ON
TOUR
THEOBALDS GROVE
Exchange Extra visited our Station of the Year winner to find out what makes it so special
DREAM TEAM
Theobalds Grove is one of our smaller stations – there are just two platforms, and it’s on the quieter Southbury loop of the Weaver line out of London and into Hertfordshire. So you can imagine the shock for colleagues when it triumphed as this year’s Station of the Year at our Shining Star awards in June.
“I’m sure that a few people at the ceremony said ‘who?’ when our station was called out,” jokes Lee Clark, ticket office clerk. “It was a surprise for us all, and it’s great to be recognised for everything we put in.”
Stations are evaluated by external mystery auditors who monitor and score details such as customer service interactions.
“They really deserve it,” says Selin Igdemir, Weaver and Liberty line service delivery manager. “It amazes me how much patience and knowledge the team has, and they don’t get enough credit for it, so I was buzzing when the news came in!”
Excellent customer service is second nature for colleagues like Lee, who has worked at Theobalds Grove for nearly 25 years. “Getting the award was great but simply making someone’s day better is what it’s all about,” he says.
The team gets support from colleagues such as Colin Quinn, ticket office clerk at nearby Enfield Town. “Great customer service is not just about having the answer but knowing how to get one and understanding the local area too,” says Colin.
“Credit also goes to agency colleagues,” adds Lee. “We run the station like a dream team.”
WEAVING ITS WAY
Theobalds Grove is part of the recently renamed Weaver line that runs through Liverpool Street, Spitalfields, Bethnal Green and Hackney – areas of London known for their textile trade, shaped over the centuries by diverse migrant communities and individuals.
TECHNO TRACKS
Every summer, hordes of music lovers pass through Theobalds Grove to the nearby Lee Valley Park for festivals such as Eastern Electric and Maiden Voyage. “Last year, the Greater Anglia line to Waltham Cross was down during Eastern Electric, so we had roughly 15,000 people come through our small station,” says Lee Clark. “It was one of the most challenging days for me on the job.”
WHY I LOVE THEOBALDS GROVE
Lee Clark, ticket office clerk:
“I was born in the area so I know a lot of the people and have many memories of the station long before I worked here. It’s really special to me.”
Selin Igdemir, service delivery manager:
“It’s not in central London which makes for a more peaceful vibe. I also grew up around here.”
UP THE AMBERS
Cheshunt Football Club plays at Theobalds Lane nearby and is in the Isthmian League Premier Division. “Towards the end of last season, I started going to watch them with other colleagues,” says Colin Quinn. “They narrowly avoided relegation, so let’s just say there’s room for improvement…”
PLAYING PILOT
When he’s not expertly helping customers at Theobalds Grove, Lee Clark spends his free time at home on flight simulators. “I mostly fly the DCS-1, which is a military flight simulator used by the US National Guard in a more developed form,” he says. “It’s incredibly complex and I get a lot of satisfaction from it. I don’t know how many hours I’ve logged over the years, thousands and thousands.”
THE YOUNG ONE
Although he was born in India, acclaimed singer Sir Cliff Richard was raised in Waltham Cross and nearby Cheshunt.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Eleanor Cross in Waltham is one of the 12 memorial crosses commissioned by King Edward I between 1291 and 1294, erected in honour of his wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile. These crosses marked the route of her funeral procession from Lincoln to Westminster Abbey. Today, the Eleanor Cross in Waltham is one of only three that remain more or less intact.
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