Aspect Autumn 2011

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The employee magazine of Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru

AUTUMN 2011

Matthew steps in

to save baby’s life PAGE THREE

Proud to have you on board

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Careful preparation is key to meeting the challenges of Autumn

By Managing Director

Tim Bell

TIME rolls by and once again Autumn is closing in on us. As a business this is the most challenging time of the year operationally.

Planning and preparation have been key factors in delivering our improved train performance over the last few years.

Again we are carrying out preparations in the fleet and driver functions whilst working closely with Network Rail with the aim of ensuring the best possible infrastructure conditions to combat the effects of low adhesion.

As an important link in the day-to-day delivery of our service to the customer, if you feel there is something you believe will help improve performance please feed it back to your manager for consideration.

Moving on to wider issues, you may have read in the papers and railway press that Network Rail is devolving its organisation to regions more aligned to the Train Operating Companies.

It has created a Wales region which is similar to the Arriva Trains Wales operation area.

Network Rail has appointed a regional Managing Director for the area which will have devolved responsibility for operations, maintenance, asset management and some renewals schemes with back office support from central HQ. I am keen to work closely with the new devolved Network Rail organisation which starts in October. I can see opportunities to influence more local decision-making in Wales which will benefit our customers and facilitate more effective delivery to the Welsh Government and the Department for Transport.

Later in October you will be receiving the bi-annual Arriva Trains Wales Staff Survey questionnaire. Please take time to fill in and return the survey as your views are important to me and they definitely shape the future plans we make.

For every survey returned the business will be making a £1 donation to charity. So if everybody does their bit over £2,000 could be donated. Please encourage your colleagues to complete the survey.

Finally, one of the previous feedback items from the Staff Survey was the poor quality of the uniform. The new uniform has now been successfully implemented, with minor hitches, and there has been very positive feedback from customers and staff alike.

Thank you for your patience with the changeover and also to all those involved in making it happen. So, remember your feedback from the Staff Survey helped change our strategy on uniform.

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ASPECT Autumn 2011

Gillian Miles with some of the musical instruments which have remained unclaimed in the Lost Property Office at Newport.

‘Lost’ instruments donated to school W

HAT do you didgeri-doo with a varied collection of musical instruments that has remained unclaimed for months on end?

It’s an academic question for Gillian Miles, who runs the Lost Property Office in Newport.

She is passing them on to Special Events Manager Simon Turton so that he can donate them to Ysgol Gynfun Llanhari, the school attended by his sons Luke and Samuel, aged 14 and 16, in Llanharry.

Simon explained:“In conversation with

the music teacher during a parents’ evening at the end of the school year, I learned how expensive musical equipment can be and how unfortunately some parents can’t afford it.

“The teacher said that was a shame because some of the pupils showed a great talent for music – and school funds didn’t stretch to providing instruments.

“I replied that we had plenty in Lost Property – including two didgeridoos – and that I would see if they could be donated to the school.”

OPEN DAYS HIGHLIGHT COURSES TWO open days highlighted the benefits of lifelong learning available under the partnership between the Wales Union Learning Fund and Arriva Trains Wales.

The Fund supports learning activities led by trades unions working with employers and others to help raise skills levels.

The sessions at Canton and the Training Centre in St David’s House publicised the wide variety of courses on offer.

Potential new learners showed particular interest in Spanish, Welsh and German, as well as sign language, literacy and numeracy.

A number of people signed up to Learn Direct-funded modules.

Courses already booked to run in Cardiff include Spanish, with Welsh to follow soon afterwards.

With open days also planned for Chester and Machynlleth, staff are being urged to keep an eye out for dates, come along and sign up.

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Mother’s gratitude

for staff action A

N Arriva Trains Wales service delivery assistant saved the life of a baby girl – thanks to First Aid procedures he had learned during a family tragedy.

Matthew Barrow was alerted to the plight of a woman on Neath station whose baby had stopped breathing. He laid the two-year-old girl on a desk and took vital steps to keep her alive while the distressed parent waited for paramedics to arrive.

His actions were successful and he has been thanked by the mother who was taking her daughter to hospital for treatment for a virus.

In the aftermath of the incident, memories came flooding back to Matthew about the loss two years ago of his 15-month-old son Samuel, who had Down’s Syndrome.

“I massaged the chest of the little girl and breathed air through her nose because her mouth had locked shut,” said Matthew.

Service Delivery Assistant Matthew Barrow, left, and Swansea and Bridgend Station Manager Stewart Keay who have been praised for their vital action which saved the life of a baby girl at Neath station.

“These were both procedures I had seen the nurses performing on Samuel during his illness. Afterwards I just broke down in tears because the memories came rushing back.”

The little girl stopped breathing twice during the station incident but both times Matthew, helped by Bridgend Station Manager Stewart Keay, was able to bring her back from the brink.

BTP continue crackdown on assaults BRITISH Transport Police continue to take action to stamp out attacks on Arriva Trains Wales staff.

A male is to appear in court following an assault on two members of train crew at Aber station, Rhymney Valley.

An offender who spat at a guard in Bridgend received a community order for 100 hours of unpaid work, a £100 fine and court costs of £85.

North Wales Police are using CCTV footage to help BTP with an investigation into an assault in which a conductor was grabbed round the shoulders at Bangor.

A drunken male who was aggressive towards station staff at Colwyn Bay station was arrested for Public Disorder and given an £80 fine.

died two Matthew ’s son Samuel who s. nth mo 15 d years ago, age

Station wins awards galore

FULL UP... there’s no room for the eighth award.

A VOLUNTEER group which looks after Helsby station has won so many awards it has almost run out of room to exhibit them on the station.

The North Cheshire Rail Users Group is celebrating after the location was presented with the Best Kept Station in Cheshire Award for the third time.

In total they now have received eight awards of various titles in consecutive years for Helsby under a scheme set up by local rail enthusiast John Hulme, and they’ve had to find a new place to mount the latest.

“We have already mounted seven on the side of the signal box toilet block, but we have now had to place the eighth half-way down the signal box itself,” said co-ordinator Frank Taylor.

The group, who have also received accolades for their work at Frodsham and Runcorn East stations, work with Arriva Trains Wales under the Adopt A Station scheme.

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By Human Resources Director LYNNE MILLIGAN

Having your say really does make a difference THANK you to everyone who completed an Internal Communications survey. Early reviews tell us that Aspect magazine and STUD events are the two most highly rated items and the intranet was the lowest rated.

While there is a bit more analysis to be done, one of the outcomes will be a piece of work looking at the intranet, analysing where access points are located, connection speeds and the ease of navigation. Your views really do make a difference, so thank you again.

In Tim’s column he mentioned the Staff Survey questionnaire will be run this autumn. You will start seeing publicity soon for this and again, your opinions really do make a difference.

The survey is run every two years and from it we develop an action plan tackling the items that matter to you most. I urge you to complete your copy when you receive it, in order that your views get taken into account.

In October, a new piece of employment law comes into force. This is the removal of the default retirement age – in other words, it means that no one has to retire at a particular age any more unless there are exceptional reasons.

Previously, if you were approaching 65, someone from the HR team would write to you in connection with your impending retirement. Now it is up to you when that happens and you will need to advise the HR team when you are ready to retire, ensuring that you give the required notice to help allow for the backfilling of your post.

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ASPECT Autumn 2011

Back at work after cancer operation

Driver Steven Bradbury wants to warn others about the consequences of smoking.

S

TEVEN Bradbury is warning of the dangers of smoking after making a remarkable recovery from tongue cancer.

The Machynlleth driver underwent an operation in June last year – and within six months he was back at work. His experience has left him convinced that smoking was the cause – and he wants to warn others of the dangers.

“I have nothing against smoking in itself and if somebody wants to smoke then let them,” he said.“But there are pitfalls – some are lucky, some are unlucky. If someone was thinking about starting, I would advise them not to in the light of my own experience.”

Specialists at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Bodelwyddan, North Wales, informed Steven that smoking was the definite cause of his illness. After the operation they took a graft from his wrist – including part of a tattoo on his arm – to reconstruct his tongue.

Steven added:“I smoked up to 40 cigarettes a day for 28 years. It was a shock to get the cancer – but the doctors were fabulous.”

Log on to www.smokefree.nhs.uk to obtain further details of how to join groups in your local area or contact them on freephone 0800 085 2219 (Wales) 0800 0224 332.

