When I first joined the railway in February 2010, I never imagined where it would take me. I started out on the gateline with London Overground, checking tickets and helping passengers through the barriers. I worked there for nine years, learning the industry and building confidence. From there, I moved to Southern Railway as an On-Board Supervisor, and eventually to Thameslink, where I now work as a Train Driver.
Life as a woman in the rail industry
Being a woman in the driver’s seat still surprises people, you can see it in their faces when I step out of the cab or walk along the platform. To be honest, it used to surprise me too. When I first joined the railway, I thought train driving was a man’s job. It wasn’t until I saw a female colleague become a train driver that I realised: if she can do it, so can I.
That moment changed everything. Today, I find it empowering to sit in the driver’s cab. Rail is still a male-dominated industry, and it can feel intimidating as a woman. But I’ve learned to be myself, to speak up, and to earn respect through resilience and hard work. As an Indonesian woman, I don’t see many people in the industry who share my background, but that only strengthens my determination to show that this career is for anyone with the ambition to pursue it.
My passion for Muay Thai
That determination carries into my life outside the cab too. A few years ago, I took up Muay Thai because I wanted to learn self-defence. I was introduced to it through a physio and joined a local club. I soon discovered it’s another space dominated by men. At first, I just wanted to build fitness and improve my self-defence, but I soon fell in love with the discipline, the focus, and the stress relief it provides. Training turned into sparring, sparring turned into fighting, and before I knew it, I was stepping into the ring.
Even now, finding opponents isn’t easy. There are so few women, and I’m about 15 years older than all of them. But I’ve never let that hold me back. Muay Thai has made me realise that I’m a fighter. Life has tested me in many ways, from childhood to adulthood, and I’ve had to fight for everything in my life. That spirit fuels both my time in the ring and my time on the railway.
Driving for change
Being a train driver is more than a job. It’s a safety-critical role with a huge weight of responsibility that I take very seriously. Hundreds of lives are in my hands every time I step into the cab, and I never forget it. The job requires discipline, from planning my lifestyle around my shifts to staying fit and alert at all times.
It also offers flexibility, which as a mother of two is hugely valuable. Shift swaps and job shares make it possible to balance my career with family life, and I want women to know that it can be done. You can be a train driver, you can raise a family, and you can thrive in both.
Enjoying the ride
One of the perks of the job is the access to so many incredible destinations. Portsmouth is a favourite: I love taking the train, walking to Gunwharf Quays, shopping, having lunch, and enjoying the views. Brighton is another, with its quirky antique shops and vibrant restaurants, while Cambridge draws me in with its architecture, punting, and museums.
Every journey I take, whether on the train or in life, reminds me how far I’ve come. From gateline staff to the driver’s cab, from sparring sessions to stepping into the ring, I’ve discovered strength I never knew I had. For me, empowerment means showing up, speaking out, and proving that women belong in male-dominated spaces.
If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: when one woman steps forward, it sets the path for more to follow.