“The industry has grown to be so much more than just getting people from A to B.”

Avanti West Coast’s Wendy Garrett has enjoyed a number of different roles since starting her career in the railway in July 1985. She reflects on her career to this point and talks about how things have changed in the last 40 years.

25 July 2025

I can still clearly remember my interview for Onboard Catering Steward at London Euston in early May 1985 when I was just 15. I was offered the job and asked to start straight away but wanted to finish my O-Level exams first, so the week after those had finished, I had my first day and the rest is history. Back then, you were handed your uniform and were onboard just like that, with no training whatsoever – you learnt everything as you went along.

One of the biggest changes I have seen since that time is that colleagues now have the opportunity to express their opinions. When I started, you almost had to earn the right to serve the customers, so I was mainly based in the onboard kitchen to begin with. We were expected to get on with the job and weren’t asked for ideas on how things could be improved – fast forward to things now and everyone has a voice.

For me, it’s this that has built the railway from strength to strength. Things have become a lot more focused on experience which has made things much better for our customers. The industry has grown to be so much more than just getting people from A to B.

With these big improvements has also come a lot of changes to the technology used on our trains. From the introduction of the Mark 3 catering vehicles, to more recently seeing the latest Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) systems installed, I feel like my career has been a journey. Everything was done using paper and pen before the EPOS systems were rolled out, and working on designing and delivering the training for those is one of the pieces of work I’m most proud of. It still hits home the progress that we’ve made seeing them being used onboard now.

“I truly believe that anyone can make a career on the railway, things have changed and there are opportunities for everyone.”

I have had many roles over the years, including  Onboard Manager, IRIS (Interactive Retail Information System) System and Compliance Manager and Food and Beverage Business Partner. I couldn’t possibly choose which has been my favourite – they have contributed equally to the next, and have all had a focus on our customers, which in turn has given me the ultimate job satisfaction.

Outside of work, I have an interest in food, especially the chocolate industry, in which I support craft and bean to bar producers who care about the origin of their products and where and how their beans are grown. In my current role as Catering Proposition Partner, this is something that I have worked to reflect in our onboard menus – both in our First Class offering and in the onboard shop – making sure we always use, where possible, smaller companies that are local to our communities along the West Coast Main Line.

Looking back, I was one of only five women who were onboard caterers based at London Euston when I started, with a huge, mainly male, catering workforce across the country. Now I truly believe that anyone can make a career on the railway, things have changed and there are opportunities for everyone.

I became a mentor last year for the first time and I especially enjoy speaking to younger people who start in the rail industry as their first job, teaching them about the career possibilities available to them. They are the future, so I want to help support them as much as people have supported me.

Pictures:

Main Image - Wendy is joined by colleagues at London Euston following the inaugural journey of Avanti West Coast's Class 807 Evero fleet from Birmingham New Street to London Euston in October 2024. 

First image in text - Wendy onboard the 1740 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston service on 5 January 1989, following the introduction of new uniforms. 

Second image in text - Wendy and Nicola Hague, CEX Strategy Manager, onboard the inaugural journey of Avanti West Coast's Class 805 Evero fleet in June 2024.

Third image in text - (L-R) Avanti West Coast colleagues, Victor Tarfa (Train Manager), Rob Taylor (Food & Beverage Development Manager), Wendy and Chris McDermott (Catering Development & Delivery Manager) stand in front an Avanti West Coast Class 807 train at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe depot in March 2023, on a visit to scope out the catering facilities ahead of the launch of the fleet.