UNIFORM PROJECT WELL UNDER WAY THANKS TO COLLEAGUE FEEDBACK
Colleagues from across TPE have been sharing their thoughts on what our new uniform should look like at a series of brainstorming workshops.
At sessions held in Manchester, York and Glasgow, frontline colleagues have been providing essential feedback on what works in the current uniform and where improvements could be made. Every element of the uniform is discussed and reflected on, from the day-to-day clothing such as shirts, jackets, and trousers, right down to the crew bags and high-vis outerwear.
David Bolton, who is managing the new uniform project, explained:
“The business recognises that our uniform is an important part of our frontline colleagues’ roles and something they should feel both proud and comfortable to wear.
During the listening survey in June 2023, colleagues told us they wanted a better-quality uniform that is more comfortable and suitable for the roles they carry out daily.
“With the current supplier contract coming to an end, it was decided this is a great opportunity to evolve the uniform and invest in a new modern look, which reflects our new vision.”
To ensure we’re requesting the right kind of items that are fit for purpose and comfortable, gathering colleague comments has been one of the first items on David’s agenda. More than 40 colleagues volunteered to take part in a series of Uniform Wearer Forums, and their insights have already helped to shape the direction of our new look.
David said: “Colleagues told us that the footwear we provide isn’t of good quality and is an area where we can improve. We’ve therefore launched some wearer trials, with a cross section of colleagues trying out some new safety footwear.
“We recognise that footwear is extremely important to being comfortable at work and to colleague health, and so once we have tried, tested, and received feedback, we plan to standardise our footwear offering to ensure everyone receives the same good quality items.”
At a recent forum, Gavin Keeling, a driver based in Sheffield, described how getting involved in the workshops is ‘a chance to have your say’ about future changes.
Meanwhile, Jason Howard, a conductor based at York, explained he was part way through a four-week footwear trial, and keen to see TPE’s uniform evolve.
Jason said: “I’d like to see a re-fresh of everything and think this is a good chance to improve TPE’s brand identity, as well as secure a more comfortable and practical uniform.”
Did you know?
With the procurement process involving collating colleague feedback, creating a specification brief, working with designers and suppliers, testing prototypes, and the final manufacturing and shipping, the uniform project is anticipated to take around two years to deliver. We hope to launch our new uniform on the network in 2026. We will be providing regular updates throughout the process – so keep your eyes peeled.
Share your feedback
If you have helpful feedback for David about what you would like to see from our new uniform, you can contact him on David.Bolton@tpexpress.co.uk or TPE.Uniforms@tpexpress.co.uk Alternatively, keep an eye out for David as he is regularly out and about on the network, and feel free to stop him for a chat.
Jason Howard is taking part in the four-week footwear trial
Colleagues from across TPE have been sharing their thoughts on what our new uniform should look like
GOLD AWARD TAKES TPE APPRENTICES TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Six former apprentices celebrated achieving their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) gold award at a special garden party hosted by the royal family.
Abigail Steele, Jack Robinson, Oliver Ball, Kimen Fogg, Zack Hallam, and Kian Burke, were invited to attend a gold award celebration event at Buckingham Palace, where they met the Duke of Edinburgh.
Accompanying the award winners – five of whom now work for TPE – was Talent and Development Manager Emma Sayers-Bates, who is responsible for apprentices at TPE, and HR Business Change Manager Annette Wheelan, who is TPE’s lead on apprentices, talent and development.
Talking about the event, Emma said: “It was just such a lovely uplifting day. To be celebrating the achievements of our apprentices and the hard work that they put in to complete their gold Duke of Edinburgh awards was amazing.”
Reflecting on the DofE experience, Abigail said: “I really enjoyed completing the apprenticeship, and I think that by completing the DofE alongside this, I got to know the other apprentices better, and it gave us all a common goal we were working towards. It helped us get to know each other outside of the regular work environment.
“The visit to Buckingham Palace was great, and it was a nice ending point for the apprenticeship. It was great to see everyone again and celebrate
the end of our apprenticeship journey together.”
Oliver added: “My time as an apprentice was very enjoyable and very valuable… it set me up nicely for the role I’m in now in Train Planning. During my time as an apprentice, completing the DofE Gold award was certainly a highlight. The camping and walking was tough, but also very enjoyable due to the other apprentices I completed it alongside with.
“The DofE celebration event at Buckingham Palace was fantastic, it was something perhaps I will never experience again, being in the gardens of the palace. It was an event to remember!"
DofE aims to empower young people, support them as they learn new skills, help them to overcome obstacles, and build confidence and resilience. There are three progressive levels –bronze, silver, and gold – with 14 – 24-year-old participants carrying out activities that help the community/ environment, developing essential work/life skills, and completing an expedition.
Describing the benefits of completing the DofE gold award, Annette said: “The skills those on the programme develop and then transpose into the workplace are invaluable.”
Congratulations to our gold award achievers!
