Aspect Winter 2017 by i•creation

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The employee magazine of Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru

WINTER 2017

Exciting future ahead Four-page management conference report inside PAGES SEVEN-TEN

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Exciting plans will mean big changes By Managing Director TOM JOYNER

start off these notes with a ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has welcomed me to Wales since my move here in October. Already lots has happened since my arrival and I know there will be many more opportunities and positive changes occurring as we progress towards a devolved future for our franchise. The opportunity to be part of a truly aspirational transport network is one that we can all look forward to. The plans that Transport for

Wales and the Welsh Government have are exciting and we will see a situation where the best people truly want to come and join our company so they can be part of the change. I have watched lots of places transform and improve when powers are devolved locally and one thing I have a sense of is how passionate our colleagues are about the things we can improve in Wales and the Borders. A fair question would be “what will we do while we are waiting for this big change?”Well, that is an easy one to answer. We won’t be waiting! The change very much has started already as we invest £1 million in class 769s and plan new services across the Halton Curve.

We are working with the Welsh Government in a truly collaborative way. It isn’t all big things though – I would like 2018 to be a year where we reflect individually as to whether we are connecting enough with the communities we serve. Too often as an industry we stop at the station gates – but we have a huge role to play in our communities. We are a major employer in Wales and the Borders and we can literally transform local economies if we get things right. So, it is right that we help local communities as much as we can. If you have ideas on how we can do more, then talk to your local manager or you can always get in touch with me on Yammer, by email or write to me.

Dedicated volunteers are ‘model’ adopters THEY’RE well-known for putting hours of detailed care into their small-scale hobby. Now the members of Arriva Trains Wales’ Model Railway Club are expanding their attention to detail into the wider world. The eight-strong group are brightening up the platforms at Barry station where they are based – and hoping to ultimately take responsibility for the location under the company’s station adoption scheme. For years the club has confined itself to two rooms in the station building, constructing elaborate lay-outs which often feature scale models of Arriva units. Recently, however, they formed the ambition to put something back into the station and the community,

ASPECT Winter 2017

Retired Relief Signalman Rod Mackay, Station Environmental Operative Phil Crocker and Valleys Controller Kevin Hooper on the platform at Barry Station with their gardening tools as they start work on more improvements to the environment. and at the same time create a talking-point which might encourage new members. They launched their initiative at a special session when they finished clearing and planting up the 30 by 12 foot station garden. “We want to contribute to

the upkeep of the station,” said Environmental Station Operative Phil Crocker who is the Secretary of the club. “We want to bring in portable plant containers for the island platform and introduce a bit of colour so that the station is more

user-friendly and welcoming to customers.” The club’s members are currently in the first stages of building a new model railway which will be on three levels and feature an underpass. ■ Anyone wishing to join should phone 07814 076522.

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Win £50 worth of Amazon vouchers

Danielle Hopkins on a train to the Valleys where she will work with communities to promote the area.

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UK first to forge new

community links D

ANIELLE Hopkins has become the UK’s first Community Rail Apprentice. The 23-year-old from Tonypandy has joined Arriva Trains Wales on an 18-month assignment to forge links with the communities in the Valleys. Danielle, a former railway engineering apprentice, is working to develop the varied tourist potential the area has to offer. By liaising with organisations such as ramblers’ groups and doing her own proactive research, she hopes to highlight outdoor activities like walking with scenic routes, all available within close proximity to stations. “I will be raising awareness using social media and also through a leaflet containing everything you would need to explore the Valleys including

access and route maps as well as train operating information,” said Danielle. “I’ve already begun building relationships with a number of stakeholders as well as attending the Keep Wales Tidy Awards – hopefully soon we will have a Valleys’ station winning an accolade.” Danielle wants to get schools and youth groups interested in helping to look after stations. “To further my objective of building a strong relationship between Arriva Trains Wales and the communities it serves, I intend to recruit and support a number of station adopters. “As the first Community Rail Apprentice in the UK I have got to set the bar high,” she added.“It gives me motivation to promote the role in an exemplary way.”

USING Augmented Reality (AR) technology to access the bonus video content in this issue of Aspect is the secret to finding the answer to the question – with the chance to win £50 worth of Amazon vouchers. It is really quick and easy to check out the videos using the AR app. If you do not already have the app on your mobile, simply follow the instructions at the bottom of this page. Photographs on this page and pages five, eleven and the centre pages with the ‘scan the photo’ icon trigger video streams to your mobile. Remember – the answer is in the video. Q. How long does it take to mend each wheel damaged by winter conditions using the wheel lathe? Email your answer to katrina.tzannis@ arrivatw.co.uk by Friday January 26. The first correct entry drawn out of the hat wins the prize.

