Teams at Network Rail Anglia have pulled out all the stops to give Austin, an eight-year-old train enthusiast from Suffolk, a day to remember at Liverpool Street station.
Austin’s passion for the railway was born during lockdown in 2020, watching the trains from his back garden. As things returned to normal, the railway adventures started – travelling the length and breadth of the country. His dad set up Austin’s Rail Adventures on Instagram and X to document their journeys, and before long they had thousands of new followers.
Network Rail Anglia arranged the experience after seeing a post from Ashley, Austin’s dad, on their X account: “Three months ago, Austin told me that he wanted a break from adventures. I didn’t know why at the time, but it turns out it was because someone had made fun of him for being into trains.”
In response to the X post, colleagues from across the rail industry and fellow enthusiasts have come forward to support Austin and help him explore even more of the railway.
The trip to Liverpool Street was the latest adventure. Earlier this month, Austin and his dad arrived at reception, having never had a station tour before. They were joined by Stripey, Austin’s tiger companion, and all three special guests were issued with visitor passes by a member of the Network Rail team.
Next came a safety briefing – particularly important with a football match on, meaning the station was expected to be even busier than usual. They were shown the CCTV room and given an overview of the station, along with some of its history.
It was then time for Austin and Stripey to picture themselves as signallers with the seaside-style cut-out boards at the station’s Railway 200 exhibition.
They then got to see what signallers really do with a visit to the Liverpool Street signal box, where they learned how trains are safely moved across the network.
Back at the station, Austin grabbed a ride in an assistance buggy, before ending the day on a real high with a cab tour of two types of train (Class 720 and Class 745) arranged by Greater Anglia. He was even gifted a Greater Anglia hare soft toy, which he named Greater Red, and Stripey was delighted to gain a new partner in crime.
Sara Ashmore Barrios, station manager for Network Rail at Liverpool Street, said: “When we heard about Austin and his adventures, we couldn’t wait to welcome him to Britain’s busiest station for an access-all-areas tour. His enthusiasm is truly infectious, and it was a pleasure to show him how all the various parts of the railway come together to deliver for passengers. Inspiring the next generation of railway workers is vital for the future of the industry, and we like to offer encouragement and insight wherever we can.”
Ashley commented: “Austin was in his element for the entire day, skipping around the station. He absolutely loves exploring the railway, and our journeys together even inspired me to take a new job as a train conductor. I keep thinking he will wake up one day and say he’s now into football and not trains, but he hasn’t yet and while he loves it, we’ll continue our adventures and social media.”
Image credit: Network Rail
