LNER: 100 Years of Firsts

Shaun Wallace has led a pretty interesting life.From an early age, he realised he had a knack for general knowledge and used to travel the length and breadth of the UK by train entering pub quizzes. An apparent underdog, many opponents did not fancy his chances but more often than not, Shaun walked away victorious. All this changed when he won Mastermind in 2004, elevating him to one of the nation’s most well-known quizzers. Shaun is a frequent customer of the East Coast Main Line as he travels for legal duties around England in his role as a Barrister or attending quizzes as a very special guest. 

Rupert Turner, only five years old, swapped the quaint city of Durham for the sparkling lights of London, embarking on a life-changing adventure onboard the LNER train, accompanied by his parents.From navigating the bustling underground to witnessing the majestic Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, he felt like a proper Londoner immersed in the heart of the capital. The grandest moment of all was attending the West End show, “Newsies”, and heading backstage to meet his favourite actor, even ‘catching’ one of the show's props – a cherished souvenir that would forever remind him of this unforgettable day in London. With aspirations to grace the stage himself one day, Rupert's dreams became a reality, all thanks to LNER.

Majelle Legros embarked on a paw-fect day, forever holding a special place in her heart. From Edinburgh, she boarded an LNER train and journeyed to Berwick-upon-Tweed to fulfil a long-awaited dream – taking home her very first pet, an adorable kitten named Rini. It was love at first sight, as Majelle knew then that Rini was meant to be hers. With Rini cradled gently in her arms, Majelle happily boarded the LNER train once more, ready to embark on a new chapter with her precious little kitten, who is her loyal best friend at her home in Scotland’s capital.

Though Matthew never met him, he’s spent a vast amount of time researching his great-grandfather and couldn’t be more proud of his achievements. Joe, a loyal LNER employee from Doncaster, was chosen by Sir Nigel Gresley to break the German-held record. As the speedometer hit 126 mph, history was made. In the eighty-five years which followed, Doncaster has commemorated this historic occasion with street names and roundabouts, yet few know the man behind the record. Matthew is determined to share Joe's story, a powerful legacy woven into his family history.

Nick’s railway journey began aged 16, as a London King’s Cross Divisional Apprentice based at Finsbury Park diesel depot (one of the new style dual apprenticeships). He spent the first year in college, learning basic mechanical and electrical principles, followed by three more years of intensive training, mastering the inner-workings of diesel and electrical traction units. Nick flourished over 45 years, working across five diverse roles and finally reaching his career high, as an LNER Fleet Engineer. Across four decades of unwavering commitment, he gathered a wealth of knowledge on the InterCity 225 fleet, which had served the East Coast route between London and Scotland before the arrival of the Azuma trains. The fleet still serves communities between London King's Cross and Leeds and York.The proudest moment in his career was being introduced to the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at London King’s Cross Station, during a visit to celebrate the unveiling of the Intercity 225 “Mallard Service” in late 2003.

She was going to receive an MBE for her services to the economy, as part of the New Year’s Honours List 2016. It was a really monumental occasion for her whole family, so she treated them to First Class tickets from Darlington destined for London King’s Cross. His Royal Highness, Prince William presented her with the MBE, in a regal ceremony which was one of the proudest moments of Sara’s life. However, once the excitement of the event was over, Sara knew she had another even more important job ahead of her – as she was 37 weeks pregnant at the time. She boarded the train back up north, this time stopping at Durham to go straight to hospital with her husband to give birth to her second child. 

LNER Customer Experience Host Ryan O’Donnell met his future wife, Hayley, during a shift on the East Coast Main Line in 2019, merely four months into the job. Starting off on the right track, Ryan and Hayley frequently worked together, helping customers on their journeys to London. After a spark blossomed, Ryan took extra shifts to spend more time with her.Their love story went full steam ahead and, just before lockdown, they moved in together. In July 2021, Ryan proposed, and they became husband and wife the following summer. 

Together for 15 years, they cruise up and down the East Coast with their ‘office’ view changing every day. During the Covid-19 pandemic, like all UK train drivers, they had to keep their skills and knowledge razor-sharp, driving empty trains along their usual routes. Among these ghostly rides, one remains particularly etched into their memories – driving an Azuma train from Newcastle to Carlisle, completely alone with passengerless carriages.With everyone at home, the train travelled past empty stations until it arrived at its destination. Even though it was a challenging time, Trudi and David enjoyed stunning views on a train just for themselves.