It’s not every day a train journey comes with a game of bingo — but in Swindon, that simple idea has helped earn national recognition.
Community rail partnership TransWilts Community Rail Partnership has been awarded silver at this year’s Community Rail Awards, praised for its work bringing new and often hesitant passengers onto the railway.
The ceremony, held in Derby and organised by Community Rail Network, drew a sizeable crowd of more than 600 guests — volunteers, industry figures and community leaders from across the country — all there to recognise the quieter work happening along Britain’s rail lines.
TransWilts’ winning idea, the “Bingo Train”, might sound light-hearted, but it has a serious purpose. The project gives school pupils, young people and refugees the chance to travel by train — in some cases for the first time — while learning the basics of rail safety and simply getting comfortable with the experience.
For groups including pupils from Brimble Hill School and participants in Live Well Swindon, it’s proved to be more than just a day out.
Sophie Martin, Community Partnership Manager for TransWilts, said introducing people to rail travel remains one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“Being able to introduce rail travel to groups who may not have used it before is a real joy,” she said. “To have that recognised nationally is a great acknowledgement of what these experiences can mean.”
The feedback from those taking part suggests the impact is felt straight away. Teachers spoke of pupils gaining confidence, picking up practical knowledge and, just as importantly, enjoying themselves along the way.
Kelly Winter, a teacher at Brimble Hill School, described the trip as a highlight of the school year, with pupils relishing both the game and the chance to learn how stations and trains work in practice.
Behind the scenes, TransWilts’ work stretches far beyond a single project. The partnership supports volunteering at stations, promotes greener travel and works closely with councils and rail operators to make the network feel more accessible — and less intimidating — to those who might otherwise avoid it.
It’s part of a wider movement that has grown steadily in recent years. Across Britain, dozens of community rail partnerships and hundreds of volunteer groups are reshaping stations into places that feel part of their neighbourhoods rather than separate from them.
Jools Townsend, chief executive of the Community Rail Network, said the awards highlight the strength of that local effort.
“These projects show how powerful local action can be,” she said. “It’s about making railways work for people and places, not just timetables.”
For Swindon, the recognition is a quiet nod to something that doesn’t always make headlines — the steady work of helping people feel included, confident and, in this case, willing to step onto a train for the first time.
And if it takes a game of bingo to get them there, so be it.
