Former Lancashire BBC journalist finds new lease of life as Northern train driver

A former journalist and radio presenter says she has “a new lease of life” after switching careers to become a train drive.

Alex Worsick decided to apply for the role in 2024, after working for the BBC for 22 years.

She was as a producer at BBC Radio Lancashire when she heard an interview with Lauren Pugh, who had been invited on to talk about her experience of working as a driver for Northern and encourage more women to consider a career in rail.

“I clipped what Lauren was saying for a story on the news bulletins and she made it sound like a brilliant opportunity,” said Alex.

“I was looking for a new challenge at the time, so I thought I would give it a go and apply.

“I had got to the stage where I had done everything I wanted to do with the BBC – reporting, producing, news reading and editing.

“It was a bit nerve racking changing careers in your mid 40s, but I thought ‘if I don’t do it now, I never will’.

“I had never really thought about a career on the railway and didn’t think Northern would want me, as I didn’t have any transferable skills.

“But when I looked through the application form, there were questions about dealing with people, emergencies, deadlines and shift work – and I have those experiences.”

After submitting an application to become a trainee driver, Alex made it through the selection process, which involves a series of interviews, psychometric testing and a medical.

She then completed 20 weeks in the classroom, learning about how trains actually work, a comprehensive rulebook that all drivers must follow and signalling systems.

Alex is now in the process of gaining 230 hours of hands-on experience in the driver’s cab, so she can safely operate different types of train on five routes that run through Lancashire and Merseyside.

“It’s a brand-new challenge, so you have to accept it will be difficult at times, but it’s really rewarding,” she said.

“I have never learnt so much stuff in such a short amount of time as I have at train driver school.

“Being in that front cab is surreal, but you feel reassured straight away as you have an instructor with you.

“I wish I had done it years ago, especially with Northern because everyone I have met has been so encouraging and supportive. It’s like one big family.

“I feel like I’ve got a new lease of life because it’s switched my brain on. It’s such a long time since I had to learn so much new information, I feel like a student again.

“That’s really satisfying and it gives me a real sense of achievement.”

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.