Chiltern Railways

We are delighted to have opened a new artwork exhibition at London Marylebone Station, alongside The Baker Street Quarter Partnership and The Marylebone Project. The ‘Marylebone on Display’ exhibition has been created through art therapy sessions attended by women facing homelessness at The Marylebone Project - the UK’s largest and oldest women’s homelessness service. The sessions help to build confidence and support mental wellbeing. Many of the participants were new to painting and engaged with the project as an alternative way of expressing their feelings and emotions. The artwork can be viewed on Platforms 1 and 3 of London Marylebone Station between 21 November 2024 and 15 January 2025. The scheme was supported by Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund and is the first of three exhibitions over the course of 2024 and 2025 which celebrate the work of local charities and small businesses that operate in the Marylebone area.

The experience for customers travelling through High Wycombe and Aylesbury has been enhanced as The Flying Bean Cafe has opened at both stations. ☕ Serving a full barista coffee menu and a range of tasty sandwiches and treats, the new coffee shops add to The Flying Bean Cafe at Beaconsfield Station, which is also managed by Chiltern. The cafes at stations in High Wycombe and Aylesbury opened in November 2024 and they offer a fantastic service which is great for daily commuters passing through the stations. #flyingbeancafe #coffee #highwycombe #aylesbury

We were delighted to host Cat Eccles MP to Stourbridge Depot on Thursday 14 November and Laura Kyrke-Smith MP to Aylesbury Depot on Friday 15 November. Cat Eccles MP met frontline colleagues who carry out the maintenance, fuelling and cleaning of our Mark III carriages at Stourbridge. She supported the creation of local employment opportunities and future investment in the site, whilst recognising the need to monitor noise and light pollution levels for local residents. Laura Kyrke-Smith MP toured our Class 165/8 maintenance facilities at Aylesbury and discussed Chiltern’s recent recruitment campaigns to hire apprentices into maintenance and train driver positions. She also highlighted the need to improve future rail connections from Aylesbury. Both MPs expressed their support for the current business case to replace and grow Chiltern’s carriages. #stourbridge #aylesbury #depots

Last week two Chiltern colleagues completed their thirteenth and final walk between locations on the Chiltern Main Line as part of their 'Between Stations Walk' for charity. Starting in February 2024, Rehana and Laura from the Chiltern team embarked on 13 walks - a total of 156 miles - between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street. Visiting 27 stations along the route, their first walk was between London Marylebone and Wembley Stadium in February and their final walk was between Solihull and Birmingham Moor Street last Friday (8 November). Rehana and Laura raised a total of £2,000 (including a £250 donation from Chiltern's Community Fund) for their chosen charities, Safeline UK and Railway Children. 🚆💙 #charitywalk #safeline #railwaychildren

Last month, we shared with you the exciting news that the first test train ran between Oxford and Milton Keynes🚆 The train used our newly rebuilt section of railway between Bicester and Bletchley and was organised in partnership with Chiltern Railways, Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom. The journey took 42 minutes to complete, but here it is in just 60 seconds👇 #EastWestRail #EWR #Train #Transport

We unveiled a new poppy design on one of our trains as part of our London Marylebone Service of Remembrance this morning. 🚆 Members of the Royal British Legion, RAILWAY MISSION, politicians and railway partners took part in a two-minute silence and the laying of wreaths followed by performances by choirs from St Edwards School and Gateway Academy. Attendees included Rachel Blake MP (Cities of London and Westminster) and Cllr Robert Rigby, Lord Mayor of Westminster who unveiled the poppy train alongside Richard Allan (Chiltern Railways Managing Director), and Andrea Smyth, Railway Chaplain (Railway Mission). More information on this morning's Remembrance service can be viewed here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eFmCm7Rt #poppytrain #remembrance #remembranceday

Ahead of our upcoming Remembrance services, it was great to welcome Cllr Robert Rigby, Lord Mayor of Westminster to London Marylebone Station this afternoon. The Lord Mayor of Westminster handed out poppies with the Royal British Legion team at the station. Alongside the rest of the rail industry, Chiltern Railways is offering free travel for veterans and military personnel to attend Remembrance services this weekend. There are also three separate Remembrance services taking place at Birmingham Moor Street, Leamington Spa and London Marylebone. More information can be viewed here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gyNZJAgi #remembrance #remembranceday #marylebone

The Royal British Legion and the band of the Royal Air Force (RAF) Regiment (Northolt) are at London Marylebone Station today to mark London Poppy Day. London Poppy Day raises crucial funds for The Royal British Legion to support serving personnel, veterans, and their families. Performances from the band are taking place throughout the day and poppies are available from the Royal British Legion team on the run up to Remembrance Day.   Our service at London Marylebone on Friday 8 November will take place between 10.30am and 12pm. #londonpoppyday #veterans #marylebone

We are proud to announce a partnership with The Feathers Association, commemorating their 90th anniversary and the 125th anniversary of London Marylebone Station. This morning a vibrant community bridge mural was unveiled on Rossmore Road by Cllr Robert Rigby, The Lord Mayor of Westminster. Representatives from Chiltern Railways, The Feathers Association and Network Rail were also in attendance for the unveiling. 🌉 The mural was shaped by the ideas of local children and designed by artist Bunny Bread who attended the youth centre.   The artwork was funded by our Community Investment Fund which is designed to engage our local communities. We are excited to bring the artwork to life to commemorate these special occasions and celebrate the community around our much-loved station.   #communityinvestment #youthempowerment #marylebone

This week Chiltern Railways hosted our Annual Community Conference at the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa. Over 60 partners enjoyed interesting and productive discussions on Chiltern’s modernisation and decarbonisation plans and discussed community rail activities for 2025. Attendees were offered a tour of Foundry Wood, showcasing how reclaimed railway spaces can be supported by community rail engagement. This was followed by Vanessa Russell (HR Director at Chiltern), giving a business update, outlining our plans to refurbish our existing trains and bring in replacement and additional carriages over the next year. Jools Townsend from Community Rail Network delivered a session on engaging and empowering communities to unlock social value through rail. Penny Alexander from Baker Street Quarter Partnership also delivered a session on how local businesses and attractions have collaborated to improve community links at London Marylebone. Thanks to everyone who joined us and all our speakers for their contributions. We look forward to translating these ideas into action as we look to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the railway in 2025. #communityconference #communityrail #leamingtonspa