Introduction

When we first started talking about this project in the

RAIL office, it became clear that we had an opportunity to create something really quite special.

I’m passionate about inspiring as many people as possible to join this industry, and I quickly realised that this was our chance to both raise awareness about the amazing contributions that women are making to the railway and to inspire women and men alike to recognise the breadth of opportunities a career in rail offers them.

The most difficult part (possibly aside from trying to arrange a photoshoot for 18 busy women!), was choosing who to include. We could easily have written a book of inspiring stories, and so narrowing our extensive list down to those in the following pages was incredibly difficult. There were so many more women I would like to have included and couldn’t, so maybe we’re going to have to do it all again next year!

What we have managed to achieve, though, is a mix of individuals at every stage of their careers - from those who have been in the job just eight months to those clocking up 20-plus years and who started under British Rail. There are those who chose the railway and others for whom the railway chose them. From engineering, law, politics, languages and even performing arts, these women come from totally different backgrounds - some with degrees, some straight from school.

But despite all the things that make them different, there are a great many common aspects. Myself and RAIL Assistant Features Editor Paul Stephen, interviewed all 18 women in the space of a few weeks (I didn’t interview myself by the way!), and some very clear themes began to emerge.

Most of these women are problem-solvers - they have sharply analytical minds that thrive on puzzles and complexities. They are also fascinated by people and understanding what makes them tick, of inspiring and educating them. And they all live for the sense of achievement that comes from being a part of something with widereaching benefits which are felt beyond their own working environment.

They unanimously have an infectious passion and enthusiasm for the railway and would like to see, in particular, more women recognising the possibilities it offers. So what did we learn about attracting women to the industry? In many cases, those who have reached senior positions and have families to go home to say that they could not have realised their potential in their careers without the flexibility offered to them by the railway. It was a frequent comment that flexible working arrangements with their employers had enabled them to continue working full-time and bring up their families, which is possibly the most important lesson I learned from this project. If we want to increase the number of women who attain senior management positions in this industry (and indeed anywhere else), giving consideration to how they will balance a demanding career and a demanding home life is key.

Related to that is the story told by some of the newer entrants to the railway. They recognise the efforts that organisations such as Network Rail are putting into improving diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and were attracted to the railway because of that.

Put together, I hope that the interviews in the following pages show that the railway really does offer something for everyone, regardless of background, interests or home life. It is an industry where making a difference really is possible - almost unavoidable - and one in which there are plenty of opportunities to find a balance between career and fulfilment at home.

So I hope you enjoy reading about the ‘New Transformers’, who are designing, building and operating (and, in my case, writing about) the railway of tomorrow.

I’ve been at RAIL for nearly 11 years and this is one of the projects I feel most proud to have worked on in that time. It has been a great privilege to speak to so many inspiring and committed individuals, all of whom have made me feel even more positive about the future of our great industry.