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28 Jul 2010 12:04
NORTHERN CONDUCTORS TO INSPIRE PASSENGERS’ TRAIN OF THOUGHT THIS SUMMER
Northern Rail conductors are set to put a smile on people’s faces and inspire passengers travelling to the Harrogate International Festival this summer.
Perhaps more used to the sound of train engines, commuter chatter and platform announcements, Northern passengers can now expect to hear the inspirational quotes of Mark Twain, J. R. R. Tolkien and D. H. Lawrence ringing in their ears as they travel to Harrogate.
Ahead of the annual Harrogate International Festival, which celebrates writing, reading and poetry, as well as featuring film, comedy and music, conductors will broadcast 50 of the most thought-provoking travel quotes of all time* through the train’s tannoy system.
Passengers boarding Northern trains heading to the festival, will be able to enjoy such quotes as “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” St. Augustine, and “It is the journey not the arrival that matters” T. S. Eliot as the train snakes through the Yorkshirecountryside.
Karen Bell from Northern said, “I’ve worked as a conductor with Northern for over 7 years now and see passengers going about their daily routines every day. What we hope is that by broadcasting uplifting and thought provoking quotes we will surprise passengers and give them something to think about during their journey.”
Jamie Burles, Commercial Director, at Northern said, “When I heard the buzz from the conductors about surprising commuters with inspiring travel quotes, I was thrilled with how this one-off service would add to the passengers’ journeys, giving them an out-of-the ordinary travel experience in celebration of the Harrogate International Festival.”
The Harrogate International Festival runs from 16th July to 1st August, tickets can be purchased from the Harrogate International centre on King’s Road or from the Harrogate town centre box office.
Notes to Editors:
*The 50 most inspiring travel quotes of all time, taken from Abravenewtraveler.com
Harrogate International Festival – 0845 130 8840
For more information contact:
Northern Rail is the biggest train operator in Britain, providing 2,500 local and regional train services every day across the north of England, serving a population of nearly 15m. We are now carrying 85 million passengers a year, 34% more than when we started our franchise in December 2004. Northern Rail is operated in joint venture by Serco and Abellio (formerly NedRailways). This joint venture combines
Serco’s world-class service credentials and Abellio’s unrivalled transport industry expertise. Serco has run the highly successful Docklands Light Railway since 1997 while Abellio delivers bus and rail services to over 650,000 passengers in the UK, Germany and the Czech Republic every day. In addition to Northern Rail, Serco and Abellio have the 25-year concession for Merseyrail, which provides urban train services in Merseyside.
Recent Northern honours: Sir George Earle Trophy - RoSPA Awards 2009 (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Rail Business of the Year and Train Operator of the Year – HSBC Rail Business Awards 2007 Public Transport Operator of the Year - National Transport Awards 2007 Winners – Example of Excellence in Rural Action, Business in the Community Awards 2007 Overall Winners - Community Rail Awards 2007.