Initiative to help employees reduce risk of muscle injuries COLLEAGUES are being urged to look out for a number of forthcoming initiatives which are aimed at encouraging their health and wellbeing.

At Arriva Trains Wales, we are developing a training DVD that will give advice about how to reduce the risks of developing a musculoskeletal injury at work.

It will offer specific guidance tailored to address and reduce the musculoskeletal risk factors which are present in various job roles undertaken by employees.

The DVD, which will also provide general health and fitness information relevant to all staff, will be promoted during Safety Training Update Days from Autumn STUD onwards.

Meanwhile an event is being planned for Wednesday, October 19 to mark Back Care Awareness week. It will be held on the 5th Floor, St Mary’s House, Cardiff. James Rind, Chartered Physiotherapist (Work Strong) will

be offering information and advice about how to be more active and fitter throughout your working day. A further event is also being planned in Chester in early November to mark National Stress Awareness day.

Look out for further details about both sessions on the company intranet and posters.

Thanks are being extended to all those who expressed an interest in the corporate scheme for discounted council leisure membership.

A total of 49 messages of support were received – but still more are needed before the local councils can consider offering the scheme. Email healthy.living@arrivatw.co.uk if you would like to join.

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David is still

rallying at 64!

D

AVID Lewis travels through the night down dirt roads in forests to pursue his passion for rallying – at the age of 64! The Machynlleth-based Assistant Technician owns a Peugeot 205 GTI and still enters competitions on an occasional basis.

His latest excursion was in a 50-mile night rally round Lake Vyrnwy which he entered with his son Barry.

David first took up rallying at the age of 18 and then after a lay-off took it up again three years ago.“I got the bug as a youngster when I saw the first RAC rally come through Wales,” he said.

“In the past I have entered British rally events, but now it’s a question of staying young by driving with young people on local circuits in North Wales.”

READY TO RALLY: David Lewis at the wheel of his Peugeot 205 GTI. A member of Machynlleth Rally Club, David has driven a variety of cars in the past including a Mini Cooper S and a Ford Escort Mark 2. He’s not alone at Machynlleth in his rallying enthusiasm.

Maintenance Team Leader Ieuan Jones navigates for his son David, a Fitter.

Team Leader Kevin Price drives a rally car

and Fitter Robert Cargill enters staged events. “Sometimes we compete against each other in rallies,” said Ieuan.“Once on a Bro Dyfi event my son and I ended up in a river alongside David Lewis’s car, all of us trying desperately to get to the other side.”

Lastest CIS installations are underway

Conductor meets his personal challenge MACHYNLLETH Conductor Alex Grant cycled 1,078 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money for Water Aid. He undertook his trip, which was spread over 17 days in April and May, as a “personal challenge.”

“In total I raised more than £1,150 for an extremely good cause,” said Alex, who is pictured at the famous Land’s End signpost.

“I was able to access clean water throughout my journey – but one in eight people in the world do not have that luxury.”

THE latest phase in the installation of Customer Information Systems at Arriva Trains Wales stations is underway.

Twenty installs are being carried out on the City Line between Coryton and Radyr and some stations on the Wrexham-Bidston route. When these are in place a total of 48 stations will have been equipped with CIS since the start of the National Stations Improvement Scheme (NSIP).

Surveys have been carried out at the 110 remaining stations currently without CIS provision to obtain detailed costs. Plans are being formulated to ensure that all of Arriva Trains Wales’ stations are equipped with CIS by the end of 2014.

Also under NSIP, works are scheduled to begin at Pontypridd station as soon as Network Rail has completed the repair and refurbishment of the canopy.

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Right across the Arriva Trains Wales network disused station buildings are being brought back into use and platforms are being brightened up thanks to dedicated groups of volunteers...

Hard work turns vision into

a splendid reality Above, HRH The Prince of Wales unveils a plaque to officially open the new facility at Llandovery station with The Duchess of Cornwall looking on.

Right, Prince Charles is pictured speaking to Arriva Trains Wales Property Maintenance Supervisor Martyn Tudor during the Royal visit with Gill Wright of Friends of Llandovery Station standing next to the Prince.

Pupils in partnership to spruce up station PONTARDDULAIS is another Heart of Wales station to be spruced up with volunteers looking after the impressive raised flower beds, pictured right.

