aspect autumn 2011

The employee magazine of Arriva Trains Wales/Trenau Arriva Cymru

AUTUMN 2011

Proud to have you on board

Matthewsteps into savebaby’s life

PAGE THREE

Aspect p1 13/9/11 14:43

TIME rolls by and once again Autumn is closingin on us. As a business this is the mostchallenging time of the year operationally.Planning and preparation have been keyfactors in delivering our improved trainperformance over the last few years.

Again we are carrying out preparations in thefleet and driver functions whilst working closelywith Network Rail with the aim of ensuring thebest possible infrastructure conditions tocombat the effects of low adhesion.

As an important link in the day-to-daydelivery of our service to the customer, if youfeel there is something you believe will helpimprove performance please feed it back toyour manager for consideration.

Moving on to wider issues, you may have readin the papers and railway press that NetworkRail is devolving its organisation to regionsmore aligned to the Train Operating Companies.

It has created a Wales region which is similarto the Arriva Trains Wales operation area.Network Rail has appointed a regionalManaging Director for the area which will havedevolved responsibility for operations,maintenance, asset management and somerenewals schemes with back office supportfrom central HQ.

I am keen to work closely with the newdevolved Network Rail organisation whichstarts in October. I can see opportunities toinfluence more local decision-making in Waleswhich will benefit our customers and facilitatemore effective delivery to the WelshGovernment and the Department for Transport.

Later in October you will be receiving thebi-annual Arriva Trains Wales Staff Surveyquestionnaire. Please take time to fill in andreturn the survey as your views are importantto me and they definitely shape the future planswe make.

For every survey returned the business willbe making a £1 donation to charity. So ifeverybody does their bit over £2,000 could bedonated. Please encourage your colleagues tocomplete the survey.

Finally, one of the previous feedback itemsfrom the Staff Survey was the poor quality ofthe uniform. The new uniform has now beensuccessfully implemented, with minor hitches,and there has been very positive feedback fromcustomers and staff alike.

Thank you for your patience with thechangeover and also to all those involved inmaking it happen. So, remember your feedbackfrom the Staff Survey helped change ourstrategy on uniform.

Careful preparation iskey to meeting thechallenges of Autumn

By Managing

Director

Tim Bell

2 ASPECT Autumn 2011

WHAT do you didgeri-doo with avaried collection of musicalinstruments that has remained

unclaimed for months on end?It’s an academic question for Gillian

Miles, who runs the Lost Property Officein Newport.

She is passing them on to SpecialEvents Manager Simon Turton so that hecan donate them to Ysgol GynfunLlanhari, the school attended by his sonsLuke and Samuel, aged 14 and 16, inLlanharry.

Simon explained:“In conversation with

the music teacher during a parents’evening at the end of the school year, Ilearned how expensive musicalequipment can be and how unfortunatelysome parents can’t afford it.

“The teacher said that was a shamebecause some of the pupils showed agreat talent for music – and schoolfunds didn’t stretch to providinginstruments.

“I replied that we had plenty in LostProperty – including two didgeridoos –and that I would see if they could bedonated to the school.”

TWO open days highlighted thebenefits of lifelong learningavailable under the partnershipbetween the Wales Union LearningFund and Arriva Trains Wales.

The Fund supports learningactivities led by trades unionsworking with employers and othersto help raise skills levels.

The sessions at Canton and theTraining Centre in St David’s Housepublicised the wide variety ofcourses on offer.

Potential new learners showedparticular interest in Spanish, Welshand German, as well as signlanguage, literacy and numeracy.

A number of people signed up toLearn Direct-funded modules.Courses already booked to run inCardiff include Spanish, with Welshto follow soon afterwards.

With open days also planned forChester and Machynlleth, staff arebeing urged to keep an eye out fordates, come along and sign up.

OPEN DAYS HIGHLIGHT COURSES

‘Lost’ instruments donated to school

Gillian Mileswith some of the

musical instrumentswhich have remainedunclaimed in the Lost

Property Office atNewport.

