Most people rush through London Victoria station without a second thought. Hen parties on their way to Bognor Regis, couples heading to country estates to celebrate special occasions, children taking the train for the very first time. I see it all, catching precious glimpses of people’s lives as they pass through the station’s busy concourse.
I’m a Customer Host, which means I’m at the heart of people's journeys. I help passengers on and off the trains, I support those using wheelchairs, I guide visually impaired travellers, and I lift more suitcases than I can count. But at its core, my job is simple. I talk. I listen. I learn.
I’ve always loved hearing people’s stories. Ask anyone who works with me: if someone is willing to chat, I’m in my element. I’m the sort of person who asks where you’re heading and ends up hearing how you met your partner, where you grew up, or why today’s train journey really matters. Drop in a love story and I get all giddy inside.
There’s one couple who I’ve never forgotten. They were travelling to Chichester for their 60th anniversary, and I helped them board the train. They told me they’d met at school and were still as happy as the day they first got together. Watching them sit side by side, excited for a celebration decades in the making, reminded me why I love working on the railway. People don’t just take trains to get from A to B. They travel for life's biggest milestones, making memories to last a lifetime.
One of the most important things I’ve learned is not to take it personally when people are unkind to me. Early in my career in customer service, someone spoke to me with a level of anger that caught me off guard. I tried everything to put things right, but they walked away still upset. To my surprise, later that day, they came back.
They apologised, and told me I was the first person they’d spoken to after receiving devastating news. That conversation changed everything. I realised that people’s behaviour towards me often actually has nothing to do with me. People carry things I’ll never see, so I make sure I stay kind regardless of how the day unfolds.
I think that’s why this job feels made for me. I love to interact, to help, to understand. I work with a brilliant team who feel the same way. Every one of us is here because we care about people. If you ever need help at London Victoria, just ask. There’ll always be someone ready to look after you.
Another reason I love working on the railway is because travel is a huge passion of mine. I turn fifty next year, and while I was thinking about what I wanted to do to celebrate, I decided I didn’t want a party, I wanted to do something more personal. Turning fifty is a big deal for me, especially since I’ve lost people close to me who I grew up with. I wondered how I could make this exciting, because turning fifty is a journey.
Because I love to travel, I came up with the idea of visiting fifty towns and cities in the UK before I turn fifty. So far I’ve been to Eastbourne, where the Seven Sisters took my breath away, and to Darlington for Railway 200. Standing where the modern railway first began felt so special, like the past and present lining up.
Next on my list is the hike from Seaford to the Seven Sisters. I’ve been warned it’s a seven-hour trek, but I’m determined. The railway makes it easy to pick a place, step aboard and discover somewhere new. That freedom really excites me.
I just love to explore. If a passenger asks for recommendations about somewhere I don’t know well, I’ll go there on my day off. I’ll wander around, find good food, and work out where the best views are. I love sitting on a train and watching the world roll past the window, and if something catches my eye - a hill, a little town, an interesting attraction - I’ll jot it down and visit next time. You can’t do that when you’re driving. On the train, you can really enjoy your surroundings.
Joining the railway family has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I get to help people every day, hear stories I’d never have encountered otherwise, and explore the country one stop at a time. It’s a privilege to stand on the concourse and experience people’s most precious moments. The trains come and go, but the stories stay with me. In that constant movement, I’ve found my place, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.