The idea for a makeover for the station was originally suggested by members of Merched Y Wawr, but with the help of the Tidy Towns Initiative, the Pontarddulais Partnership, Swansea City Council, Arriva Trains, some volunteers and most importantly pupils from Pontarddulais

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Comprehensive School, the area has been cleared and improved.

Especially active in the project were Year 11 pupils from Pontarddulais Comprehensive School, led by teacher Sue Davies Lowe and youth worker Angela Payne.

As a result of their efforts the youngsters achieved Level Two Asdan certificates of personal effectiveness – a qualification equivalent to GCSE grade B that requires at least 20 hours of community work.

V

ISIONARY volunteers have brought two disused station buildings back to life in high-profile projects supported by Arriva Trains Wales.

At Borth on the Cambrian coast line and Llandovery in mid-Wales the links between the railway and the local community have been strengthened through partnership working.

A derelict station waiting area and ticket office at Borth have been transformed into an important facility for the use of local people, tourists and rail enthusiasts. Within the walls of the building a heritage museum has been filled with railway memorabilia to evoke memories of the 1950s and 1960s.

Run by the Borth Station Volunteers, the facility aims to create a tourist information facility for visiting holidaymakers.

The £40,000 scheme, officially opened by Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, is the culmination of local involvement which began in 2006 when local residents

George Romary and John Toler led volunteers in adopting Borth under the ‘Adopt a Station’ scheme.

Following protracted negotiations, local tradesmen began earlier this year refurbishing all the windows and doors, re-wiring, installing a water supply and painting – while preserving much of the original features of the booking office.

George said: “We had a dream and this is the culmination of a lot of hard work by many people – we still can’t quite believe it.

The building has come to life again.”

A similar makeover has been accomplished at Llandovery, where the station building dating from 1858 has been renovated and re-opened after lying derelict since 1992.

Following the setting up of the Heart of Wales Line Development Company which acquired the lease, refurbishment work got underway led by Gill Wright, David Edwards and the Friends of Llandovery Station.

Scouts do their best for platform project MEMBERS of the 1st Kidwelly Scouts used a variety of skills to help transform their town’s station. The young people joined parents and a local contractor in a landscaping project which has breathed new life into the platforms.

The £1,800 project, funded by the Welsh Government’s Local Environmental Quality Fund, started in June with the transformation of disused land.

Volunteers helped construct three large raised flower beds out of railway sleepers and landscape the ground.

Scout members filled the beds with earth and planted flowers and shrubs. In addition they completed an art project and repainted the waiting shelters with support from officers from the British Transport Police in Swansea.

Cllr Jeanette Gilasbey, Mayor of Kidwelly, who unveiled a plaque, said: “It’s wonderful to see the scouts getting involved in improving an important community facility.”

Scout leader Shan Cheesman said:“The project has given us all – scouts and parents – the opportunity to make a difference to our town.

The scouts have also learned new skills, which was a key objective of the scheme.”

Huw Edwards films on location at Llanelli

Pictured at the opening of the new heritage museum at Borth station are, left to right, Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, George Romary of Borth Station Volunteers and Rhydian Mason, Community Rail Officer for Cambrian Line.

Top, some of the historic railway memorabilia in the museum.

The result is a waiting room and café, space for meetings and displays, a toilet and a cycle hire micro-business housed within the building.

A plaque was unveiled at the

official opening by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, to the accompaniment of harp music, singing and Welsh folk dancing performed by local school children.

FILMING took place at Llanelli station for a BBC programme commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Railway Riots in the town.

Hosted by Llangennech-born Huw Edwards, the BBC newsreader, the programme recalled the three days of disruption staged by railway workers, tin workers and the unemployed in August, 1911. Production support was supplied

by Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail, with Huw visiting various locations in and around the railway station.

The programme, produced by Tinopolis on behalf of the BBC, recounted how the protest over working conditions led to transport disruption and the shooting dead of two young men by soldiers from the Worcester Regiment. ● Huw is pictured above at Llanelli station with members of the production crew.

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Right across the Arriva Trains Wales network disused station buildings are being brought back into use and platforms are being brightened up thanks to dedicated groups of volunteers...

Hard work turns vision into

a splendid reality Above, HRH The Prince of Wales unveils a plaque to officially open the new facility at Llandovery station with The Duchess of Cornwall looking on.