Aspect p2 14/9/11 15:36 Page 1

ASPECT Autumn 2011 3

AN Arriva Trains Wales service delivery

assistant saved the life of a baby girl – thanks to First Aid procedures he had

learned during a family tragedy.Matthew Barrow was alerted to the plight of

a woman on Neath station whose baby hadstopped breathing. He laid the two-year-old girlon a desk and took vital steps to keep her alivewhile the distressed parent waited forparamedics to arrive.

His actions were successful and he has beenthanked by the mother who was taking herdaughter to hospital for treatment for a virus.

In the aftermath of the incident, memoriescame flooding back to Matthew about the losstwo years ago of his 15-month-old son Samuel,who had Down’s Syndrome.

“I massaged the chest of the little girl andbreathed air through her nose because hermouth had locked shut,” said Matthew.

“These were both procedures I hadseen the nurses performing on Samuelduring his illness. Afterwards I just brokedown in tears because the memoriescame rushing back.”

The little girl stopped breathing twiceduring the station incident but both timesMatthew, helped by Bridgend StationManager Stewart Keay, was able to bringher back from the brink.

BRITISH Transport Policecontinue to take action tostamp out attacks on ArrivaTrains Wales staff.

A male is to appear in courtfollowing an assault on twomembers of train crew atAber station, Rhymney Valley.

An offender who spat at aguard in Bridgend received acommunity order for 100hours of unpaid work, a £100fine and court costs of £85.

North Wales Police areusing CCTV footage to helpBTP with an investigationinto an assault in which aconductor was grabbedround the shoulders atBangor.

A drunken male who wasaggressive towards stationstaff at Colwyn Bay stationwas arrested for PublicDisorder and given an £80 fine.

A VOLUNTEER group which looksafter Helsby station has won so manyawards it has almost run out of roomto exhibit them on the station.

The North Cheshire Rail UsersGroup is celebrating after thelocation was presented with the BestKept Station in Cheshire Award forthe third time.

In total they now have receivedeight awards of various titles inconsecutive years for Helsby under ascheme set up by local rail enthusiastJohn Hulme, and they’ve had to find anew place to mount the latest.

“We have already mounted sevenon the side of the signal box toiletblock, but we have now had to placethe eighth half-way down the signalbox itself,” said co-ordinator FrankTaylor.

The group, who have also receivedaccolades for their work at Frodshamand Runcorn East stations, work withArriva Trains Wales under the Adopt AStation scheme.

Mother’sgratitudefor staffaction

Matthew’s son Samuel who died two

years ago, aged 15 months.

BTP continuecrackdown onassaults

Station winsawards galore

FULL UP... there’s no room for the eighth award.

Service Delivery Assistant MatthewBarrow, left, and Swansea andBridgend Station Manager StewartKeay who have been praised for theirvital action which saved the life of ababy girl at Neath station.

Aspect p3 14/9/11 15:37 Page 1


By Human Resources Director LYNNE MILLIGAN

THANK you to everyone whocompleted an InternalCommunications survey. Earlyreviews tell us that Aspectmagazine and STUD events arethe two most highly rated itemsand the intranet was the lowestrated.

While there is a bit moreanalysis to be done, one of theoutcomes will be a piece of worklooking at the intranet, analysingwhere access points are located,connection speeds and the easeof navigation. Your views really domake a difference, so thank youagain.

In Tim’s column he mentionedthe Staff Survey questionnairewill be run this autumn. You willstart seeing publicity soon for thisand again, your opinions really domake a difference.

The survey is run every twoyears and from it we develop anaction plan tackling the itemsthat matter to you most. I urgeyou to complete your copy whenyou receive it, in order that yourviews get taken into account.

In October, a new piece ofemployment law comes intoforce. This is the removal of thedefault retirement age – in otherwords, it means that no one hasto retire at a particular age anymore unless there are exceptionalreasons.

