A group of pupils from Carlisle have been given a behind-the-scenes look at railway operations.
Five students from the city's Austin Friars School were invited to Direct Rail Services' (DRS) Kingmoor depot during Rail Safety Week, where they toured the engineering facility, explored a locomotive cab, and visited the control room.
Chris Hattam, headmaster of Austin Friars, said: "I would like to thank DRS for welcoming us so warmly to enjoy a tour of the depot.
"The pupils learnt so much about the history and contemporary nature of the industry and all that goes into running such an operation.
"It was a genuinely educational visit for them all.
"Thank you so much."
The visit supported the pupils’ studies on the history of Carlisle’s railways and was organised after the school reached out to DRS on behalf of its Chadwick History Society, which had been learning about the history of Carlisle’s railways.
As a gesture to mark the school’s upcoming 75th anniversary, DRS partnered with livery specialists Ast to present the pupils with model locomotives in Austin Friars’ colours.
The models, a Class 68 and Class 88, were given as a lasting memento of the day.
Several pupils expressed a desire to undertake work experience with the organisation.
Tony Hewitson, interim rail director at Nuclear Transport Solutions, DRS’s operator, said: "Rail Safety Week is an important opportunity for us to engage with our local communities and demonstrate the measures we take every day to keep the railway safe and reliable.
"It was a pleasure to welcome pupils from Austin Friars to Kingmoor and give them a behind-the-scenes look at our operations.
"Inspiring young people to understand both the heritage and the future of rail is vital, and we hope visits like this encourage the next generation to consider a career in the industry."
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