Tap into bonus content with the Arriva Trains Wales Augmented Reality (AR) app The free app, called Arriva Trains Wales AR, is available to download to smartphones and tablets from App Store and Google Play and will bring photographs to life in this magazine using the power of Augmented Reality. To access the bonus interactive video content, simply follow the three easy steps:

Download the Arriva Trains Wales AR app from App Store or Google Play.

Scan the photo on the pages where you see this AR icon.

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When the video starts double tap your screen for a full-screen view to take away. ASPECT Winter 2017

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Team Leader Mark Hill inspecting a wheel set for damage caused by adverse weather conditions.

Action steppe

as treach S

Electrician Russel Clark performing a brake test from the driver’s seat.

Engineer Gary Cousins with the wheel lathe which is used to repair damage to train “tyres”.

ASPECT Winter 2017

AFETY, engineering, train crews and performance teams have redoubled efforts to meet the challenge of autumn weather. Collaborative working has been stepped up with Network Rail which signed off with ATW the first ever trackside vegetation strategy that was created based on feedback from ATW front line colleagues. Performance Improvement Manager Chris Davey spent the night on one of Colas Rail’s Railhead Treatment Trains to witness first-hand how it clears tracks by blasting them with high-pressured water jets and to see how clearance requests are communicated. The close partnership with NR ensured that train and track worked together in the face of unusually testing autumn conditions. Autumn conditions began early this year and there was 20 per cent more impact on performance. Joint working ensured that a higher-than-ever number of individual locations were targeted for mitigation measures. This year, extra investment has been made into the wheel lathe at Canton which repairs train wheels damaged by slippery rails. At the same time, an external communications campaign was run to inform customers of the challenges the railway faces during autumn and winter. Arriva Trains Wales people gave interviews to ITV Wales on the issue. The aim was to raise awareness of conditions which can be as dangerous on the railway as black ice on the roads.

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Customer Service Advisor Warren Thornes sweeps leaves on the platform at Shrewsbury station as part of his rest day work.

Performance Improvement Manager Chris Davey looking at a map of vegetation hotspots across the network.

ped up to deal with weather risks

cherous as black ice Engineering Director Simon Hughes in the fabrication workshop where wheel lathing takes place.

Fitter Toby Radcliffe checks engine coolant in preparation for wintry conditions. Viewers were informed that a train “tyre” can be damaged just as a car tyre gets damaged. If tyres suffer too much damage the whole wheel sets have to be changed, which means a train is out of traffic for two days. Driver Gareth Derry told the programme:“It’s all about being prepared – knowing the sort of places where we’re going to encounter the worst conditions and braking earlier and lighter so as not to make the train skid at all.”

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New Sunday services meet customer demand By Human Resources Director GARETH J. THOMAS

Change is good... let’s keep talking to drive forward ARRIVA’S decision to withdraw from the bidding process to run the next Wales and Borders franchise has naturally led to much rumour, speculation and opinion-sharing about what this means for us. And therein lies the rub... we don’t know for sure.We can’t possibly know until it is more certain who the successful bidder will be and under what terms they have agreed to operate. I think it is important to focus on what we do know. We know that: There will be more investment in the railway in this area than ever before. We are proud to run a stable and well performing business for customers, communities and colleagues. We have a plan for 2018 based on our strategy and our values . Arriva Trains Wales’ investment in our services and stock will continue in 2018. Keeping communication open and two-way will be a key focus for the senior teams over the coming months and we are committed to being as accessible and transparent as possible.This is why the recent “What’s Occurring” colleague feedback survey is so important to us as it gives us the chance to hear it from the horse’s mouth. I have a genuine interest in your views and recognise that the way we communicate could sometimes be more effective.We are working hard in 2018 to improve the way we communicate with front line staff and would welcome your feedback. We must address this, especially during times of uncertainty when the rumour mill is working overtime. Our intent to keep you honestly informed is genuine and if you require clarity or simply wish to share views that you have heard or have ideas about what information you would like more of, please do contact us at talktous@arrivatw.co.uk The change that is coming to our railway will be transformational so, whilst uncertain times lie ahead, we know that the change to the railway in Wales and the Borders will ultimately be positive.

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THE residents of Cynon Valley in South Wales received an early Christmas present with the news that Arriva Trains Wales was to introduce extra Sunday trains. The four additional services, including an 08:54 from Aberdare, were set to run as a pilot at three weekends in December. The extra services were put in place in response to strong customer demand reflected in a survey by Cynon Valley’s Assembly Member.

