Suggestions
Tom Bell
Innovation Manager at Great Western Railway and Vice Chair of Aspect, GWR’s LGBT+ Network
Tom Bell is an Innovation Manager at Great Western Railway (GWR), based in Exeter, UK.12 He is a young professional with a strong background in technology and a passion for innovation in the railway transportation industry.
Education and Background
Tom holds a Bachelor's Degree with Honours in Computing from Bournemouth University.1 He also completed a Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT from Brockenhurst College.
Career Path
Tom's career in the railway industry has been marked by rapid progression:
- He started as an intern at South Western Railway on the FirstGroup Intern Scheme.2
- He quickly advanced to the role of Innovation Manager at South Western Railway.
- Currently, he holds the position of Innovation Manager at Great Western Railway.12
Professional Focus
In his role at GWR, Tom is responsible for:
- Spearheading projects and initiatives to improve customer and employee experiences.
- Working on innovation and customer proposition design.4
- Focusing on Pullman Dining services at GWR.4
Additional Involvement
Outside of his primary role, Tom is also:
Recognition
Tom has been recognized as one of the rising stars in passenger transport, demonstrating his impact and potential in the industry at a young age.5
Online Presence
Tom maintains an active professional presence online:
- His LinkedIn username is tombell1998.2
- He can be found on Twitter (now X) under the handle @trbell_.4
Tom Bell's rapid career progression and focus on innovation in the railway sector mark him as a notable young professional in the transportation industry.
Highlights
What a week! 9 days ago, I arrived at a field, just outside Chelmsford, that would soon become the home to over 8,000 Scouts and Guides from over 40 countries - including Kenya, Australia and Ukraine - for a week of fun, friendship and adventure.
We quickly became the largest village in the county of Essex, with over 100 activities on offer; from climbing to archery, zorbing to kayaking and even presenting your own weather forecast - supported by an army of over 1,000 volunteers, all giving up their day jobs to come together with one common purpose: to create an unforgettable experience for young people that’ll prepare them with essential skills for life. From carpentry to retail, site infrastructure to programme and even staff entertainment, everyone had their part to play.
I’m beyond grateful and proud to have had the opportunity to be part of our Marketing and Media team, who collectively shot photo and video content, published over 80 online articles and successfully pitched stories to the likes of the BBC (both local and national Radio and TV) and ITV along with local outlets - along with disseminating information to young people, their parents and leaders via our website at eij.org.uk. An incredible bunch who started the week off as complete strangers, but leave as a family.
100% Volunteers, 100% Professional, 0% Pay.
Roll on the next one in 2028 - the planning starts now!
Great Western Railway (GWR) have officially arrived at Bristol Pride! Such a privilege to march with an amazing group of colleagues today from across our business: from Train Managers to Controllers, Dispatchers to HQ Managers, apprentices and even members of our Exec team, we all marched together to show that we don’t just accept diversity; we actively celebrate individuality amongst all our people and customers, and see that as a crucial part of our mission to deliver a railway that works for everyone.
A huge thank you to the Aspect team (especially the brilliant Mike, Jamie and Jay) who work year-long to make days like today happen, and the awesome Joanne who supports our work with Pride organisations across the region. Today makes me exceptionally proud to be a Great Westerner ❤️🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
