Avanti West Coast celebrates double win at National Rail Awards

• Avanti West Coast recognised twice at prestigious awards ceremony
  
• Penrith station honoured as Small Station of the Year
  
• New Evero fleet named as joint winner for Fleet Achievement of the Year

Avanti West Coast’s Penrith station and Evero fleet have been honoured at the National Rail Awards.

Often dubbed as the ‘Railway Oscars’, the National Rail Awards celebrates outstanding achievements within the rail industry. At a ceremony held in central London, Avanti West Coast won in the Small Station of the Year category for Penrith station and was named as joint winner in the Fleet Achievement of the Year category for the introduction of its Evero fleet.

Penrith station, winner of the Small Station of the Year Award, was recognised on the evening by the judging panel as being a “community-focused transport hub, with an appearance that is welcoming to customers whether they are arriving by train or from the town.”

Avanti West Coast colleagues at the station were further congratulated by the panel for “the inventive and informative displays within the station that help customers when travelling to and from Penrith.”

The operator also scooped a joint win in the Fleet Achievement of the Year category, following a successful launch of its Evero fleet – a £350m investment of 13 bi-mode (Class 805) and 10 electric trains (Class 807), the final of which came into service in June.  The judging panel congratulated Avanti West Coast for “its well-planned implementation of the fleet, and the benefits that the Evero trains themselves offer to customers.”

Alongside the two wins, Shashi Vyas, a Cash Office Clerk at Euston who has clocked up 53 years on the railway was shortlisted in the Outstanding Personal Contribution category. Coventry Station was also shortlisted for Large Station of the Year, as well as the Social Media team in the Customer Service Excellence category. Team Euston – a collaboration of Avanti West Coast, Network Rail, London Northwestern Railway and Mitie were also nominated in the category of Outstanding Team Work.

Mark Green, Station Manager at Penrith, said: “I’m thrilled that Penrith station won Small Station of the Year.

“We are a small but perfectly formed team, including our community gardeners, and this industry recognition is testament to the commitment and passion of the team, which they show every single day. It’s a real honour and I know the team are delighted with it.”

The team behind Evero shared the honour of Fleet Achievement of the Year with London Northwestern and West Midlands Railway.

Sam Varghese, New Trains Project Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “It was brilliant to be honoured at the National Rail Awards.

“The introduction of both the Class 805 and 807 Evero fleet took a monumental effort from many of our people, and this award is incredibly well deserved. I'd also like to say a massive thanks to our partners Rock Rail and Hitachi Rail Limited, who were instrumental in the roll out."

Managing Director Andy Mellors said: “I’m delighted and incredibly proud of these accolades at the National Rail Awards.

“The entries this year across all the categories were of an incredibly high standard, so to have this industry recognition is a great achievement. A huge well done to everyone at Penrith Station, and everyone right across the company who was involved in the Evero fleet introduction last year.

“These awards are testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone on the West Coast day in, day out.

“I’d also like to congratulate Shashi Vyas who works at Euston station, colleagues from Coventry station, our Social Media team and Team Euston for being shortlisted.”

ENDS