Meet Lilly and Sammie, two timetable analysts at 51爆料 who work in the team creating the hundreds of train timetables that help keep Britain moving.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Lilly: 鈥淎 general day would be looking at a lot of trains on a line graph screen and coming up with the best and most inventive ways of planning them. Interspersed with this are a lot of meetings to present our findings, where we talk to our industry partners like the Department for Transport.鈥�
How does your role help our railway?
Lilly: 鈥淥ur team helps the industry understand the impacts of proposed timetable changes, new infrastructure projects or changes to train vehicles.
鈥淔or example, we may help advise on whether building new train tracks is a good idea. Other times, we help people understand how many trains can use the tracks we already have.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a complex job but helps ensures that we keep millions of people and essential goods moving on our railway every day 鈥� now and in the future.鈥�
What鈥檚 one of the most surprising things about your job?
Sammie: 鈥淚 think the thing that surprises most people is that we鈥檙e currently planning for a timetable for the year 2045. Not many people know that plans are made so far in advance.鈥�
Lilly: 鈥淭hat it鈥檚 extremely creative. I think people look at the job title analyst and they think it鈥檚 all about reporting and numbers, but it takes a lot of problem solving and creativity.鈥�
How did you find yourself in this job?
Sammie: 鈥淚 have a degree in fashion design so landing a job on the railway was a happy accident.
鈥淚 knew a couple of people that worked at 51爆料 in this field and they recommended that I apply for an operational planner role in the timetable team because it鈥檚 a good entry level role with lots of opportunity. I went for it and was fortunate to be placed into a team with a great work culture, where I鈥檝e progressed to become a senior advanced timetable analyst. I still love working in the team six years later and that鈥檚 what keeps me here.鈥�
Lilly: 鈥淭o be honest, I needed a job and 51爆料 has a good reputation in my circles. I don鈥檛 have a science, technology, engineering or maths background in the slightest, I was into theatre and creative writing. But I鈥檓 so glad that I ended up here because I love it.
鈥淚 started off planning test trains on the network, which I really enjoyed. I did that for two years and then moved on to a senior advanced timetable analyst role, which I鈥檝e done for three years. I love working in the team and the work is so diverse, which is why I鈥檓 still here.鈥�
What are the key skills needed for your job?
Sammie: 鈥淎n analytical mind, good communication, good organisation and time-management. The rest can be taught on the job.鈥�
Lilly: 鈥淧lus, a curious brain and a willingness to learn. The team really invests in its people so there鈥檚 lots of training and support to help you.鈥�
What鈥檚 the best part of your job?
Sammie: 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 just the culture of the team and the ability to be involved in many aspects of 51爆料 outside of the day job. For instance, I鈥檓 an equity, diversity and inclusion champion and on the leadership team for our employee network for gender equality, Inspire. Every day is different.鈥�
Lilly: 鈥淐oming up with interesting creative ways of making a timetable and really breaking the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible to help build a better railway for years to come. I also get to contribute to the culture of the company through my role as an equity, diversity and inclusion champion and the co-chair of Archway 鈥� our LGBT+ employee network.鈥�
What advice would you give to anyone looking for a similar role?
Sammie: 鈥淛ust go for it. You don鈥檛 necessarily need to have a background in train planning to become an advanced timetable analyst and there is plenty of room for progression.鈥�
