Avanti West Coast and Alstom open the doors to Oxley depot for Feel Good Field Trip

• Avanti West Coast, Alstom and Heart of England Community Rail Partnership team up to offer interactive Feel Good Field Trip for local schoolchildren

• Students get the chance to see up close the operator’s new Evero train

• Activities aimed at Year 10 pupils encouraging them to pursue a career in rail or science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)

Avanti West Coast has partnered with train manufacturer Alstom and Heart of England Community Rail Partnership to give a group of schoolchildren a behind the scenes tour of a train depot as part of its groundbreaking Feel Good Feel Trips initiative.

Year 10 pupils from Meadow Park School in Coventry who are studying Design and Technology, travelled by train for a fun and interactive day out courtesy of Alstom at their Oxley facility in Wolverhampton. The depot is the home of Avanti West Coast’s new Evero train, which entered service last month.

As part of the day, the students were challenged to design a new train livery before getting their hands dirty with tasks to build a model bogie (train wheel) and repair some brakes. They also explored an Evero and were given an insight into what is involved in the launch of a new train in addition to what goes into the day to day maintenance of a fleet.

Stacy Thundercliffe, Head of Fleet and Engineering at Avanti West Coast said: “The aim of today’s visit was to give youngsters a feel for the railway and the many career opportunities it affords them.

“The energy in the room was great to see and if we’ve given just one person the confidence to pursue a role in the railway, then it’s job done.”

Corrine MacLean, Curriculum Lead for Art, Food and Design and Technology at Meadow Park School, said: “Days like today are invaluable, offering practical insight into how our students can apply the teachings of the classroom to a working environment.

“Seeing the new Evero train and gaining a greater understanding of the thinking behind some of the new design features employed to improve the travelling experience of all customer types, is something that will inspire students and feed into their own designs and ideas.”

Gaynor Stewart, Head of Customer Service Delivery at Alstom said: "We were delighted to host the Feel Good Field Trip at our Oxley depot, as it offered a unique opportunity to showcase a site that is integral to our operations along the West Coast Main Line.

“Engaging with students here allows them to see – first-hand – the advanced technology and dedicated work that goes into maintaining Avanti West Coast's fleets, and we hope it inspires youngsters to consider careers in rail and STEM fields."

Feel Good Field Trips, which is run in partnership with Community Rail Lancashire, was launched in April 2022 and is designed to give up to 5,000 pupils aged between four and 18, the chance to travel by train for hands on learning and culturally diverse days out that may have previously been inaccessible for them.