Arriva Trains Wales Managing Director Tom Joyner said:“We are really grateful to Vikki Howells AM for her work on this survey for the community. “We will look closely at how successful the new services are as we look to make a business case to make them permanent.”

SAFETY CHAMPIONS: Operations Assurance Manager Neil Driscoll, Customer Service Trainee Tanya Boon and Risk Assessor and Compliance Co-ordinator Chris Lane look through the safety culture handbook at St Mary’s House.

Positive steps for a safer network N

EW emphasis on safety is being highlighted following feedback from the latest safety culture survey. Discussion forums across the network between managers and employees were held to analyse the survey findings which were in many ways very positive. Overall, the safety culture at the Train Operating Company has improved over the past three years since the last study. Safety is seen as a higher priority than before and there has been a marked improvement in the challenging of unsafe behaviour. However, the findings suggest there is a need to renew the focus and address issues such as more informal safety engagement between managers and staff, blame perception and lack of follow-up. A number of improvements are being introduced: ■ Senior managers will hold regular safety

tours involving interaction and engagement with staff. ■ Managers will meet with safety reps and listen to their ideas and concerns. ■ There will be a wider cascading of safety messages across the organisation, bringing to life the safety values. ■ The Safety Concerns bulletin will be re-launched with quicker responses and if no immediate answer is available there will be regular updates until the matter is addressed. Gareth Jones, Head of Safety, said:“The aim of the culture reassessment was to discover what has happened to the safety culture at Arriva Trains Wales over the past three years and to identify further improvements that could be made if we are to achieve the highest standards. So, thanks to everyone for their efforts so far – we can now build on this to make our network safer for everyone – staff and passengers alike.”

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Management Conferences Focus Champions go extra mile

Station Manager North Wales Karen Kinder enjoyed recalling magic moments at the conference.

Memories deliver a

touch of magic H

IGH points in the life of the Arriva Trains Wales franchise were celebrated using social media at the 2017 Management Conferences. Using the hashtag “magicmoments” delegates harnessed the power of Yammer to shine a spotlight on inspirational episodes during the past 14 years. While the main focus of the conferences was on the challenges of change, there was also a strong theme of stirring accomplishments by proud and passionate Arriva Trains Wales people. Yammer, the internal social networking service, was a perfect platform for the delegates to showcase photos that ranged from the inspirational to the quirky. The song Magic Moments, made famous by singer Perry Como, drifted round the conference rooms as the attendees searched through the photos on their phones to find suitably memorable images. Eye-catching content included photos of the Arriva Trains Wales-sponsored Velothon Wales cycling team ready for action and a charity

fund-raising event on a station concourse. The power of using social media to showcase the business was stressed at the conferences by both Managing Director Tom Joyner and Human Resources Director Gareth J Thomas. Yammer is an important internal social network which colleagues can use to communicate with each other across the whole network and keep up to date with the latest news from the business. It can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play. Once they have downloaded the app, if anyone needs help to get started with Yammer and make the most of its capabilities they should contact a member of the communications team. Feedback from the delegates during the conferences was also sought via digital messaging boards at various points around the rooms. Customer Services Director Lynne Milligan said: “Today’s magic moments are tomorrow’s memories and the images show how Arriva Trains Wales people have had such heart warming experiences over the years.”

The images show how Arriva Trains Wales people have had such heart warming experiences over the years.

CHANGE is no stranger to Arriva Train Wales colleagues and over the course of the franchise they have distinguished themselves by their abilities to rise to continuing challenges. Customer Services Director Lynne Milligan led a look back at many of the Champions of Change within the business who have gone the extra mile to deliver. A montage of champions was played on the screen at the conference venues. Images included high achievers at the annual Exceptional Contribution Awards where dedicated frontline employees were praised for their professionalism, bravery and selflessness. Lynne said:“We have been through 14 years of change, some of it incredibly easy to achieve but at other times long and hard to get. “As we approach the franchise renewal we will have to look in the mirror and see the lion in ourselves.”

Special videos tell of change DELEGATES attending the conferences had earlier recorded special video messages on the theme:“This is what franchise change means to me.” On the tables at the conference venues were leaflets carrying photos of the participants which could be scanned using smartphones to bring alive videos of the individual contributions via the magic of Arriva Trains Wales’ Augmented Reality (AR) App. It is available for download from the App Store and Google Play. ASPECT Winter 2017

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Management Conferences Focus

TO SEE VIDEO Chester At Seat Catering Manager Dean Wilkes and Conductor Performance Manager (North) Kelly Yeo in front of the Five Pillars viaduct.

