Richard Hackney of Virgin Trains has won this year’s Station Staff of the Year Award at the RailStaff Awards 2012.
Richard Hackney works as a team leader at Stockport station. Richard has been praised by colleagues for his level-headed approach – never more apparent in successive crises that are all too familiar to railway staff. These included keeping Stockport station operational after it was partially closed and declared a crime scene after a stabbing.
Even at the height of the day he had to time to encourage a new announcer working his first shift behind the microphone. He has also helped save the life of an asthmatic passenger who had collapsed on the station. With a colleague, Richard looked after the man guided by a paramedic over the phone.
Tom O’Connor, managing director of the Rail Media Group which organises the RailStaff Awards, said: “The railway has perhaps one of the closest consumer-supplier relationships of any industry.
“Railway staff look after passengers and are in personal contact with them. That staff handle them with such grace and resourcefulness is one of the hidden strength of the rail industry. Richard Hackney exemplifies the qualities of top station staff and this award is indeed well deserved.”
Richard Hackney works for Virgin Trains, which runs express services on the West Coast Main Line and has boosted ridership and customer service levels consistently.
