A new train service offering alternatives for Prestonians heading north or south has welcomed 10 new apprentices to its Preston depot.
Lumo, which is part of FirstGroup and describes itself as being known for affordability and reliability, is set to operate services from Stirling to London Euston from next year, with Preston Railway Station one of the stops.
It currently runs daily services between London Euston and Stirling and has taken on a total of sixteen new Apprentice Customer Driver recruits for this. The expansion aims to enhance travel choice for passengers in both Scotland and England, offering ten services per day Monday-Saturday and eight per day every Sunday.
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The Apprentice Customer Drivers begun their 9-month training programme this week, which is designed to develop them into skilled and proficient Customer Drivers. The course includes both practical and theoretical elements, with the recruits learning from the experienced Lumo team.
Among those based in Preston is Anthony Kidd, who previously worked as an Art Director for Coronation Street.
He said: “I’m very excited to have joined Lumo. This is a complete career change for me but I know it’s the right decision, with Lumo having such a great reputation for being a rewarding and diverse place to work.
“Despite not previously working in the industry, I have family who do, and they’ve all recommended it to me as a brilliant career. I’m looking forward to playing my part in offering high quality, affordable travel in the unique Lumo way!”
Lumo described itself as a rail travel experience that is kinder to the planet and better value for customers, making it a greener and more affordable choice for long distance travel in the UK.
It offers a single class service with optimised leg room and extendable tray tables that can take a full-sized laptop. It also gives customers the option of keeping their luggage close by or, for an additional charge, having it delivered to their final station or destination.
Lumo is currently awaiting regulatory approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to further extend services to Glasgow, boosting connectivity for Scotland’s passengers making domestic journeys and those across the border.
Lindsay Gauntlett, People and Culture Manager at Lumo, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome our new apprentices onboard this week, a key step in preparing to launch our route connecting London Euston and Stirling.
“We’re very proud of the fact that nearly all Lumo colleagues have had the opportunity to train through our apprenticeship programme with Train’d Up. Last year, we celebrated the milestone of 95% of our team joining through an apprenticeship programme.
“As a company, we believe in supporting local people to have the opportunity to work in the rail industry, regardless of their previous career and background.”
Services between Preston and London Euston are currently managed by Avanti West Coast and those journeys will still be in place after Lumo begins its new service.
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