Previously, if you wereapproaching 65, someone fromthe HR team would write to youin connection with yourimpending retirement. Now it isup to you when that happens andyou will need to advise the HRteam when you are ready toretire, ensuring that you give therequired notice to help allow forthe backfilling of your post.

Having yoursay reallydoes makea difference

STEVEN Bradbury is warning of thedangers of smoking after making aremarkable recovery from tongue cancer.

The Machynlleth driver underwent anoperation in June last year – and within sixmonths he was back at work. His experiencehas left him convinced that smoking was thecause – and he wants to warn others of thedangers.

“I have nothing against smoking in itself andif somebody wants to smoke then let them,” hesaid.“But there are pitfalls – some are lucky,some are unlucky. If someone was thinkingabout starting, I would advise them not to inthe light of my own experience.”

Specialists at Glan Clwyd Hospital inBodelwyddan, North Wales, informed Steventhat smoking was the definite cause of hisillness. After the operation they took a graftfrom his wrist – including part of a tattoo onhis arm – to reconstruct his tongue.

Steven added:“I smoked up to 40 cigarettesa day for 28 years. It was a shock to get thecancer – but the doctors were fabulous.”

Log on to www.smokefree.nhs.ukto obtain further details of how to joingroups in your local area or contactthem on freephone 0800 085 2219(Wales) 0800 0224 332.

COLLEAGUES are being urged to look out for anumber of forthcoming initiatives which areaimed at encouraging their health andwellbeing.

At Arriva Trains Wales, we are developing atraining DVD that will give advice about howto reduce the risks of developing amusculoskeletal injury at work.

It will offer specific guidance tailored toaddress and reduce the musculoskeletal riskfactors which are present in various job rolesundertaken by employees.

The DVD, which will also provide generalhealth and fitness information relevant to allstaff, will be promoted during Safety TrainingUpdate Days from Autumn STUD onwards.

Meanwhile an event is being planned forWednesday, October 19 to mark Back CareAwareness week. It will be held on the 5thFloor, St Mary’s House, Cardiff. James Rind,Chartered Physiotherapist (Work Strong) will

be offering information and advice about howto be more active and fitter throughout yourworking day. A further event is also beingplanned in Chester in early November to markNational Stress Awareness day.

Look out for further details about bothsessions on the company intranet and posters.

Thanks are being extended to all those whoexpressed an interest in the corporate schemefor discounted council leisure membership.

A total of 49 messages of support werereceived – but still more are needed before thelocal councils can consider offering thescheme. Email [email protected] you would like to join.

Backat workafter canceroperation

DriverSteven Bradbury

wants to warnothers about theconsequences of

smoking.

Initiative to help employeesreduce risk of muscle injuries

Aspect p4 14/9/11 15:38 Page 1


DAVID Lewis travelsthrough the nightdown dirt roads in

forests to pursue his passion forrallying – at the age of 64! TheMachynlleth-based AssistantTechnician owns a Peugeot 205 GTI andstill enters competitions on an occasionalbasis.

His latest excursion was in a 50-mile nightrally round Lake Vyrnwy which he enteredwith his son Barry.

David first took up rallying at the age of 18and then after a lay-off took it up again threeyears ago.“I got the bug as a youngster whenI saw the first RAC rally come through Wales,”he said.

“In the past I have entered British rallyevents, but now it’s a question of stayingyoung by driving with young people on localcircuits in North Wales.”

A member of Machynlleth Rally Club,David has driven a variety of cars in the pastincluding a Mini Cooper S and a Ford EscortMark 2. He’s not alone at Machynlleth in hisrallying enthusiasm.

Maintenance Team Leader Ieuan Jonesnavigates for his son David, a Fitter.

Team Leader Kevin Price drives a rally car

and Fitter Robert Cargill enters stagedevents. “Sometimes we compete againsteach other in rallies,” said Ieuan.“Once on aBro Dyfi event my son and I ended up in ariver alongside David Lewis’s car, all of ustrying desperately to get to the other side.”

