- South Western Railway (SWR), Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail commended for joint event planning around the royal wedding in May 2018, at prestigious Golden Whistle Awards
- Both operators (alongside Network Rail) arranged special services to make the day go without a hitch
- Bunting and Union Jack flags decorated stations to welcome customers on their arrival to Windsor
- Windsor and Eton Central station was renamed Harry and Meghan Central
- Pre-recorded station announcements were made in Mandarin by SWR staff for Chinese visitors
- Golden Whistle awards dedicated to people who work in or interface with railway operations
South Western Railway, Great Western Railway and Network Rail staff have been recognised for their work in making sure the royal wedding travel plans went without a hitch and have scooped a prestigious Golden Whistle award. The awards are dedicated to those people who work in or interface with railway operations on a day-to-day basis.
Alan Penlington, Customer Experience Director for South Western Railway, said:
“The team worked tirelessly, engaging with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Thames Valley Police and many other community partners to make the day an unforgettable success.
“This was the first time we have collaborated for such an event, sharing ideas and producing contingency plans for every eventuality. I am very proud of the team and heartily congratulate them for this accolade.”
Richard Rowland, Customer Service & Transformation Director for Great Western Railway, said:
“The Royal Wedding in Windsor this year was by far the biggest and most high-profile event GWR, SWR and Network Rail have planned for.
“It involved months of meticulous planning culminating in providing over 45,000 customer journeys to and from the event. The team worked collaboratively with British Transport Police and other key partners to ensure plans were joined up and everything ran smoothly on the day. Well done everyone who made this possible.”
Contacts
South Western Railway Press Office
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South Western Railway
Operating almost 1,700 services per day across the network, SWR employs more than 5,000 employees and provides commuter inter-urban, regional and long distance services to passengers in South West London and southern counties of England and Island Line services on the Isle of Wight, as well as providing connectivity to the ports and airports in the region.
As well as commuters and business travellers, SWR transports leisure travellers across the region, to many tourist and heritage sites, and the numerous major sporting and social events that take place along the route every year.
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