Open access rail companies are proving the industry isn’t one-size-fits-all. Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, Karl Holbrook explores how Lumo and Hull Trains are breaking down barriers, boosting diversity, and bringing fresh perspectives to rail…
Apprenticeship success stories: Sam Bentley (left) and Mark Rudd
The rail industry has often been seen as a closed shop – a sector where connections sometimes matter more than skills. With major franchise operators clustered around big-city hubs, rail careers have sometimes felt out of reach for many.
But a quiet revolution is underway. Open-access operators like Lumo and Hull Trains, which operate services in underserved places or offer alternatives to subsidised operators, are not only reshaping travel for passengers but transforming the workforce behind it. Known for their customer-focused, self-funded services, these companies are proving rail can be more inclusive and community-oriented.
At the heart of this transformation are their apprenticeship programs. In Hull and Newcastle alone, Lumo and Hull Trains have created almost 250 jobs, using apprenticeships to diversify access to careers in rail. From HR and procurement to train driving and customer service, these schemes are building a workforce that reflects the communities they serve.
Take Sam Bentley, 44, from Blyth in Northumberland. After losing her cabin crew job when Thomas Cook collapsed in 2019, Sam faced a ‘scary’ time. Her husband, a pilot, also lost his job, and with the pandemic grounding the aviation industry, their uncertainty only grew. For two years, she was unemployed, and the family even considered moving to Dubai.
Then, Lumo came along.
The mum-of-four first joined as a customer ambassador – a role similar to cabin crew – just as the company launched. Now, she’s one of Lumo’s first tranche of female train drivers, thanks to the apprenticeship program.
At Thomas Cook, I was there 10 years before I got a permanent contract nevermind any progression
“At Thomas Cook, I was there 10 years before I got a permanent contract nevermind any progression. But within a couple of years at Lumo, I’ve gone from starting a new career to being a qualified train driver. The apprenticeship scheme has been a lifeline,” she says.
Bentley credits Lumo’s open-door culture for her success. “When I joined, the company was brand new. We helped shape how the company grew, and that’s been ingrained in the culture.”
Launched in 2021, Lumo’s all-electric service between London, Newcastle, and Edinburgh on the East Coast Main Line has gained a reputation for customer satisfaction, scoring over 96% in a recent independent survey. A remarkable 95% of its workforce began as apprentices through their partnership with Train’d Up.
Meanwhile, Hull Trains, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has a similar apprenticeship success story in Matt Rudd, 30, from Hornsea near Hull. A former builder of hyperbaric chambers used in the offshore industry, Rudd saw the driver apprenticeship as a chance to change direction.
“Without Hull Trains, there wouldn’t be many opportunities for someone like me,” he says. “Nobody in my family worked in rail, but now I’m proud to be part of it. There’s a real local feel to the company.”
Before Hull Trains there was just one daily London service. It’s grown the route to eight return services daily. And like Lumo, diversity is king with 52% of its workforce being female, including 28% of its drivers – well above the industry average of 6%.
For Rudd, the job is a dream come true. “It’s the views,” he says. “And as the driver, you’ve got the best view in the house. Seeing the Humber Bridge on my return trip always feels like home.”
Both operators take pride in their local roots. Hull Trains serves crisps made from potatoes grown down the road in Goole, while Lumo has introduced stotties to its onboard catering after demand for the North East delicacy surged.
Apprenticeships create opportunities – not just for individuals, but for communities
But Lumo’s real distinction lies in sustainability. Its services are all-electric, paper-free, and plastic bottle-free, with menus that are 50% plant-based, reflecting the changing requirements of many modern rail travellers. Because open-access operators like Lumo and Hull Trains receive no government subsidies, they’re forced to operate leaner, customer-focused businesses, which allows them to innovate.
Martijn Gilbert, joint managing director of Hull Trains and Lumo, believes their apprenticeship programs embody this ethos. “Apprenticeships create opportunities – not just for individuals, but for communities,” he says. “They bring new energy and ideas into rail, breaking down barriers that have historically limited access to careers in this industry.”
As open-access operators look to expand into new markets – including plans to launch in Sheffield, Glasgow, and Rochdale, among others – they’re proving apprenticeships are more than just training schemes. They’re tools for transforming the workforce and culture of an industry often criticised as outdated.
Gilbert adds: “We have to be a lean, entrepreneurial machine. Rail has an incredible 200-year history, but it comes with a lot of baggage. Because we don’t rely on subsidies, we have to do things differently. We live and die by the service we provide and the teams we build.
“People say the rail industry is broken, but open-access operators are showing that’s not true. We’re one part of the network that absolutely works for everyone.”
This story appears inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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