Local journalists enjoy some tasty treats from our West Coast Kitchen menu
TPE colleagues join our former apprentices at a special garden party hosted by the royal family
LUCY KILBY TO TAKE PART IN GREAT NORTH RUN IN MEMORY OF FORMER COLLEAGUE
One of our Conductor Managers is running the world’s largest halfmarathon in celebration of a former colleague, and her father, to raise money for a mental health charity.
Lucy Kilby is taking part in the Great North Run, a 13.1-mile route from Newcastle to South Shields for our much-loved colleague Dom Johns, who was a Driver Manager based at Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Lime Street, and who sadly died in March last year.
She is also running to celebrate her late dad, Michael, and aims to raise funds for Andy’s Man Club.
The men’s suicide prevention charity offers free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. It aims to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation.
Lucy said: “I wanted to do the run to celebrate two great guys and raise some money for a charity that is close to my heart.
“Both had the most infectious smiles and never knew the impact they had on everyone they met.”
Last year we unveiled a specially wrapped train dedicated to the charity.
The Class 185 train is visible throughout the north, encouraging people to seek help when they need it.
Lucy added: “We need to remove stigma around mental health and Andy’s Man Club does this so well, its work really resonates with me and is something I talk about a lot with my colleagues.”
“I am honoured to be running for Andy’s Man Club – it’s the perfect charity for me to support.”
The Great North Run takes place on Sunday 8 September.
Lucy’s fundraising page can be found here
COLLEAGUES REMEMBER DOM JOHNS AT SPECIAL MEMORIAL EVENT
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, colleagues from across TPE came together to remember our much-loved colleague Dom Johns who passed away last year.
Taking part in a ten-pin bowling competition to win the Inaugural Dom Johns Memorial Trophy, managers from Liverpool, Preston and Manchester who were close to Dom reminisced, shared
stories and helped to support each other one year on from his death.
It was a closely fought competition, with the West Conductor Management Team up against the West Driver Management Team, but it was the conductor management team who took home the trophy.
The evening was a great success and a fitting way to remember Dom.
Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience and Transformation Director (pictured right) presents the TPE sponsored Male Rising Star of the Year award to Luke Ryan Martin (centre), Supply Chain Activation Manager at CAF Rolling Stock UK at the Women in Rail awards last week.
Lucy Kilby is taking part in the Great North Run on Sunday 8 September
Colleagues remembered Dom at a special memorial event
The group took part in a ten-pin bowling competition to celebrate and remember Dom’s life
TPE COLLEAGUES SPRUCE UP PLANTERS AS PART OF STATION UPGRADE
We’d like to say a huge thanks to our colleagues for getting involved in sprucing up our station planters recently.
Joined by the landscaping team at Bidvest Noonan, which was led by Stephen Falloon, colleagues refreshed plants at 16 of our 19 stations which included species that were aligned to their environment (eg the coastal environment at Cleethorpes), and all contained ‘plants for pollinators’ species to enhance biodiversity at our stations.
If you’re out and about on the network over the coming weeks, look out for the planters which will hopefully bring some colour and benefit to local pollinators across our stations.
ENGINEERS COMPLETE FOUR WEEKS OF MAJOR UPGRADE WORKS THROUGH DEWSBURY AND MORLEY
On Friday 17 May, engineers successfully completed major upgrade works on the line through Dewsbury and Morley. The work, part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, started on Monday 22 April and was carried out on weekdays.
During these four weeks, engineers installed 3,000 metres of new track, laid and removed more than 13,000 metres of cable as part of signalling upgrades, and undertook environmental surveys.
To thank customers for their patience while this work took place, we offered free teas and coffees on our North Route services on Tuesday 21 May. Despite the dust only just settling on this four-week possession, we are coming up to another set of engineering works through Dewsbury and Morley, with services between Huddersfield and Leeds affected on weekdays from Monday 24 June to Friday 19 July.
YORK DRIVER PART OF WORLD RECORD BREAKING TEAM
Congratulations to Aron Moran, a driver from York, who was part of a team to break the Guinness World Record for the longest portable model railway in the world.
Aron was part of pop producer Pete Waterman’s Railnuts team, at the recent Model World Live event in Birmingham.
The Railnuts smashed the world record by building a 1,000 metre long track which depicted the
West Coast Main Line. The track included detailed replicas of real buildings as well as working signals. Aron played a pivotal role in the team, primarily as master of the overheads, but he also got involved in many other aspects of the build.
Well done, Aron! The world record attempt was captured for a new series of ‘Little Trains and Big Names’ which will air on More4 later in the year.
Do you have a story for Together Weekly? We’d love to hear it. Email us at TPECommunications@tpexpress.co.uk
The planter scheme is part of Our Good for Nature Plan to protect and enhance biodiversity
Colleagues spruce up the planters as part of our station upgrade
The planters will bring some colour and benefit to local pollinators across our stations
Aron was part of the team to build the longest portable model railway in the world
