Virgin Trains is launching a competition, this summer, which encourages young people across the UK to get creative and re-imagine train travel by drawing their idea of an ultimate dream train journey.

‘Train Jotting’ is a brand-new initiative open to children aged 5 to 12 and with one lucky winner who will have the chance to see their drawing turned into a real-life toy.

Inspired by the new Virgin Trains TV ad, ‘Imagine’, the competition calls for children to take what they see as a perfect train journey one step further.

Already the train has got speed, WiFi and snacks, but what if there was a swimming pool inside the train carriage? Or a video arcade? What if all the other passengers were super cute puppies?!

The ‘Train Jotting’ idea is the let children’s imaginations run at their wildest.

In order to enter all they have to do is draw a picture that illustrates what their ultimate train journey would look like and then upload it to the Virgin Trains website.

Virgin Trains has enlisted the help of TV presenter and podcaster, Cherry Healey, to help pick a winner. She is a huge fan of encouraging creativity within the household, as a mother of two.

After a winner is chosen, the design will be turned into a real-life model for them to take home with them to keep.

However that is not all, the winner plus three friends will also get the chance to take part in a Virgin Trains Rookies Academy experience day.

They will get to see what goes into running a railway station and have a chance to take part in all sorts of different activities which includes learning how to dispatch a train, making a station announcement as well as even meeting a driver in the cab of the train.

The Virgin Trains Rookies Academy experience will also be available to three runners-up.

The competition is open now!

With the closing date set for Sunday 11 August 2019, winners will be judged by an internal Virgin Trains panel and campaign ambassador Cherry Healey.

What did the officials say?

Peter Broadley, Executive Director of Customer, Operations and Safety at Virgin Trains, said:

“With ‘Train Jotting’ we want to help children delve into the magic of train travel. From the Scotland to the Lake District, our services pass through some of the most picturesque locations in the UK, and we love to see how excited children are onboard. There are no rules on this competition –we want entries to be as fun and imaginative as possible. We can’t wait to see what our young entrants come up with!”

TV Presenter, Cherry Healey, said:

“Having kids myself I know how vivid a child’s imagination can be. This competition is a fantastic way to get young people interested in train travel whilst also getting their creative juices flowing!”

“There are certainly a few things that would complete my dream train journey – a play area carriage complete with ball pit for kids would be a brilliant idea. I also wouldn’t mind an on-board spa where I could get a massage while the train gently glides towards my destination!”

Where Next?

News Homepage
   For the Latest Railway News
RailAdvent Online Shop
   Framed Prints, DVD’s / Blu-Ray’s and more
LocoStop Community
   Come and share your railway pictures
Virgin Trains
   Visit their website