MACHYNLLETHConductor Alex Grantcycled 1,078 miles fromJohn O’Groats to Land’sEnd to raise money forWater Aid. He undertookhis trip, which was spreadover 17 days in April andMay, as a “personalchallenge.”

“In total I raised morethan £1,150 for anextremely good cause,”said Alex, who is picturedat the famous Land’s Endsignpost.

“I was able to accessclean water throughoutmy journey – but one ineight people in the worlddo not have that luxury.”

THE latest phase in the installationof Customer Information Systemsat Arriva Trains Wales stations isunderway.

Twenty installs are being carriedout on the City Line betweenCoryton and Radyr and somestations on the Wrexham-Bidstonroute. When these are in place atotal of 48 stations will have beenequipped with CIS since the startof the National StationsImprovement Scheme (NSIP).

Surveys have been carried out atthe 110 remaining stationscurrently without CIS provision toobtain detailed costs. Plans arebeing formulated to ensure thatall of Arriva Trains Wales’ stationsare equipped with CIS by the endof 2014.

Also under NSIP, works arescheduled to begin at Pontypriddstation as soon as Network Railhas completed the repair andrefurbishment of the canopy.

David is still rallyingat 64!

David is still rallyingat 64!

Lastest CISinstallationsare underway

Conductormeets hispersonalchallenge

READYTO RALLY:

David Lewis atthe wheel of his

Peugeot 205GTI.

Aspect p5 13/9/11 14:55 Page 1


Scouts do their bestfor platform projectMEMBERS of the 1st Kidwelly Scouts used avariety of skills to help transform their town’sstation. The young people joined parents and alocal contractor in a landscaping project whichhas breathed new life into the platforms.

The £1,800 project, funded by the WelshGovernment’s Local Environmental Quality Fund,started in June with the transformation ofdisused land.

Volunteers helped construct three large raisedflower beds out of railway sleepers andlandscape the ground.

Scout members filled the beds with earth andplanted flowers and shrubs. In addition theycompleted an art project and repainted thewaiting shelters with support from officers fromthe British Transport Police in Swansea.

Cllr Jeanette Gilasbey, Mayor of Kidwelly, whounveiled a plaque, said: “It’s wonderful to seethe scouts getting involved in improving animportant community facility.”

Scout leader Shan Cheesman said:“The projecthas given us all – scouts and parents – theopportunity to make a difference to our town.The scouts have also learned new skills, whichwas a key objective of the scheme.”

Huw Edwards films onlocation at LlanelliFILMING took place at Llanelli station for a BBCprogramme commemorating the 100thanniversary of the Railway Riots in the town.

Hosted by Llangennech-born Huw Edwards,the BBC newsreader, the programme recalled thethree days of disruption staged by railwayworkers, tin workers and the unemployed inAugust, 1911. Production support was suppliedby Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail, withHuw visiting various locations in and around therailway station.

The programme, produced by Tinopolis onbehalf of the BBC, recounted how the protestover working conditions led to transportdisruption and the shooting dead of two youngmen by soldiers from the Worcester Regiment.

● Huw is pictured above at Llanelli stationwith members of the production crew.

Hard work turns vision intoa splendid reality

Right across the Arriva Trains Wales network disused station buildings are being brought back into use and platforms are being brightened up thanks to dedicated groups of volunteers...

VISIONARY volunteers havebrought two disusedstation buildings back to

life in high-profile projectssupported by Arriva Trains Wales.

At Borth on the Cambriancoast line and Llandovery in mid-Wales the links between therailway and the local communityhave been strengthened throughpartnership working.

A derelict station waiting areaand ticket office at Borth havebeen transformed into animportant facility for the use oflocal people, tourists and railenthusiasts. Within the walls ofthe building a heritage museumhas been filled with railwaymemorabilia to evoke memoriesof the 1950s and 1960s.