Communications Manager James Nicholas holds up a leaflet advertising the “What the Franchise Change Means to Me” exercise.

S Chester Conductor Callum Buckle and Machynlleth Conductor Adam Craigie tell the conference delegates how they revitalised the employee survey under the MaDe project.

Three Management Conferences were held during November – two in Cardiff and one in Chester. Here, Aspect reports on proceedings at the Chester conference.

Huge investment will provide

host of opportunities C

Head of Safety Gareth Jones takes a question from a delegate.

ASPECT Winter 2017

HANGE is on everyone’s mind as the franchise renewal approaches – but there are good reasons to look ahead to exciting times. That was the message at the Chester Management Conference where the expertise and achievements of Arriva Trains Wales’ front line employees over the past 14 years were a constant theme. Welcoming the delegates, Managing Director Tom Joyner talked about Arriva Group’s decision to pull out of the bidding process but stressed: “At the end of it all there’s going to be a really positive outcome, a transformation of the franchise.” Not only have the efforts of the company’s employees put the existing franchise in good shape as it looks to the future – when the new operator is introduced, the substantial Driver Team amount of investment already Manager Chris Ball pledged by the Welsh (left) in discussion with Government will provide a host colleagues at one of the tables.

...there’s going to be a really positive outcome. MD Tom Joyner of opportunities going forward. The conference began with a montage running on a giant screen showing Arriva Trains Wales’ achievements over the years. Bethan Jelfs, Head of Stations, highlighted some of the key contributions. Moving forwards from when the franchise started in 2003, when hoop earrings were in vogue and Dolly the Sheep made the news, she told how the business developed to start making significant profits and pointed out the step-changing increases in Public Performance Measure (PPM) as well as the value of a significant number of young people arriving as apprentices. Tom went back to the podium later in the day to continue a serious

theme of exciting plans for 2018 including the introduction of C769 Flex units, the £1 million investment pledged by Arriva and the Halton Curve project. He stressed the importance of delivering upcoming public events such as Armed Forces Day in Llandudno and the Ed Sheeran concerts in Cardiff effectively – and he looked ahead to still more opportunities to excel. “We can be truly excited about the future,”he said. “We have the opportunity next year to improve our business further, and we have more investment in this next year than ever before. “Then, in the future, we will have a new focus of transforming the transport network and economies of communities across Wales and the Borders region.” The upbeat tempo continued with a look back by Customer Services

Finance and Commercial Director Sam Hawkins addresses the conference.

Director Lynne Milligan at previous “champions of change”. Simon Hughes, Engineering Director, then discussed the three phases of coping with change: Leaving the Past Behind, Gaining Understanding and New Beginning. Simon elaborated on the three phases of moving forward in terms of three zones – the first stage where an ending is recognised, the neutral zone where disorientation and anxiety are replaced by understanding, and the third phase where there is emotional commitment to the new future. Refranchise Programme Lead Len Sharps said there will be a “structured approach” going forward with continued employee engagement keeping in line with the aspirations of Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government as the key milestones of the franchise renewal process are passed in 2018. Len is in charge of putting together a plan for franchise transition.

Lee Paxton, Head of Projects, accesses Yammer on his smartphone during the Magic Moments exercise.

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Management Conferences Focus

TO SEE VIDEO Chester At Seat Catering Manager Dean Wilkes and Conductor Performance Manager (North) Kelly Yeo in front of the Five Pillars viaduct.

Communications Manager James Nicholas holds up a leaflet advertising the “What the Franchise Change Means to Me” exercise.

S Chester Conductor Callum Buckle and Machynlleth Conductor Adam Craigie tell the conference delegates how they revitalised the employee survey under the MaDe project.

Three Management Conferences were held during November – two in Cardiff and one in Chester. Here, Aspect reports on proceedings at the Chester conference.

Huge investment will provide

host of opportunities C

Head of Safety Gareth Jones takes a question from a delegate.

ASPECT Winter 2017

Finance and Commercial Director Sam Hawkins addresses the conference.

Lee Paxton, Head of Projects, accesses Yammer on his smartphone during the Magic Moments exercise.

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Management Conferences Focus Directors flag up progress ARRIVA Trains Wales has key metrics in place to measure its progress. The conferences heard details of the Balanced Scorecard Review which under the Five Pillars is used to measure the effectiveness of delivery against the company’s strategic plans. Steve Tyler, Operations and Safety Director, reminded delegates that safety is the bedrock of the Arriva Trains Wales strategy. All four directors then gave a snapshot of current achievements against Key Performance Indicators. Areas of vital importance flagged up included a focus on reducing accidents, meeting revenue growth targets and redoubling efforts to further improve National Rail Passenger Survey scores.