Right, Prince Charles is pictured speaking to Arriva Trains Wales Property Maintenance Supervisor Martyn Tudor during the Royal visit with Gill Wright of Friends of Llandovery Station standing next to the Prince.

Pupils in partnership to spruce up station PONTARDDULAIS is another Heart of Wales station to be spruced up with volunteers looking after the impressive raised flower beds, pictured right.

The idea for a makeover for the station was originally suggested by members of Merched Y Wawr, but with the help of the Tidy Towns Initiative, the Pontarddulais Partnership, Swansea City Council, Arriva Trains, some volunteers and most importantly pupils from Pontarddulais

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Comprehensive School, the area has been cleared and improved.

Especially active in the project were Year 11 pupils from Pontarddulais Comprehensive School, led by teacher Sue Davies Lowe and youth worker Angela Payne.

As a result of their efforts the youngsters achieved Level Two Asdan certificates of personal effectiveness – a qualification equivalent to GCSE grade B that requires at least 20 hours of community work.

V

ISIONARY volunteers have brought two disused station buildings back to life in high-profile projects supported by Arriva Trains Wales.

At Borth on the Cambrian coast line and Llandovery in mid-Wales the links between the railway and the local community have been strengthened through partnership working.

A derelict station waiting area and ticket office at Borth have been transformed into an important facility for the use of local people, tourists and rail enthusiasts. Within the walls of the building a heritage museum has been filled with railway memorabilia to evoke memories of the 1950s and 1960s.

Run by the Borth Station Volunteers, the facility aims to create a tourist information facility for visiting holidaymakers.

The £40,000 scheme, officially opened by Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, is the culmination of local involvement which began in 2006 when local residents

George Romary and John Toler led volunteers in adopting Borth under the ‘Adopt a Station’ scheme.

Following protracted negotiations, local tradesmen began earlier this year refurbishing all the windows and doors, re-wiring, installing a water supply and painting – while preserving much of the original features of the booking office.

George said: “We had a dream and this is the culmination of a lot of hard work by many people – we still can’t quite believe it.

The building has come to life again.”

A similar makeover has been accomplished at Llandovery, where the station building dating from 1858 has been renovated and re-opened after lying derelict since 1992.

Following the setting up of the Heart of Wales Line Development Company which acquired the lease, refurbishment work got underway led by Gill Wright, David Edwards and the Friends of Llandovery Station.

Scouts do their best for platform project MEMBERS of the 1st Kidwelly Scouts used a variety of skills to help transform their town’s station. The young people joined parents and a local contractor in a landscaping project which has breathed new life into the platforms.

The £1,800 project, funded by the Welsh Government’s Local Environmental Quality Fund, started in June with the transformation of disused land.

Volunteers helped construct three large raised flower beds out of railway sleepers and landscape the ground.

Scout members filled the beds with earth and planted flowers and shrubs. In addition they completed an art project and repainted the waiting shelters with support from officers from the British Transport Police in Swansea.

Cllr Jeanette Gilasbey, Mayor of Kidwelly, who unveiled a plaque, said: “It’s wonderful to see the scouts getting involved in improving an important community facility.”

Scout leader Shan Cheesman said:“The project has given us all – scouts and parents – the opportunity to make a difference to our town.

The scouts have also learned new skills, which was a key objective of the scheme.”

Huw Edwards films on location at Llanelli

Pictured at the opening of the new heritage museum at Borth station are, left to right, Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, George Romary of Borth Station Volunteers and Rhydian Mason, Community Rail Officer for Cambrian Line.

Top, some of the historic railway memorabilia in the museum.

The result is a waiting room and café, space for meetings and displays, a toilet and a cycle hire micro-business housed within the building.

A plaque was unveiled at the

official opening by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, to the accompaniment of harp music, singing and Welsh folk dancing performed by local school children.

FILMING took place at Llanelli station for a BBC programme commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Railway Riots in the town.

Hosted by Llangennech-born Huw Edwards, the BBC newsreader, the programme recalled the three days of disruption staged by railway workers, tin workers and the unemployed in August, 1911. Production support was supplied

by Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail, with Huw visiting various locations in and around the railway station.

