UK: Train operators TransPennine Express, London Northwestern and Great Western Railway were among the winners at the 28th annual Rail Business Awards in Manchester on February 19.
‘I just gave my team the headspace to deliver improvements’, said Chris Jackson, Managing Director of TransPennine Express as he received the Rail Business of the Year award at the 28th annual Rail Business Awards in Manchester on February 19. TPE won the evening’s most high-profile award in recognition of the marked turnaround in the reliability and resilience of its service in 2024-25. Jackson himself was named Industry Leader for his own role in leading the business against a complex backdrop of transfer to DfT ownership, the ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade and the need to address entrenched industrial relations issues.
Newly renationalised London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways carried off the coveted Train Operator of the Year trophy which the judges said was a reflection of a £1bn investment in rolling stock and related development of control centre facilities and depot assets.
GWR and Translink take two each
Another big winner on the night was Great Western Railway, which won Innovation of the Year for its record-breaking battery train run using a former Vivarail trainset. The company also won in Safety & Security Excellence for a multilateral partnership it led to address antisocial behaviour at stations.
Northern Ireland’s transport operator Translink was another winner in two categories, with its awards for Rail Team of the Year and Infrastructure Project & Station Excellence recognising the landmark development of Belfast’s Grand Central bus and rail hub.
In the individual categories, Wendy Garrett of Avanti West Coast took home the Richard Hope Award to reflect what the judges described as ‘a career reflecting all that is positive about the railway, encapsulating social mobility and commitment to community’. Meanwhile, Erin White of Stadler Rail Service UK was named Young Professional of the Year from a shortlist of six candidates.
Rail’s social value reflected
As well as celebration, the evening offered an opportunity to explore the important social value of the rail sector.
This was reflected in the work of the Awards’ two charitable partners, the Railway Benefit Fund, which supports railway staff and their families facing illness, injury or financial hardship, and the Rebuilding Futures Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation helping individuals facing significant barriers to employment, including ex-offenders and care leavers.
‘The UK rail sector is facing its fair share of challenges’, says Nick Kingsley, Executive Editor at Railway Gazette Group, which organises the Rail Business Awards. ‘But one thing that really struck me in the judging process for this year’s awards is how many of the entries reflect the social role of the rail sector, and — more importantly — its people. I believe that this year’s awards confirmed that rail’s societial impact stretches well beyond the critical task of safely moving passengers and freight.’
The 18 winners
The full list of winners on the night was:
- Accessibility & Integrated Transport Excellence: South Western Railway, Signapse;
- Digital Innovation & Signalling Excellence: East Coast Digital Programme, Signals Away on the Northern City Line;
- Diversity & Inclusion in Rail: Alstom and Journey, World’s first Pride parade on a train;
- Industry Leader of the Year: Chris Jackson, TransPennine Express;
- Infrastructure Project & Station Excellence: Translink, Belfast Grand Central Station;
- Innovation of the Year: Great Western Railway, the 200-mile battery train run;
- Marketing & Communications Excellence: Transport for Wales, TfW First Class x James Sommerin;
- Rail Team of the Year: Translink;
- Regional Initiative of the Year: Northern, The reopening of the Northumberland Line;
- Richard Hope Award: Wendy Garrett, Avanti West Coast;
- Safety & Security Excellence: Great Western Railway, Resilient Futures — The Bridgwater Safeguarding Response;
- Skills Development Excellence: Southeastern;
- Supplier & Contractor Excellence: Chartered Institution of Railway Operators & Rail Delivery Group, The Traincrew Management Training Programme Pilot;
- Sustainability & Environmental Excellence: Southern Renewals Enterprise, Pioneering Sustainability in UK Rail Infrastructure;
- Train Operator of the Year: London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways;
- Wellbeing in Rail: TransPennine Express;
- Young Professional of the Year: Erin White, Stadler Rail Service UK;
- Rail Business of the Year: TransPennine Express.