Run by the Borth StationVolunteers, the facility aims tocreate a tourist informationfacility for visiting holidaymakers.

The £40,000 scheme, officiallyopened by Ceredigion MP MarkWilliams, is the culmination oflocal involvement which beganin 2006 when local residents

George Romary and John Tolerled volunteers in adopting Borthunder the ‘Adopt a Station’scheme.

Following protractednegotiations, local tradesmenbegan earlier this yearrefurbishing all the windows anddoors, re-wiring, installing a watersupply and painting – whilepreserving much of the originalfeatures of the booking office.

George said: “We had a dreamand this is the culmination of alot of hard work by many people– we still can’t quite believe it.The building has come to lifeagain.”

A similar makeover has beenaccomplished at Llandovery,where the station building datingfrom 1858 has been renovatedand re-opened after lying derelictsince 1992.

Following the setting up of theHeart of Wales Line DevelopmentCompany which acquired thelease, refurbishment work gotunderway led by Gill Wright,David Edwards and the Friends ofLlandovery Station.

The result is a waiting roomand café, space for meetings anddisplays, a toilet and a cycle hiremicro-business housed withinthe building.

A plaque was unveiled at the

official opening by the Prince ofWales and the Duchess ofCornwall, to the accompanimentof harp music, singing and Welshfolk dancing performed by localschool children.

PONTARDDULAIS is anotherHeart of Wales station to bespruced up with volunteerslooking after theimpressive raised flowerbeds, pictured right.

The idea for a makeoverfor the station wasoriginally suggested bymembers of Merched YWawr, but with the help ofthe Tidy Towns Initiative,the PontarddulaisPartnership, Swansea CityCouncil, Arriva Trains, somevolunteers and mostimportantly pupils fromPontarddulais

Comprehensive School, thearea has been cleared andimproved.

Especially active in theproject were Year 11 pupilsfrom PontarddulaisComprehensive School, ledby teacher Sue Davies Loweand youth worker AngelaPayne.

As a result of their effortsthe youngsters achievedLevel Two Asdan certificatesof personal effectiveness –a qualification equivalentto GCSE grade B thatrequires at least 20 hours ofcommunity work.

Pictured at the opening of the new heritage museum at Borth station are,left to right, Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, George Romary of Borth StationVolunteers and Rhydian Mason, Community Rail Officer for Cambrian Line.Top, some of the historic railway memorabilia in the museum.

Pupils in partnershipto spruce up station

Right, Prince Charles is pictured speaking toArriva Trains Wales Property MaintenanceSupervisor Martyn Tudor during the Royalvisit with Gill Wright of Friends of LlandoveryStation standing next to the Prince.

Above,HRH The Prince

of Wales unveils aplaque to officially

open the new facility atLlandovery station with

The Duchess ofCornwall looking

on.


Aspect p6-7 14/9/11 16:30 Page 1

By Operations and Safety

Director Peter Leppard

S A F E T Ymatters


Workshops boostsafety culture

New recycling scheme

Touch screen system

Extra Trains to Fishguard

THE Safety Team got together with unionsafety representatives at two workshopevents in Cardiff and Chester. The workshopswere well attended and gave a goodopportunity to discuss a range of safetyissues and processes, including:

● Communications betweenrepresentatives and their managers.

● Engagement of representatives inhazard identification and reporting.

● Ways to continuously improve the safetyculture of the whole organisation.

I hope we can hold further such events infuture, as safety rep involvement isimportant in developing Arriva Trains Wales’safety culture.

FOLLOWING feedback from our EnvironmentalChampions, we are working in partnership withBiffa to undertake dry mixed recycling forcardboard, paper, newspapers, plastic films,plastic bottles, paper cups and steel andaluminium cans.

All dry mixed recyclables are taken to a localfacility where the waste is sorted into thedifferent materials which are then sent forrecycling.