The programme, produced by Tinopolis on behalf of the BBC, recounted how the protest over working conditions led to transport disruption and the shooting dead of two young men by soldiers from the Worcester Regiment. ● Huw is pictured above at Llanelli station with members of the production crew.

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S A F E T Y

matters

By Operations and Safety Director Peter Leppard

Workshops boost safety culture THE Safety Team got together with union safety representatives at two workshop events in Cardiff and Chester. The workshops were well attended and gave a good opportunity to discuss a range of safety issues and processes, including: ● Communications between representatives and their managers. ● Engagement of representatives in hazard identification and reporting. ● Ways to continuously improve the safety culture of the whole organisation.

I hope we can hold further such events in future, as safety rep involvement is important in developing Arriva Trains Wales’ safety culture.

New recycling scheme FOLLOWING feedback from our Environmental Champions, we are working in partnership with Biffa to undertake dry mixed recycling for cardboard, paper, newspapers, plastic films, plastic bottles, paper cups and steel and aluminium cans.

All dry mixed recyclables are taken to a local facility where the waste is sorted into the different materials which are then sent for recycling.

Rhymney and Treherbert will be amongst the first locations to receive these new recycling facilities, followed by Cardiff, Chester, Carmarthen, Holyhead, Newport, Shrewsbury and Swansea.

Touch screen system A NEW touch screen phone system will be installed shortly in the South Wales Control Centre (SWCC).

This will enable the company mobile phone numbers of all conductors, drivers and station staff to be contained within the system’s memory, allowing members of the SWCC staff the facility to handle incoming and outgoing telephone calls in a more flexible and prioritised way.

Extra Trains to Fishguard FIVE additional services a day (Monday to Saturday) are now running to and from Fishguard following investment by the Welsh Government.

The service was launched by Carl Sergeant AM at a ceremony with stakeholders in Fishguard on 12 September. Look out for our feature on the new service in the next edition of Aspect.

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Ken bows out after

Ken Evans is looking to spend more time in his garden now he has retired after nearly half a century in the rail industry.

50 years K

EN Evans started out on the railways at the tender age of 15.

After sitting a stiff railway examination in the waiting room on Platform 7 at Chester station, he gained a thorough knowledge of passenger parcels and goods before taking up a post as junior clerk in Menai Bridge.

Almost 50 years on, Ken is now taking retirement from his post as sales advisor in the ticket office in Chester – but he still retains fond memories of those early years.

“I was posted to a number of stations on the North Wales coast as general

purpose relief during the steam era,” he said.“I covered a number of stations which don’t now exist thanks to the Beeching axe.

“Things were very different then – when I became shed master‘s clerk at Bangor station I prepared the drivers’ and conductors’ diagrams manually, for instance.”

Ken welcomes retirement because it means he can spend more time with wife Pearl and his family. He plans to develop his garden, where he grows dahlias, and will spend more time walking and travelling in Europe.

Big bash planned at the junction PREPARATIONS are underway for Llandudno Junction’s “big bash”.

A group of staff are organising a depot reunion and retirement party to take place on December 3.

Driver Allan Barnes said:“A hot buffet and entertainment at the Grand Hotel in Llandudno will be a

combined reunion, Christmas Party and the chance to send good wishes to Driver Geoff Stone who is retiring after 46 years on the railways.”

Numbers are limited – to reserve tickets at £10 a person email to allanbarnes19@hotmail.com

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The award-winning Spirit of Harlech flower bed with a central feature of plants depicting an Arriva Trains Wales Class 158 carriage pictured at the Tatton Park RHS Flower Show. Below right, the flower-filled replica boat.

Company-sponsored exhibit scoops Silver-Gilt at top show

Extra chance to view

3D floral train S

TAFF are being given an extra chance to view the three-dimensional floral train sponsored by Arriva Trains Wales which scooped a Silver-Gilt medal at the prestigious Tatton Park RHS Flower Show.

The 7,500-flower exhibit, which was the brainchild of gardeners from the Harlech Women’s Institute, is available for viewing at the front of Machynlleth station.

Entitled Spirit of Harlech, and complete with floral rail track, replica boat and sand, the train of flowers was entered in the National Flower Bed competition at the Cheshire-based show.

The Class 158 train in the Arriva livery reflected the WI’s work in the company's Adopt a Station scheme.

