West Midlands Railway (WMR) is running a new competition for young children between the ages of four and ten where four lucky winners will have the chance to work alongside real train conductors on one of the company’s brand-new Class 196 trains.

The winners will climb on board one of the new trains during the autumn half-term and help to run the service. They will be under the guidance of the onboard team as they and their parents or guardians experience what it is really like to conduct a train.

During their time onboard, the winners will see inside the driver’s cab, greet customers and check their tickets, and make announcements over the train’s public address system.

For young train fans, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and they will also receive their own whistle, high-viz waistcoat, and flags to ensure their journey as a conductor runs smoothly.

Children who wish to become a junior conductor share a video of up to 30 seconds via their parents or guardians on either Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok tagging West Midlands Railway and using #LittleTrainConductor. The video should tell West Midlands Railway exactly what they love most about trains and why they think they should be a conductor for the day. Applications close on Friday, 15th September, after which all entries will be reviewed by a panel of expert judges who will select the winners.

Further details about the competition and how to apply are on the competition page at Become a Junior Conductor for the day | West Midlands Railway.

West Midlands Railway is operating its new Class 196 trains across the Shrewsbury, Hereford and the newly-named Elephant & Bear lines. They have more seats, extra under-seat luggage space, bicycle storage areas, and greater accessibility.

This is the second competition that West Midlands Railway has held in recent months as in June it held a competition to find a new name for the railway line between Nuneaton and Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.

Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, said: “We often receive heart-warming letters from little ones sharing their passion for the world of trains and that’s what prompted us to come up with this great competition to be a conductor for the day.

“The rail industry is a fascinating place to work and, as well as being a lot of fun, initiatives like this are a great way to inspire future generations of rail professionals. We can’t wait to see the entries and welcome the lucky winners aboard one of our brand-new trains.”