Two outstanding individuals at Northern received a RailStaff Award for their quick response to a very daunting and challenging situation at Blackpool North station in July.
On a very hot day in July 2022, Train Presentation Operative (TPO) Jake Harwood spotted a suspicious package on the track at Blackpool North Station and promptly reported this to his TPO team leader Duane Fryer.
Duane then contacted the Station Supervisor immediately and the HOT and WHAT protocols were carried out.
During this time a sidings train was arriving at the approach on the same platform as the suspicious package. Duane confidently carried out the emergency hand signal stop on top of the platform for the driver to stop the train.
Both he and Jake remained calm and cool under pressure. Once the station was fully evacuated, they both assisted customers with queries, as well as handing out bottled water to everyone to help keep them cool.
This quick response earned them the Depot Staff Award, although it’s all just part of the job, according Jake.
“I feel brilliant, I’m over the moon,” he said. “We really were just doing our duty, as always with a keen eye for detail, but it’s great to recognised like this. It’s a pleasure to work for Northern, they’re an amazing company to be part of.”
The Depot Staff Award was sponsored by specialist recruitment consultancy Advance TRS, which has successfully placed hundreds of skilled candidates into major organisations at all levels, and prides itself on consistently supplying quality candidates.
Sam Jennings, Advance TRS’s director of client services and rail signalling said: “The RailStaff Awards is a phenomenal event and it’s so good to see all of the finalists here tonight. They’ve worked so hard and it’s an incredible achievement to be recognised. Well done to everyone involved!”
Highly commended
Shane Hill, Freightliner
Abbie Wood, Network Ra
