Sarah Piggott
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Growing up with steam railway magazines on the coffee table, annual summer holiday trips to the North Norfolk Railway and a grandfather who fired on the LMS in the 1930s, a soft spot for heritage railways and all that goes with it is deep rooted. My working background has always ended up revolving around people and in the last decade it has focussed solely on the management of people and actively promoting and leading in excellent customer service. I graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2005 with a combined arts degree including psychology, and it is surprising how much more I draw on this now than ever before.
Being offered the General Manager role at Nene Valley Railway back in 2016 was a turning point for me as I’d really gone out of my comfort zone applying for the role. Aware it would offer me new challenges, I don’t think anything can prepare you for the breadth of challenges you’ll experience in such a role on a heritage railway and it requires you to have (or develop) the patience of a saint, thick skin and resilience. A naturally patient person, I am known for my diplomacy and ability to diffuse a situation and I think being able to see things from all aspects helps with this, as well as excellent communication skills.
I may not have any operational experience within a railway setting, but I (just about) have youth on my side and feel I can bring my own element of diversity to the HRA board. That and my absolute passion for the people who run the railways and the people who pay good money to visit. I particularly enjoy working with the team on the Inclusivity and Diversity projects, and it is fantastic to see this ethos actively rolled out and embraced across the HRA member railways.
Introducing our passion for heritage railways to a wider audience, and vastly diversifying both the customer and volunteer audience is vital in keeping our beloved history and passion current in the modern world and climate.
