as much detail as possible. If you’re lucky enough to win a Northern Star or Halo award and attend the awards evening, enjoy the night! You never know, you could win. I did!”
£25 VOUCHER PrIZE DRAW WINNER chosen at random for nominating a colleague, is Steve Foulds, Conductor Team Manager
Lynsey Edwards, Travel Advisor, Liverpool Lime Street You want 1,100 tickets in six bookings for 160 children and 40 adults?! No problem! Lynsey’s dedication when a customer wanted a very complicated and time consuming booking made the difference between us making and losing revenue. The customer was delighted that she’d saved money – Lynsey had found her the best deals – and we gained valuable five-figure revenue which could easily have gone to a competitor if Lynsey hadn’t reacted in the ambitious and accountable way she did.
Tim Watts,
Driver, York
When Driver Tim’s train hit a tree at 65mph in heavy rain and darkness, he didn’t let the shock faze him. He quickly assessed the situation and alerted the local signaller and Northern Control of all the necessary details – then he set about moving some of the logs and branches himself! Tim’s accountable and efficient response to the situation helped the signaller and Control to make the right decisions, so that trains could get moving as efficiently and safely as possible for our customers.
Mark Dyer,
Station Supervisor, Alnmouth When three cyclists arrived hoping to get on their booked train without bike reservations (following some incorrect advice from another party), Mark did what he could to improve on a potential five hour delay to their journey and hefty admin fees for changing their tickets. After speaking to train managers from the other train company, Mark had secured the three customers plus their bikes onto trains departing within two hours and without the £90 charges to change their tickets. His progressive and accountable approach impressed the judges.
highly commended northern star The Glossop Station Team, nominated by a visually impaired customer who appreciates their ongoing care and attention.
12
Your questions answered
y e Say Your
Q
Is there a possibility that a reciprocal travel agreement with TPE could be arranged as we have with Grand Central as we work closely with them?
A
Paul Stephen, Compensations & Benefits manager answers this question: “Unfortunately not. We currently have an agreement for residential travel only but we’re not in a position to offer this for leisure purposes as well at this stage of our franchise.”
Q A
Will you be offering the ride to work scheme again? It offered a massive choice of bikes and equipment with an affordable way of paying for it. Thanks
Paul Stephen, Compensations & Benefits manager answers this question: “Thanks for this question. It’s good to know you’re interested as it’s something we are currently looking at, potentially to launch later this year but nothing is confirmed yet. We will communicate if and when it’s added to the Your Benefits options. For lots of benefits, offers and discounts, visit personalgroupbenefits.com/northernrail. You can save on countless things from your weekly shopping to your big holidays!”
Q
Now that the franchise has been extended until 2014 are you going to renew spouses travel passes? At the start of the year we received a memo saying they wouldn’t be renewed. Whilst my spouse uses mainly local services it is a cause of worry in case she is challenged by barrier staff or train crew from other companies.
A
Paul Stephen, Compensations & Benefits manager answers this question: “Yes, in a Special brief this February I let you know that employee and family member travel passes would be valid until the end of this franchise, regardless of the expiry date on the pass. This is still the case. Although other train operators have been briefed on this, I do know some people have raised some concerns about it. So, yes, you can renew your own and your family’s passes. To do that, please send the expired pass or a new photograph to the following address, including a stamped self-addressed envelope for it/them to be returned to you. Please post to: HR Support Services – Travel Pass renewal, 5th floor, 9 Rougier Street, York, YO1 6HZ.”
Your Want to
Say Say Live have...
Your
Now that the 323 trains are undergoing a makeover, involving new flooring etc, I would like to see the floors/ toilets/cabs cleaned properly. The floors are not mopped and are starting to stain and in no time will look shabby. I even take my own bottle of washing liquid to clean my cab windows outside. Just using liquid/water helps keep clean and safer to drive.
A
Adam Strachan, Contracts Manager in Engineering, answers this question: “Thanks for your concern about this. It’s something we’ve been working on. It’s taken some time to find a mop that is practical to address these problems but the guys at Alstom have come up with the goods: • Vileda Ultra speed mops (flat mops) are being used for daily cleans, which have different heads and are also changeable to slightly more aggressive heads to remove stubborn dirt • the most recent improvement is the introduction of the Karcher 304 scrubber dryer on the periodic heavy clean. Again this has different brushes that can be used dependant on the severity of the grime. Please continue to share any feedback so we can make further improvements. We’ve shared this information with our maintainer and with other depots.”
Q
Can you explain why RPAs are stood in booking offices on a morning and not on trains? Two stand in Ilkley office whilst the 07:50 Bradford has no help on it!
A
Ian Borthwick, Revenue Projects Manager, answers: “We’d prefer people to buy their ticket before they board a train, so at some stations the best option is to provide additional opportunities to purchase, for example ticket machines or, as in this case, additional ticket sellers. For busy routes, this takes pressure off train crew who may not be able to reach all customers. A mixture of on-train and on-station options gives the best results overall. But as here, if you feel there are other opportunities to explore, please do get in touch with me: ian.borthwick@northernrail.org or 01904 568606.”
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK US THIS MONTH? Fill in the slip provided with this issue of Your Northern and send it back to us in the freepost envelope provided.