Thanks given to ex-MD Ian FAREWELL tributes were paid to outgoing Managing Director Ian Bullock at the Management Conferences. Ian was thanked for his outstanding contribution to Arriva Trains Wales including the key role he played in driving improvements in services for passengers. He addressed one of the Cardiff conferences and was presented with a leaving present as a token of appreciation.

App popular across ATW INVITATIONS for delegates to attend the Management Conferences were sent out via Arriva Trains Wales’ Augmented Reality App. As a result, more than 70 per cent of managers and senior leaders are now signed up to AR (with around 72 per cent of frontline staff also accessing it).

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It’s a wrap... Fleet Quality Manager Rowan Phillips was rolled in bubble wrap, complete with safety kit, before being passed along by his colleagues in a crowd-surfing stunt.

Team exercise shows response to change T

HE specialist art of “crowd-surfing” – more commonly seen at rock concerts – concentrated people’s minds on the psychology of change at the Management Conferences. Being passed backwards, forwards or sideways more than six feet from the ground on the stretched arms of colleagues is not to everyone’s taste. When delegates were asked to show whether they fancied taking part in a potentially precarious “live” exercise the responses were varied. A sizeable group went into the “green” corner to show they were keen – but others, expressing reservations, entered the amber or red zones. After 15 minutes of safety-themed discussions

on how the green team would take things further, a volunteer was enclosed in bubble wrap and supplied with a bump hat. At the Chester conference, Fleet Quality Manager Rowan Phillips was about to be hoisted into the air when Head of Safety Gareth Jones intervened. It was agreed for safety reasons that Rowan would be propelled forwards at a less eyebrow-raising height of around three feet. At the Cardiff conferences, Managing Director Tom Joyner was crowd-surfed as well as Owen Clutterbuck, Matthew Breese and Luke Curtis. The purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate people’s varying responses to unexpected changes and how the outcome could be managed through team-working and risk assessment.

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Route Controller Nick Watts looking at the bank of CCTV screens in the Operations Centre.

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ORKING in Arriva Trains Wales Control in the Operation Centre at De Croche Place in Cardiff is both challenging but fulfilling. No two days are the same and the dedicated 32-strong team, located in the same building as Network Rail, goes the extra mile on a daily basis to keep the railway running smoothly. Here, Aspect outlines a typical Day in the Life.

Team ready for action

when duty calls

Failure of a train at Machynlleth depot.The Duty Control Manager and Route Controller liaise with Network Rail and amend services as required. Some services that should be four cars long will now be reduced to two. An engineering possession by Network Rail between Llandudno Junction and Chester overruns.This means that services scheduled to run between Holyhead and Chester cannot proceed.The Route Controller has to start services at Chester instead and

some of Arriva Trains Wales’ trains are trapped at Holyhead.The Duty Control Manager is working closely with the Resources Team, as many train crew are displaced. The Operations Team Leader at Canton phones Control to inform the team that a train has failed on driver prep.The Valley Control Duty Manager liaises with Network Rail and the relevant stations. Network Rail’s Train Running Controller liaises with the Signaller.The Valley Control Duty Manager amends or cancels services as necessary as Control works with Network Rail to implement service recovery plans.The Customer Support Controller is updating passenger information, communicating the delays and alterations to Valleys’ services. A Cardiff Mainline train comes to a stand at Bridgend because a passenger has fallen ill.The Driver speaks to the Signaller and the Conductor speaks to a clinician at Welsh Ambulance Service Control after dialling 999.The Duty Control Manager advises

Route Controller Karen Rosser updating her handover notes for the next shift. Network Rail that the train is not going to move.The line is blocked and Control implements its Ill Passenger Policy.

A Driver has been involved in a near miss incident.The Duty Control Manager checks on their welfare and makes efforts to determine whether they are fit to continue.The Duty Control Manager then escalates the situation to a the on-call Driver Manager as a duty of care issue, so that the Driver Head of Control Gary Davies-Knight and can be met at the next station. Route Controller Omar Gharbieh discuss unit allocations for the next day. ASPECT Winter 2017

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Elementary my dear Watson... ATW’s answer to Sherlock Holmes, Barrie Thomas, has a knack for solving lost property mysteries.

