We teamed up with freight partners to run a female-led freight train for International Women’s Day.
It comes five years after we worked with train operator Southeastern to run an all-female passenger train to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2020.
An inclusive future
The idea for the freight train was the brainwave of Jess Lippett, a senior route freight manager at Network Rail. Jess is passionate about inspiring the next generation of females to consider a career in rail freight.
Jess said: “The rail freight industry is essential to our daily lives. It keeps our supermarkets stocked, our builders building, and our medicines moving. But what many don’t realise is that the future of this vital industry is being shaped by a diverse group of professionals – including women who are leading the way.
“This is more than just a celebration; it’s a statement of the tremendous impact women are having across the sector. From the signallers and controllers working behind the scenes to the train drivers, operatives and ground staff, women are at the forefront of rail freight – leading the charge in ways that ensure the industry’s future is as inclusive as it is successful.”
On the day
There were 22 female freight colleagues involved in running the freight train carrying limestone from Whatley Quarry in Somerset to a freight depot in Theale, Reading on Tuesday 4 March.
Female freight staff from freight operator Freightliner rostered, drove and controlled the train on the day, while female teams from freight company Mendip Rail planned the journey. Our female signallers helped the train along the route. And female operatives from construction company Heidelberg Materials loaded the train in the quarry and unloaded the limestone in the depot.
The industry-wide effort to ensure women led on this operation demonstrates the vital role females play on the railway.
Females make up a third of our management positions
Over a third of our management positions at Network Rail are currently held by women. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, we’re proud women in senior positions are helping us shape the future of rail.
Alice Bulpin, a senior strategic planner at Network Rail and a co-lead of our gender equality employee network Inspire, said: “Although women may represent a smaller proportion of the industry, we are still vital to the running of the railway, and it is important that we have a diverse workforce.
“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing women that we have in the industry and also the chance to inspire the next generation that this is an industry for everyone.”
Making a difference at Network Rail
We’re committed to putting our passengers and freight customers first and this means ensuring our workforce represents the wide variety of people we serve. We’re an equal opportunities employer that values an inclusive environment where everyone can play their part.
And we’re proud to be recognised for these efforts. For the first time, we won the Women’s Wellbeing at Work award this year by the professional body Women in Science and Engineering (WISE). The awards, which took place on 20 February, recognised our impact on women’s health in the wider rail industry and the inclusive culture we’ve embedded across Britain to ensure women are comfortable and supported at work.
Dannielle Dickens, a senior equity, diversity and inclusion specialist at Network Rail, said: “This award recognises our commitment to gender equity – not just in policy but in real, tangible changes that improve the everyday experiences of women in our industry. From menopause awareness and period dignity initiatives to female-friendly PPE and enhanced miscarriage policies, we are driving meaningful change.”
On this International Women’s Day, we’d like to encourage more women to consider jobs in the rail industry. Find out more about life at Network Rail: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/life-at-network-rail/