The ladies commissioned a

specialist company to build the one-tonne, 1.4 metre-high train around a steel frame, and took advice from specialists at Portmeirion on how to create the surrounding garden using 3,000 bedding plants.

The eye-catching creation drew many admiring comments at Tatton Park.

Mike Obst, aged 60, from Leeds, said:“It raises the profile of rail as a mode of transport, in an unusual way.”

Arthur Haig, aged 70, from Huddersfield, said:“I have never seen anything like this before.”

Commenting on the Silver Gilt, Dave Crunkhorn, Arriva Trains Wales’ Station Manager, Cambrian, said:“The WI team worked really hard, supported

by Project Manager Lewis Brencher, to achieve their success.”

Amanda Sims, centre, Manager of the Harlech Women’s Institute Rail Project, holds the Silver-Gilt certificate awarded to the flower bed. She is flanked by Dave Crunkhorn, Station Manager, Cambrian, and Kim Hawkins, Group Station Manager (North).

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five

minutes with Angie Burt Angie, aged 46, is a Duty Manager at Newport station and lives at Griffithstown. Here, she takes time out of her busy schedule to tell us about herself.

What are you doing at the moment?

As a Duty Manager I maintain safety at the station and make sure that services depart punctually.

What is the best aspect of your job?

Working with a great team. I was also grateful for the opportunity to take a Management Development (MaDe) course which was both varied and at times challenging. During the course I learned a great deal about management skills while meeting different heads of functions and visiting various stations. Team tasks were set at each meeting – I thoroughly enjoyed researching information and presenting my completed task.

Angie

Burt at her Which famous person alive or dead office desk at Newport would you invite for dinner? station.

It would have to be Boy George. I was always fascinated with him as a teenager, and to have dinner with him would be fantastic – although if I’m totally honest I think if I met him in person I would be very My favourite book is The Lovely Bones by nervous!

Alice Sebold. I was totally hooked from the moment I opened it. Although a very What do you do in your spare time? moving story, it is well written. I don’t I try to spend time with my family. I also normally like fiction but I made an exception enjoy experimenting with baking and relax with this. My favourite CDs would have to be by gardening or watching films.

Lady Ga Ga’s Born This Way, Adele’s 21 and any of Rihanna’s latest albums.

Favourite films/books/CDs? Your favourite place in the world?

My favourite all-time films are Braveheart and Gladiator. I love the way both films have Would have to be Cornwall and any of the tried to capture their era. I must confess I Greek Islands. I have had such lovely holidays enjoy films that contain battle scenes. at each of these places.

What would you like to be doing in five years’ time?

Working for Arriva Trains Wales. I am always keen to develop myself so I’m not sure what role I will be in!

Best bit of advice you have ever been given, and by whom?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. This advice speaks for itself and it reminds me to always listen. I think a few people have actually given me this advice over the years.

Tour of Hollywood movie location... in the Emerald Isle LEE Baker has been to Hollywood where he was given a tour round the location of a blockbuster movie.

But he hasn’t been anywhere near the USA – the Shrewsbury conductor was on a trip with scooter enthusiasts to Ireland.

His party and members of the Lambretta Club of Ireland stayed in

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an Irish town called Hollywood and were taken by a guide to see where Braveheart was filmed.“It was a strange coincidence,” said Lee. “We were staying in a place in County Wicklow with a famous film name and we were looking at plaques saying where various iconic scenes were shot.”

Lee travels widely to further his

passion for scooters and he joins rallies riding his 1975 Lambretta or his 2002 Vespa.

“I got hooked on scooters when I watched the film Quadrophenia back in the 1970s,” he said.“I also liked the clothes and the music.”

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Planter train is

growing places

D

AVID Herbert is carrying on a family tradition by decorating Machynlleth station with flowers. The driver’s father, Chargeman Viv Herbert, looked after the gardening on the station for many years until his death four years ago.

When Viv’s colleague and fellow station “greenfingers” Driver Vic Price also died, the

beds became neglected. But now, with the help of two local schools, David has revived the floral displays by introducing planters in the shape of Class 158 trains.

“We cut out chipboard in the shape of the trains which travel the coast route,” he said.

“From a personal point of view it’s a good way of remembering my father and Vic, who

gave me training. But it also seemed a good way of involving the schools attended by my four children aged between seven and 13.

