BABIES ON BOARD! A NATIONAL TRAIN DAY ADVENTURE AT WALTHAMSTOW QUEEN'S ROAD

The frontline team at Walthamstow Queen’s Road station, located on the Suffragette line, recently hosted an engaging and educational tour for toddlers from the Footsteps Day Nursery in Walthamstow. Station assistants Jon Mortimer and Rob Taylor hosted this delightful event to celebrate National Train Day on 11 May 2024.

A Day Filled with Excitement and Learning

The young visitors were treated to a variety of interesting sights and activities. They watched class 710 trains passing through the station, waved to the drivers, and examined the impressive network map used by both colleagues and passengers. Additionally, the children were shown how ticket vending machines (TVMs) operate, drew train-related pictures, and even checked their tickets at the end of their tour.

Jon Mortimer recounted, “The teachers came to the station and started taking pictures of the children around the cabin, so we greeted them and started to find out more about the purpose of their visit. Rob and I offered them a tour of the station, explained how the trains work, and were able to give them a disused tube map to bring back and display at the nursery.”

Rob Taylor added, “it was nice to show them around the station, so they get an idea of how we operate. Myself and my colleagues on the frontline carry out different tasks including providing information for onward travel, assisting passengers to buy tickets on our ticket vending machines and security checks amongst other duties. Therefore, I enjoyed being able to demonstrate how varied my role is – and they had fun too!”

A Community Effort

Simone Gordon, customer experience manager, expressed her pride in Jon and Rob’s initiative, stating, “I am extremely proud of both Jon and Rob for using their initiative showing the group around. It’s one of the many examples of our frontline team going above and beyond to provide the ultimate customer experience. These young children may become regular London Overground passengers when they get a little older, so hopefully, they’ll remember this memorable day in years to come.”

“Our stations are located within diverse areas and cater to many ages, so being able to reach out, be welcoming and engage positively demonstrates our commitment to be more involved and work collaboratively within our local communities.”