E’S the Sherlock Holmes of Arriva Trains Wales – well-known to colleagues and customers alike for his sleuthing skills. Barrie Thomas has solved a string of lost property mysteries by using his ingenuity and lateral thinking. The Port Talbot Customer Service Advisor most recently returned a wallet to its Berkshire-based owner – by making enquiries with Newcastle United football club! He noticed that within the wallet was an ID card registered to the club and he was able to get the owner’s name and address by enquiring with their backroom staff. Another “case solved” was declared after Barrie found a valuable package of Christmas

Super sleuth has eye for the clues presents left on a train by an American citizen. Inside were a mini TV set, jewellery and a £16 box of teabags from Selfridge’s. There was also a hotel bill – so Barrie rang the hotel reception to give details of the find. “Sure enough the following day the owner rang me,” said Barrie. “He was living in Chicago but was visiting

relatives in Swansea and was so grateful that I had reconnected him with his £2,000 package.” A wallet handed in over a Bank Holiday was also subjected to Barrie’s forensic skills. He found the owner’s health card inside and rang her health club in Hertfordshire. She rang him soon afterwards and was re-united with her belongings. Case closed!

13-mile run raises funds for cleft lip charity BRIDGEND Customer Service Advisor Natalie Esp raised £272 by completing the Royal Parks London Half Marathon. She ran in support of the Cleft Lip & Palate Association (CLAPA) which provides vital non-medical support for babies born with the condition (one in 700 every year). Natalie’s son Harrison, who was born in 2015 with a cleft lip, has already undergone major surgery and will have ongoing treatment up to the age of 20 – so it’s a charity very close to her heart. “I am passionate to raise awareness and funds to help CLAPA continue the fantastic work it does,” said Natalie, whose race time was 2 hours 52 minutes. She received additional donations from Arriva Trains Wales colleagues.

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Natalie Esp competes in the Royal Parks London Half Marathon.

Quick action foils blaze A fire in a carriage of a stationary Arriva Trains Wales train led to the evacuation of Shrewsbury station – but thankfully no-one was hurt. Cardiff Driver Mike Williams, Crewe Conductor Keith Millington and platform staff, were praised by managers afterwards for their exemplary actions in assisting passengers to leave the train. Mike used a fire extinguisher and helped to keep the flames under control until the emergency services arrived. A full investigation into the fire has taken place.

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Actions after collision earn nomination CARDIFF Valleys Driver Wayne Hamer went the extra mile after being called out to attend a train which had been in collision with a tree near Llanbradach. He accompanied his Driver Manager to the scene and liaised with the Mobile Fitter and the Conductor.

Wayne then drove the train to Ystrad Mynach with no windscreen and its cab covered in glass, so that passengers could dismount. The Driver, who has been nominated for a Spotlight Award, then offered to stay with the badly-damaged train through the night to make sure it was secure.

By Safety and Operations Director STEVE TYLER

Sure we will rise to meet challenge

Stewart Riddle with material from his British Sign Language course run by the Union Learning Fund.

Training partnership

will boost skills A

RRIVA Trains Wales people are taking part in the Learning Partnership Programme funded by the Wales Union Learning Fund. The partnership enables all the trade unions to work together with the Train Operating Company by offering opportunities to improve existing skills or learn something new. Courses that have already been run or are up and coming include Digital Inclusion (being safe online), Spanish Language, Sign Language, Welsh Language and First Aid at Work. A team of Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) works together to help and support colleagues access the lifelong learning opportunities regardless of location, grade or affiliation. The Learning Partnership Programme offers either classroom-based group activities or distance learning for individuals. It’s not just union members of Arriva Trains Wales that can benefit from these courses but immediate family members and any colleague who is not a member of a union. Colleagues and family members can access: ■ Many courses free of charge or at a reduced rate

■ Qualifications they may have missed at school ■ Qualifications to help their career ■ Recreational courses for self-development ■ Support from Union Learning Representatives, offering advice and guidance on what is available. Employees are asked to look out for flyers and posters as well as information on Yammer. To find out more about the Learning Partnership Programme, contact one of the Union Learning Representatives: Carmarthen: Gary Hughes, 07980 005540, garyulr@gmail.com, or Cynthia Davies, 07766 802 603, Daviescynthia1961@gmail.com Canton: Paul Roberts, 07539 970 034, paulroberts0400@yahoo.co.uk, or Peter Jenkins, 07545 396 003, Peter.345jenkins@btinternet.com Crewe: Dave Tomlinson, 07775 902 451, davetomlinsonuk@yahoo.co.uk Machynlleth: Kath Kirkham, 07772 330 708, Kathkirkham1967@gmail.com Pwllheli: Elwyn Jones, 07789 273333, elwyn.jones9110642@arrivatw.co.uk