“As well as helping with the planting of herbs and flowers, the pupils also created pictures showing the different stops along the railway.”

WIN £50 M&S voucher in garden-themed wordsearch OUR Wordsearch for the autumn issue is on the theme of flowers and gardens, to reflect our articles about the success of the floral train at the Tatton Park RHS Flower Show and the displays at Machynlleth station.

A £50 Marks & Spencer voucher is on offer for the first person whose name is drawn out of the hat. Entries should be no later than October 28 2011.

HOE LAWN POND RAKE HERBS MOWER PANSY PEARS PHLOX ROSES SEDUM APPLES BORDER

The competition is open to Arriva Trains Wales employees only. Simply ring the words in the grid, cut it out and send it with your name, address and phone number to: Geraint Morgan, Community Affairs Manager, Arriva Trains Wales, St Mary’s House, 47 Penarth Road, Cardiff CF10 5DJ. ● The winner of the previous wordsearch competition was Christine Elliott, a Conductor from Barry.

DAHLIA DAMSON GAZEBO HEDGES HOSTAS JASMINE RHUBARB TRELLIS ACHILLEA CLEMATIS BEECH NUTS CHRYSANTHEMUM MICHAELMAS DAISY

B O R D E R P N G A I L H A D M

E B I A G O X O L H P A O W I U

E O S C I S A D O S G W S C A M

C L E M A T I S R N A P H E S E

H E O N B E T E W A Z A T K C H

N Z H E O A N A K R E N I A Y T

U K T D S S L I E L B E B R I N

T A N R I A M U M I O D P O M A

S O P O E J U A O S H E D G E S

P E I S Q L S C D O A S A L A Y

S A M E U D L H A R P J E P I R

R B U S A L E I S A H A P A C H

E J R I X I N L S E L L N T E C

W A S E D U M L A V E W A S Z O

O Y O P H R H E B S O N U D Y I

ASPECT Autumn 2011

M I C H O B O A L B R A B U H R

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DOUBLE WINNERS: Captain Nick Hughes holds the Railsport 2011 cricket trophy and vice-captain Chris Lane has the Whitchurch tournament cup.

Six-a-side cricketers are

Railsport champs T

HE Arriva Cricket Team has been crowned Railsport Cricket Winners 2011. They won through to the finals of the annual six-a-side competition at Stanley Park, Blackpool, and produced a brilliant performance to lift the trophy.

Captained by Valley Lines Conductor Nick Hughes, the cricketers bowled the opposition out for 17 and then easily knocked off the runs to win.

Before defeating a First Great Western team from Slough in the final, the Arriva players had seen off five other sides from across the rail industry.

Treherbert Conductor Chris Lane, vice-captain

of the team, said:“We seem to be on a roll at the moment. Shortly after clinching the Railsport title we triumphed in the Whitchurch eight-a-side cricket tournament held in Cardiff.”

The team that won in Blackpool consisted of Nick Hughes, Chris Lane, Driver Manager Colin Vaughan, Mainline Guard Steve Hotton, Retired Driver Manager Graham Goddard and Treherbert Conductor Karl Johnson. The all-conquering side play regularly on Sundays, on a monthly basis.

A celebration evening was held in Barry on 4 September where the players were presented with their medals.

Soccer tournament with serious message A SCHOOL team from Swansea has won a safety-themed football tournament supported by Arriva Trains Wales, British Transport Police, Network Rail and the Football Association of Wales.

Pentrehafod Comprehensive School was crowned the 2011 No

12

ASPECT Autumn 2011

Messin’ South Wales Railway Safety Cup champions.

More than 200 children took part in the tournament, which formed part of the rail industry’s campaign to raise awareness among young people of the dangers linked to trespassing on the railway.

Andy’s charity fundraising CARDIFF Conductor Andy Piper has raised £542 for Velindre Cancer Hospital through the sale of raffle tickets to train crew colleagues. He also helped organise a charity night at the Borough Arms on St Mary’s Street for the same good cause.“I used to work as an assistant manager at the pub and when I learned they were fundraising for treatment of a former member of the staff who had cancer, I decided to do what I could,” he said.

Have you got news for us?

IF you have a story for Aspect please contact Community Affairs Manager Geraint Morgan on 02920-720521.

You can also contact him via email: geraint.morgan@ arrivatw.co.uk