Rhymney and Treherbert will be amongst thefirst locations to receive these new recyclingfacilities, followed by Cardiff, Chester,Carmarthen, Holyhead, Newport, Shrewsburyand Swansea.

A NEW touch screen phone system will beinstalled shortly in the South Wales ControlCentre (SWCC).

This will enable the company mobilephone numbers of all conductors, drivers andstation staff to be contained within thesystem’s memory, allowing members of theSWCC staff the facility to handle incomingand outgoing telephone calls in a moreflexible and prioritised way.

FIVE additional services a day (Monday toSaturday) are now running to and from Fishguardfollowing investment by the Welsh Government.

The service was launched by Carl Sergeant AMat a ceremony with stakeholders in Fishguard on12 September. Look out for our feature on thenew service in the next edition of Aspect.

KEN Evans started out on therailways at the tender age of 15.After sitting a stiff railway

examination in the waiting room onPlatform 7 at Chester station, he gained athorough knowledge of passengerparcels and goods before taking up apost as junior clerk in Menai Bridge.

Almost 50 years on, Ken is now takingretirement from his post as sales advisorin the ticket office in Chester – but he still retains fond memories of those early years.

“I was posted to a number of stationson the North Wales coast as general

purpose relief during the steam era,” hesaid.“I covered a number of stationswhich don’t now exist thanks to theBeeching axe.

“Things were very different then –when I became shed master‘s clerk atBangor station I prepared the drivers’and conductors’ diagrams manually,for instance.”

Ken welcomes retirement because itmeans he can spend more time with wifePearl and his family. He plans to develophis garden, where he grows dahlias, andwill spend more time walking andtravelling in Europe.

PREPARATIONS are underway forLlandudno Junction’s “big bash”.

A group of staff are organising adepot reunion and retirement partyto take place on December 3.

Driver Allan Barnes said:“A hotbuffet and entertainment at theGrand Hotel in Llandudno will be a

combined reunion, Christmas Partyand the chance to send good wishesto Driver Geoff Stone who isretiring after 46 years on therailways.”

Numbers are limited – to reservetickets at £10 a person email [email protected]

Ken bowsout after

Big bash planned at the junction

KenEvans is looking

to spend more timein his garden now he

has retired after nearlyhalf a century in the

rail industry.

50 years

Aspect p8 14/9/11 16:26 Page 1


STAFF are being given anextra chance to view thethree-dimensional floral

train sponsored by ArrivaTrains Wales which scooped aSilver-Gilt medal at theprestigious Tatton Park RHSFlower Show.

The 7,500-flower exhibit,which was the brainchild ofgardeners from the HarlechWomen’s Institute, is availablefor viewing at the front ofMachynlleth station.

Entitled Spirit of Harlech,and complete with floral railtrack, replica boat and sand,the train of flowers wasentered in the National FlowerBed competition at theCheshire-based show.

The Class 158 train in theArriva livery reflected the WI’swork in the company's Adopta Station scheme.

The ladies commissioned a

specialist company to buildthe one-tonne, 1.4 metre-hightrain around a steel frame, andtook advice from specialists atPortmeirion on how to createthe surrounding garden using3,000 bedding plants.

The eye-catching creationdrew many admiringcomments at Tatton Park.

Mike Obst, aged 60, fromLeeds, said:“It raises the profileof rail as a mode of transport,in an unusual way.”

Arthur Haig, aged 70, fromHuddersfield, said:“I havenever seen anything like thisbefore.”

Commenting on the SilverGilt, Dave Crunkhorn, ArrivaTrains Wales’ Station Manager,Cambrian, said:“The WI teamworked really hard, supportedby Project Manager LewisBrencher, to achieve theirsuccess.”

Amanda Sims, centre, Manager of the Harlech Women’s Institute Rail Project,holds the Silver-Gilt certificate awarded to the flower bed. She is flanked byDave Crunkhorn, Station Manager, Cambrian, and Kim Hawkins, Group StationManager (North).