LAST year we had a very poor autumn for train service performance but a very good one for operational safety. This year has been very similar, although the impact on our customers has been less with some great cross-functional work on ensuring we put our trains where they were needed most on the days when we were short of units due to wheel flats. I have been incredibly proud of the way people from right across our business have ensured we didn’t end up with the same media storm as we did in 2016. Next year we must try even harder to ensure we improve again and I am sure we will rise to the challenge in the same way as I’ve seen in the past few months. The good operational performance for two consecutive autumns got me thinking about why we see good results at the most risky time of year whereas in spring we had a significant rise in the number of Signals Passed at Danger (SPADs), station overruns and fail-to-call incidents. Awareness is no doubt heightened in autumn and people do a great job to ensure the conditions don’t cause big safety incidents. This gives us something to work on in 2018 as we try to improve our year-on-year safety performance.

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Five minutes with Andrea Hancock Andrea, Fleet Team Co-ordinator based at Canton Depot, takes time out from her busy schedule to answer our questions. Andrea, of Llanharan, was recently put forward for a Spotlight award for the inspiring way she fulfils the Arriva values. What are you doing at the moment? My role within the Fleet function is very busy and demanding – there’s never a dull moment! I support the managers based at Canton and also our extensive number of engineers who work hard to maintain our current Fleet. My main duties include payroll, sickness, occupational health and medicals. How long have you been with Arriva Trains Wales? I started as a contractor in my current role and have been working for the company for nearly 13 years. What is the most unusual thing that has happened in your career? The most unusual occurrence would have to be when I was working as a dental nurse for my father who was a dentist. We had a patient who used to travel over from Denmark for private dental treatment. She had spent thousands of pounds on gold teeth and was having another piece of gold added... her mouth was worth a fortune! I couldn’t believe it when my father took several of her teeth out and popped them on the tray! What do you do in your spare time? I like to go to the gym, read, listen to music and have a good night out to relax and blow the cobwebs off! I also like to spend time with my nephew – I am a proud “auntie” to my “li’l man” Harrison.

Which famous people alive or dead would you invite to a dinner party? I would invite comedian Sue Perkins, presenter and actress Mel Giedroyc and actress and writer Julie Walters. What are your favourite books, music and films? My favourite authors are thriller writers Simon Toyne, author of the Sanctus trilogy, and American-born Lisa Gardner who wrote Gone. I love all kinds of music especially

Andrea Hancock at the Canton depot workshop.

Coldplay and Sia, the Australian singer songwriter. My favourite films are Pulp Fiction and the Carry On series.

What is your most valuable possession? I truly treasure the fantastic memories of my late grandparents. To which period of time would you return if you had a time machine? Personally, I would love to go back to the 1980s when technology wasn’t so dominant. People and families spent quality time together. What did you want to be when you were growing up? When I was young I wanted to be a police officer or fire fighter. What is the best bit of advice you have ever been given and by whom? The best piece of advice I’ve been given was from my late grandmother – “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc.

What is your favourite place of all? Anywhere in paradise, away from the busy modern world!

Passionate railway fan ‘thrilled’ to adopt local station A 19-year-old apprentice aerospace engineer has become one of Arriva Trains Wales’ youngest station adopters. Steven Waters works at Airbus in North Wales and learned that the nearby Hawarden station was up for adoption from a friend. He is passionate about railways and

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because he spends so much time going through the station he decided to apply. “It seemed a logical choice and I was thrilled by the possibility of adoption,” said Steven. “The time I spend at Hawarden station would be spent there whether

or not I had adopted it so I reasoned that it might as well be used making the location a more pleasant environment for its regular users – including me.” Steven uses Arriva’s new Mobile Multi-flex ticket for his daily commute to work and college as well as his railcard.

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Ops team given early preview of new Class 769 Flex units

Conductor Dominic Eaton re-stocks the popular mess room tuck shop.

Tuck shop treats help

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tuck shop project at Shrewsbury has mushroomed so that charities are benefiting as well as hungry Arriva Trains Wales colleagues. Three conductors have set up an “Everything is 50p” snack point in the station mess room. Dominic Eaton, Richard Bennett and Paul Roach initially aimed to just provide reasonably priced refreshments and drinks for when no light bite outlets are available near the station. They installed an honesty box, a mini fridge for drinks and chocolate and a plastic container containing a few bags of crisps. But round the clock take-up since April has been so strong that they now have a separate drinks fridge and a crisp stand as well.

