Celebrating International Women's Day 2026

At South Western Railway, women are driving progress in every corner of our organisation, helping shape a railway that works for everyone.

Their stories reflect resilience, creativity, and a shared commitment to making rail travel better for our customers and communities.

As we mark International Women’s Day 2026 on the 8th March, we’re celebrating the women who inspire us, those who support inclusion, push our industry forward, and contribute to the future of rail.

Join us as we celebrate some of the incredible women who make SWR what it is.

"My name is Helen, and I am the Data Privacy Compliance Manager for South Western Railway. I work in the Data Privacy Team, which may only be small, but plays an important role across the business. Every day carries a responsibility to the people behind the data we handle."

"I oversee day-to-day data protection compliance at SWR, ensuring we meet our legal and regulatory obligations. I manage Data Subject Rights Requests, conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments, maintain our Record of Processing Activities, and, when things don’t go to plan, deal with data breaches. I also work closely with our CCTV Evidence Teams across our Wimbledon and Southampton offices."

"I’ve been in the Data Privacy Team for nearly a year and a half, and I’ve been working for SWR for three and a half years in total. I started as a Customer Service Assistant at Portsmouth and Southsea. Frontline work was tough and challenging, requiring resilience and confidence in high-pressure situations. Before joining SWR, I studied Psychology at the University of Birmingham and I graduated in 2022. I have always had a passion for people and doing the right thing, and that’s what drew me into data privacy."

"Working in a demanding role has taught me the importance of staying organised, setting boundaries, and switching off at the end of the day, supported by a great team. My journey shows that transferable skills and self-belief can open doors, and I would encourage other women to step outside their comfort zone and believe in what they are always capable of achieving."

"I have been Assistant Head of Drivers since April 2025. Before this, I worked as a Driver Depot Manager, first in the Feltham area and then at Woking/Farnham."

"My current role focuses on helping to lead the driver function, with particular emphasis on culture change and engagement. I established a Talent Pool for drivers aspiring to become Driver Managers (DMs) and I am developing a similar pathway for DMs also seeking progression. I oversee internal functional communications, lead key projects, attend Drivers Company Council and Safety Improvement Group meetings. I support our internal functional governance structure, and I also spend quite a bit of time writing papers!"

"I have worked in the rail industry for 17 years, beginning at Network Rail as a Community Safety Manager. I later joined South Western Railway to lead the fatality mitigation programme, qualified as a Project Manager, and contributed to the 2017 Waterloo upgrade. I then spent two years at c2c, where I became a Driver Depot Manager. The commute to East Ham proved challenging, so I was pleased to return to SWR in 2020 to open the Feltham depot. Since returning, I have completed an MSc in Risk and Safety Leadership."

"I have two daughters, aged 10 and 14, and balancing family and career is a juggle requiring lots of organisation. I am passionate about supporting women into male-dominated roles and creating environments where people can thrive. I believe in staying true to my values, challenging behaviours that don’t align with them, and encouraging others to back themselves with confidence."

"I’m Amy Sullivan, CX Fleet Design & Lifecycle Manager at SWR, working within the Innovation arm of Customer Strategy. I’m responsible for creating customer-led specifications for our train fleets - ensuring every decision reflects the people who use our railway."

"I joined 15 years ago following a career as a pastry chef. While I thrived in the fast-paced environment, I wanted to be part of something bigger. Inspired by my dad’s move from a corporate role to Train Driver when I was growing up, I saw first-hand the pride, community and variety the rail industry offers. I vividly remember travelling in the cab when I was young, as he drove a newly introduced Desiro train, never imagining that I would be involved in shaping the fleet's future nearly 25 years later!"

"I started in a frontline role and progressed through station and project management before moving into senior traincrew leadership. Leading large, operational teams was both challenging and rewarding, and it gave me the confidence and perspective to step into more strategic roles within the company. "

"I am also a Mum to two young boys - my most important (and tiring) job of all! Juggling both worlds isn’t easy, but with the right support, I can be present for them whilst contributing to an industry that I love being a part of."

"If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that progression doesn’t have to follow a straight line. Get stuck in. Ask questions. Seize opportunity. If you’re passionate about the customer at the centre of it all and want to make a difference, there’s no limit to what you can achieve in rail."

"My name is Kehinde Solu. On Train Service Depot Manager based at Waterloo and Deputy Head of On Train Service."  

"My role involves leading/managing the largest On Train Service depot on our network with a team of over 260 people consisting of Guards Managers, Support Clerks, Metro and Commercial Guards. Whilst supporting the Head of On Train service in my Deputy role."

"I started on the railway about 18 years ago as a part-time ticket office clerk based at Richmond, before moving to Woking ticket office as a Team leader due to moving to Basingstoke with my family."

"I felt I needed to do something different and applied for a secondment as a Customer Service Trainer.  That led to me having the opportunity of meeting and impacting a variety of people across the network.  After two and a half years as a Customer Service Trainer, I took on a different challenge as a Waterloo Guards Manager in July 2015. And in January 2019 started my journey as a Depot Manager."

"As a Depot Manager it's a demanding role and have been able to manage my work life balance by learning to switch off at the appropriate time. Whilst planning plays a huge part of everyday life."

"The value I demonstrate always is Involving the right people at the right time."

"Over the years, I have learnt not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone to make a difference. One of my proud moments is when I lead my team to achieve "Excellent" in our Depot audit after achieving Satisfactory the year before. 

Charlotte Connor

Movements Manager

"I’m Charlotte Connor, and I am currently a Movements Manager at Fratton Traincare Depot and have been for the last 8 months now. Previously I worked in SWR Recruitment specialising in Fleet & Engineering recruitment, and before that I was a HR Co-ordinator in Overline House. I studied Sociology, Politics and Economics at A-Level, and left college to go directly into a retail management position when I was 19."

"In my current role I work 5 days on 5 days off shift pattern which gives me lots of time to spend with my partner and my lovely cats on my days off. My family also work shifts so working shifts gives me more time to spend with them, which is what is most important to me. I am extremely lucky to have a great team around me at Fratton so when I finish my 5 days on, I truly get to switch off and relax for my 5 days off."

"The best advice I could give anyone when considering their career on the railway is to take every opportunity given to you. Any courses or learning you get offered, take them. If you get a chance to shadow or visit various places on the network, take that opportunity. These little things really add up and broaden your knowledge of the railway environment. I am so grateful for all the time various managers took across the network to show me their role and their sites which inspired me to take the shot and apply for my current role."