Archie, 23, spent time with the controllers, the TOPS desk and took a look around a Class 66 locomotive.
He said: “I found the visit to GBRf’s offices in Peterborough to be a brilliant insight into the workings of a freight operator. Being new to the rail industry I had little prior knowledge of the workings of the railway, so spending a week behind the scenes with our largest customer was an eye-opener to the work that goes into ensuring that trains run both safely and efficiently.
“One of the most memorable parts of my visit was spending time with the controllers. It was very interesting to see the challenges that our customers face on a day-to-day basis and to learn how these challenges are dealt with.”
During the week Archie also spent time with VTG fleet controllers Martyn Catlin and Matthew Harris who are based at the Peterborough office. He said: “Seeing how they keep our wagons in service through planning maintenance and communicating with GBRf’s team was a great insight into the work that goes into delivering a reliable fleet for our customers.”
He added: “Of course, one of my favourite parts of the trip was visiting the yard to see some of VTG’s wagons. This visit also included a tour of one of GBRf’s Class 66 locomotives which was brilliant to see up close.”
Archie joined our team in September and has already made a great impact. He said he was attracted to a career in the rail freight industry because of its sustainability credentials and the exciting future possibilities of being able to move a variety of different goods by rail that are currently transported by lorries.
“I can see many possibilities for an exciting future in rail freight,” he said. “I was attracted to VTG because it is innovative in creating new and forward-thinking solutions.”