Company-sponsored exhibitscoops Silver-Gilt at top show

Theaward-winning

Spirit of Harlech flowerbed with a central feature

of plants depicting an ArrivaTrains Wales Class 158 carriage

pictured at the Tatton ParkRHS Flower Show. Below

right, the flower-filledreplica boat.

Extra chance to view

3D floral train

Aspect p9 14/9/11 15:47 Page 1


What are you doing at the moment?

As a Duty Manager I maintain safety at thestation and make sure that services departpunctually.

What is the best aspect of your job?

Working with a great team. I was alsograteful for the opportunity to take aManagement Development (MaDe) coursewhich was both varied and at timeschallenging. During the course I learned agreat deal about management skills whilemeeting different heads of functions andvisiting various stations. Team tasks were setat each meeting – I thoroughly enjoyedresearching information and presentingmy completed task.

Which famous person alive or deadwould you invite for dinner?

It would have to be Boy George. I wasalways fascinated with him as a teenager,and to have dinner with him would befantastic – although if I’m totally honest Ithink if I met him in person I would be verynervous!

What do you do in your spare time?

I try to spend time with my family. I alsoenjoy experimenting with baking and relaxby gardening or watching films.

Favourite films/books/CDs?

My favourite all-time films are Braveheartand Gladiator. I love the way both films havetried to capture their era. I must confess Ienjoy films that contain battle scenes.

My favourite book is The Lovely Bones byAlice Sebold. I was totally hooked from themoment I opened it. Although a verymoving story, it is well written. I don’tnormally like fiction but I made an exceptionwith this. My favourite CDs would have to beLady Ga Ga’s Born This Way, Adele’s 21 andany of Rihanna’s latest albums.

Your favourite place in the world?

Would have to be Cornwall and any of theGreek Islands. I have had such lovely holidaysat each of these places.

What would you like to be doing in fiveyears’ time?

Working for Arriva Trains Wales. I am alwayskeen to develop myself so I’m not sure whatrole I will be in!

Best bit of advice you have ever beengiven, and by whom?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Thisadvice speaks for itself and it reminds me toalways listen. I think a few people haveactually given me thisadvice over the years.

fiveAngie, aged 46, is a Duty Manager

at Newport station and lives at

Griffithstown. Here, she takes

time out of her busy schedule to

tell us about herself.

Angie Burt

minutes with

Angie Burt at her

office desk atNewportstation.

LEE Baker has been to Hollywoodwhere he was given a tour roundthe location of a blockbustermovie.

But he hasn’t been anywherenear the USA – the Shrewsburyconductor was on a trip withscooter enthusiasts to Ireland.

His party and members of theLambretta Club of Ireland stayed in

an Irish town called Hollywood andwere taken by a guide to see whereBraveheart was filmed.“It was astrange coincidence,” said Lee.

“We were staying in a place inCounty Wicklow with a famous filmname and we were looking atplaques saying where variousiconic scenes were shot.”

Lee travels widely to further his

passion for scooters and hejoins rallies riding his 1975Lambretta or his 2002Vespa.

“I got hooked onscooters when I watchedthe film Quadropheniaback in the 1970s,” hesaid.“I also liked theclothes and the music.”

Tour of Hollywood movie location... in the Emerald Isle

Aspect p10 14/9/11 16:04 Page 1


WIN £50 M&S voucher in garden-themed wordsearchB

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OUR Wordsearch for the autumnissue is on the theme of flowersand gardens, to reflect ourarticles about the success of thefloral train at the Tatton Park RHSFlower Show and the displays atMachynlleth station.

A £50 Marks & Spencer voucheris on offer for the first personwhose name is drawn out of thehat. Entries should be no laterthan October 28 2011.

The competition is open toArriva Trains Wales employeesonly. Simply ring the words in thegrid, cut it out and send it withyour name, address and phonenumber to:

Geraint Morgan, CommunityAffairs Manager, Arriva TrainsWales, St Mary’s House, 47Penarth Road, Cardiff CF10 5DJ.