The money raised paid by users of the mess room from Shrewsbury, Machynlleth, Cardiff, Chester and Crewe has enabled the organisers to buy comfy loungers and cushions for the quiet room. And they have each been able to donate some of the cash to chosen charities – The Shrewsbury Food Hub, Barnabas Community Projects and Hilbrae Rescue Kennels. “We started taking a few pounds a day but that has gone up significantly,” said Dominic. “Stocking up the tuck shop takes a lot of hard work on our rest days. We set the shop up to provide a service but it’s great that we can also donate to good causes as a result.” The Shrewsbury Traincrew Tuck Shop has its own Facebook page.

A frontline operations team from Arriva Trains Wales made a special site visit to get an early preview of the first of the Class 769 Flex units which are on the way to the Valley Lines. They went to Knorr-Bremse RailServices at Wolverton, in Milton Keynes – one of the project suppliers – where Unit 1 is stabled. The ex-Thameslink Unit will be fitted with USB Socket facilities and – subject to Welsh Government funding – WiFi, before going on the Wabtec facility in Loughborough to have the diesel traction installed. “It was our first chance to ascertain the condition of the unit,” said Martin Barnett, Project Manager. “We examined key aspects including the cab environment and the Universal Access Toilet – and we all thought the functionality of the vehicle was good indeed.” Porterbrook Leasing and the Welsh Government were also represented on the visit.

Plaque to remember fallen heroes

Customer Service Advisors Lynsey Dyer and Gerard Jones look at names on the memorial plaque at Queen Street station.

A plaque commemorating workers from the Taff Vale Railway who died in the First World War has been unveiled at Cardiff Queen Street station. Arriva Trains Wales, Network Rail and information project History Points have worked together to install a hand-written Roll of Honour on the wall near the ticket office. Digital QR codes that can be read using mobile devices have been added alongside to give details of when the men died and where they are buried or

commemorated, as well as next of kin. Researchers have put out an appeal for information from relatives for more details of any of the TVR men on the honour roll. Station Manager Richard Martin said:“We’re honoured to be able to remember those railway workers who gave their lives fighting for their country. “It’s fitting that people can now find out a bit more about those names on our roll of honour when they use the station.”

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Credit Cléria De Souza, flickr.com/people/143177405@N03

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Wayne Buckley and the Etihad Stadium, home of his soccer heroes Manchester City.

Daina has the netball bug CREWE Conductor Daina Watts has played competitive netball from the age of 14. She is a member of the Harriers Netball Club where her mother is the coach. As well as competing in the Crewe League, Daina and her team mates raise money for Tickled Pink which supports breast cancer research. They also donate to Children in Need. She said:“I started playing in the women’s local league when I was a teenager and I got the bug – it’s a competitive game but really enjoyable.”

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EEN Manchester City fan Wayne Buckley came up with a “win, win” solution to overcrowding on trains after his team’s late-night football matches. The Crewe Driver Team Manager realised from his own experience that the Arriva Trains Wales unit leaving Piccadilly station at 2236 was often so packed it was causing crowd control problems. So Wayne, who is Treasurer of the Manchester City Supporters’ Club branch in Crewe, emailed former

Managing Director Ian Bullock and other directors asking if extra capacity could be found. With their approval, the issue was taken on board by Train Planning – and a redistribution of stock has led to the doubling of the capacity on the late-night service. “The overcrowding on the train had got so serious that at one point police were called,” said Wayne. “Under the new arrangement a unit that used to be run as empty stock for route familiarisation purposes now

Fabulous 50 back half marathon charity success CARDIFF Conductor Simon Miles has contacted Aspect to praise the 50 inspirational colleagues who ran alongside him in the Cardiff Half Marathon. Himself a keen runner who competes for his local club on a regular basis, Simon and fellow participants took advantage of the free space offered in the race by Arriva Trains Wales.

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“I would like to applaud my railway colleagues, some of whom had never run before but who were doing so to support various charities. “Committing to the half marathon required hours of training but the offer of free entry was a great way for the company to promote health and wellbeing to all its staff.”

performs as a passenger train on football nights. “This four-car Class 158 doubles the capacity and we have appeased the supporters as well as helping our conductors who were having to deal with aggressive behaviour. “As a railway company, our role is to provide a service for our customers – and that is exactly what we have done.” Wayne, who has been a lifelong Manchester City fan, organises frequent events for a charity fund via his supporters group.

Have you got news for us? IF you have a story for Aspect please contact Internal Communications Manager Katrina Tzannis by emailing katrina.tzannis@ arrivatw.co.uk or call 02920 720687.