NEWS | West Midlands Railway (WMR) is searching for junior conductors in Herefordshire to climb on board and help run services as part of a new competition

West Midlands Railway (WMR) is searching for junior conductors to climb on board and help run services as part of a new competition.

Four lucky winners aged between four and 10 will have the chance to work alongside real train conductors on one of WMR’s brand-new trains during the autumn half-term.

Having joined the railway network across the Shrewsbury, Hereford and the newly-named Elephant & Bear lines, the new Class 196 trains feature more seats, additional under-seat luggage space, bike storage and greater accessibility.

To apply to become a junior conductor, children (via their parents and guardians) are being invited to share a video of up to 30 seconds on either Facebook, Instagram or TikTok tagging West Midlands Railway and using #LittleTrainConductor.

Within the video, they’ll need to tell WMR exactly what they love most about trains and why they think they should be a conductor for the day.

Once applications close on Friday 15 September, entries will be reviewed by a panel of expert judges who will select the winners.

Under the guidance of the WMR team, the four lucky winners – plus their parents or guardians – will get to experience what it’s really like to conduct a train. 

From seeing inside the train’s cab and checking tickets to greeting customers and even making announcements over the public tannoy system, it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for budding train fans. Not to mention they will receive their own whistle, high-viz waistcoat and flags to ensure their journey as a conductor runs smoothly.

Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said: “We often receive heart-warming letters from little ones sharing their passion for the world of trains and hat’s what prompted us to come up with this great competition to be a conductor for the day.

“The rail industry is a fascinating place to work and, as well as being a lot of fun, initiatives like this are a great way to inspire future generations of rail professionals. We can’t wait to see the entries and welcome the lucky winners aboard one of our brand-new trains.”

For details on how to apply and for more information on dates and deadlines, visit the competition page here.