Emily-Jane Sanders interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

Interview with Emily-Jane Sanders recorded by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn on 7th April 2025 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 1hr 59min 32secs. Family background, parents, between England and Czech Republic, comparing schools, education systems and languages; being neurodiverse, impact on education [00:15:00] social life and friendships at school; relationships with her parents; neurodiversity and passion for transports, joining the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAF Air Cadets); accepting neurodivergence; experience in RAF Air Cadets, flying experiences; impact of meeting someone who identified as gender fluid; first coming out as LGBTQIA+; [00:32:30] vocational school, aviation operations, considering role of airport dispatcher; unemployment then work in call centre; coming out as trans, reality of living as trans and discovering herself; coming out at work; call centre environment; issues with name change on email signature, importance of knowing employees’ rights and trade union support; working and living in Newcastle, what work is like in call centres; what led to working in railway call centre for LNER, how call centre work can be challenging for mental health; railway call centre experience, handling calls from angry customers, example; hobbies, railway modelling and video games, job with video game developer; [00:52:00] covid pandemic, work as Universal Credit case manager; work for Lumo, Open Access Operator, Newcastle; her father’s death; ambassador role at Lumo, on-board customer service role; typical day as Lumo ambassador; working with a face-mask during covid pandemic, how it helped her with gender dysphoria, mental health; joining LNER, end of travel restriction post covid pandemic; evolution within LNER, from call centre customer service role to host on-board train, comparing trainings; how LNER manages call centres and customer services, LNER Customer Solution Centre, examples of customer enquiries; what it is like as a trans person working in a call centre, challenges; handling difficult calls and angry customers, example calls after strike announcements by trade union; LNER work culture, relationships with colleagues, feeling included [01:14:19] applying to on-board roles, interview process and questions; comparing training for call centre role and on-board role, shadowing on-board train staff, other roles on-board; trainees cohort, internal and external recruits; dealing with inappropriate questions, unpleasant people, inappropriate behaviours; supportive colleagues, many colleagues part of the LGBTQIA+ community, demographics and ages amongst colleagues; being on the spare roster for on-board role, how it works; meritocracy in the railway industry; current role, on-board customer experience host, career progression ambitions, progressing to train manager role, interest in operational responsibilities; customer experience host role, catering, dealing with passengers on-board, being compassionate, example of challenging situation: delayed train impact on a passenger; [01:39:20] origins of her interest in operational railways, plane and train travels to Czech Republic in childhood, interest in railways in childhood; relationship with colleagues at LNER; best experiences working at LNER, taking part in London Pride parade, first time working on Intercity 225/Mark 4 and not being the only trans worker on-board; LNER LGBTQIA+ colleague network, involvement when she worked at call centre, less interactions with network since working on board; how the network has helped her; changes in Diversity and Inclusion management at LNER, Together network (LNER LGBTQIA+ colleague network), how Pride events are organised; London Pride and York Pride; reflecting on how her younger self would be proud of what she has achieved; social life and friendships; hobbies, video games, train simulation, role play, cosplaying; socialising with work colleagues, anecdote [end of interview]

This interview was made as part of People Pride and Progress (PPP) project. The project was initiated in 2023 to record the stories and memories of the LGBTQIA+ community in a new oral history archive over two years. It aimed to connect past, present and future through intergenerational interviews, offering opportunities for colleagues across all parts of the rail industry to connect, reflect on and learn from each other’s lived experiences while creating an archive of oral history interviews.