A rail engineer who lives in Greater Manchester ran an interactive railway safety session at Greave Primary School in Stockport for children of all ages.

Children at Greave Primary School in Stockport have had a lesson in how to stay safe around the railway, from an engineer who works on rail schemes across Greater Manchester.

Isaac Horgli, a senior project engineer at the rail consultancy SLC, visited the school to run an interactive session on the dangers of the railway and the choices that keep children safe near it. It was his first school visit since joining the firm, and he lives in Greater Manchester himself.

What the headteacher said

Jennie Williams, headteacher of Greave Primary School, said the session reached every age group in the school, and that it matters because so many of its families use the trains:

“The session was delivered in a fun and interactive way, ensuring all ages of children left with clear key rail safety messages. The railway network provides links and is utilised by many of the children and their families. It is reassuring to know that they can now do this with a greater understanding of the dangers this may present. The school appreciates the opportunity of working together to keep the community safe.”

The engineer who gave the lesson

Mr Horgli said the visit was a chance to give something back close to home:

“Visiting Greave Primary School gave me the opportunity to help children understand the dangers of the railway while giving something back to my local community. The pupils were so enthusiastic and engaged throughout the visit. It was a fantastic experience, and I left feeling proud to have played a part in sharing such an important message.”

SLC says it is a long-standing partner of Rail Safe Friendly, a programme that teaches young people about the dangers of the railway and encourages safer behaviour. The firm has worked with Transport for Greater Manchester on plans for a new station at Golborne and on taking over the running of Horwich Parkway station, according to its announcement of the visit.

What it means for you

If your child is at Greave, they have come home with the rail safety messages from this session, and the school says the aim is that pupils who use the railway with their families now do so understanding the risks.

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