Meet the women keeping our country moving

A blog for International Women's Day.

Rail staff continue to work under challenging conditions to make sure those who are travelling and vital freight loads get to where they are needed.

On International Women’s Day, meet some of the women who are keeping our country moving.

Paige Lunn Train Driver, Southern “I haven’t been treated any differently just because I’m a woman – I was the only female in my training class but that didn’t bother me. I’d love more women to join us, so what are you waiting for?”	Emma Watson Station Manager, Network Rail “Everyone is so motivated to do the right thing for staff and for passengers and without the collaboration or the support of my team, I just couldn’t have done it.”	Beau Hawkins Train Driver, Great Northern “For females young or old that are reading this, I would highly recommend a career as a train driver.”
Annila Saghir Train Manager, LNER “I felt a sense of pride, taking NHS staff and other key workers up and down the country”	Tori Weightman Train driver, LNER “I am so very lucky to have found my way onto the railway, the opportunities it has presented to me and the stability it has provided my family is a wonderful thing in this day and age.”	Bobby Andrews Train Manager, Avanti West Coast “It’s a really tough and challenging job but I work with great people. I have been working the same route for many years and because I see the same customers on our services – there is a sense of community. You become part of their lives and I Iove that.”
Jolene Miller Train Driver, Northern “It’s been so surreal, I can’t believe it, I’m really proud but still in shock. There’s still lots of people I know working in the NHS and fighting coronavirus day in day out while I spent a few months working back in a hospital. I just wanted to use the skills I had.”	Cara Marsh Station Manager, Transport for Wales Rail “It has been my responsibility to ensure that we have put in place as many mitigations as necessary to keep staff in work and most importantly safe!”	Kelly-Joe Ballard Train driver, Southeastern “It doesn’t matter what gender you are or what background you come from, if you have the will and determination to become a train driver, there really is nothing stopping you."