Duo hailed ‘rail heroes’

Two Northern service train crew have been hailed ‘rail heroes’ after coming to the rescue of customers in separate situations.

Mike Brannigan has received a Conductor of the Month Award for his actions following an incident on the Glossop to Manchester line. 

Mike stepped in when he spotted a distressed individual near Dinting Vale. He halted the train and calmed the individual before contacting the British Transport Police.  

Mike, who has worked for Northern for eight years, said: “I knew something wasn’t right straight away. I just tried to talk to him and get him back on the train. I wanted to make sure he was safe while we got him some help.” 

Another colleague, James Johnston, 44 from Denton, has also received the prestigious award for helping a commuter on a train to Manchester who felt unwell. 

James made an announcement asking anyone with medical experience to come forward, and a retired A&E consultant stepped up to help while James phoned 999.

During his conversation with the call handler, James agreed the train should continue to Manchester instead of stopping at station in a rural area and waiting for an ambulance to arrive. The conductor, who has worked for Northern for seven years, helped to keep the passenger comfortable and reassured everyone on board. 

James said: “It was a serious incident, but we couldn’t stop the train in the middle of nowhere and wait for help - that wasn’t really an option. We decided that unless things deteriorated, it would be quicker and easier to get everyone into Manchester and get assistance there. It was the first time I had experienced something like that, but I was lucky there was someone with medical experience on board and another conductor who could help." 

Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “We’re extremely proud of James and Mike for remaining calm and professional in difficult situations. We would also like to thank the member of the public who stepped up to help the passenger who fell ill. Incidents like these show our conductors, who are on board every service, are not just there to check tickets. They work hard to keep millions of passengers safe every year." 

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.