Planter train isgrowing places

HOELAWNPONDRAKEHERBSMOWERPANSYPEARSPHLOXROSESSEDUMAPPLESBORDER

DAHLIADAMSONGAZEBOHEDGESHOSTASJASMINERHUBARBTRELLISACHILLEACLEMATISBEECH NUTSCHRYSANTHEMUMMICHAELMAS DAISY

DAVID Herbert is carrying on a familytradition by decorating Machynllethstation with flowers. The driver’s

father, Chargeman Viv Herbert, looked afterthe gardening on the station for many yearsuntil his death four years ago.

When Viv’s colleague and fellow station“greenfingers” Driver Vic Price also died, the

beds became neglected. But now, with thehelp of two local schools, David has revivedthe floral displays by introducing planters inthe shape of Class 158 trains.

“We cut out chipboard in the shape of thetrains which travel the coast route,” he said.

“From a personal point of view it’s a goodway of remembering my father and Vic, who

gave me training. But it also seemed a goodway of involving the schools attended bymy four children aged between sevenand 13.

“As well as helping with the planting ofherbs and flowers, the pupils also createdpictures showing the different stops alongthe railway.”

● The winner of theprevious wordsearchcompetition wasChristine Elliott, aConductor from Barry.

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THE Arriva Cricket Team has been crownedRailsport Cricket Winners 2011. They wonthrough to the finals of the annual

six-a-side competition at Stanley Park, Blackpool,and produced a brilliant performance to lift thetrophy.

Captained by Valley Lines Conductor NickHughes, the cricketers bowled the opposition outfor 17 and then easily knocked off the runs to win.Before defeating a First Great Western team fromSlough in the final, the Arriva players had seen offfive other sides from across the rail industry.

Treherbert Conductor Chris Lane, vice-captain

of the team, said:“We seem to be on a roll at themoment. Shortly after clinching the Railsport titlewe triumphed in the Whitchurch eight-a-sidecricket tournament held in Cardiff.”

The team that won in Blackpool consisted ofNick Hughes, Chris Lane, Driver Manager ColinVaughan, Mainline Guard Steve Hotton, RetiredDriver Manager Graham Goddard and TreherbertConductor Karl Johnson. The all-conquering sideplay regularly on Sundays, on a monthly basis.

A celebration evening was held in Barry on 4September where the players were presentedwith their medals.

A SCHOOL team from Swanseahas won a safety-themed footballtournament

supported by Arriva TrainsWales, British Transport Police,Network Rail and the FootballAssociation of Wales.

Pentrehafod ComprehensiveSchool was crowned the 2011 No

Messin’ South Wales RailwaySafety Cup champions.

More than 200 children tookpart in the tournament, whichformed part of the rail industry’scampaign to raise awarenessamong young people of thedangers linked to trespassing onthe railway.

Have you gotnews for us?

IF you have a story for Aspectplease contact CommunityAffairs Manager GeraintMorgan on 02920-720521.

You can also contact him viaemail: [email protected]

CARDIFF Conductor AndyPiper has raised £542 forVelindre Cancer Hospitalthrough the sale of raffletickets to train crewcolleagues. He also helpedorganise a charity night atthe Borough Arms on StMary’s Street for the samegood cause.“I used to workas an assistant manager atthe pub and when I learnedthey were fundraising fortreatment of a formermember of the staff whohad cancer, I decided to dowhat I could,” he said.

Andy’s charityfundraising

Six-a-side cricketers areRailsport champs

DOUBLEWINNERS:

Captain Nick Hughesholds the Railsport

2011 cricket trophy and vice-captain Chris Lane

has the Whitchurchtournament cup.


Soccer tournament with serious message

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aspect autumn 2011

Documents

closelywith network

thechallenges of autumn

wales region

school year

new uniform

time rolls

mostchallenging time

poor quality ofthe uniform