Rail buff wins behind the scenes prize trip to Doncaster railway centre
He won an auction to visit the Doncaster depot
A railway enthusiast was treated to a unique behind-the-scenes experience at Network Rail's Gresley Institute in Doncaster after winning the prize in a charity auction.
Anthony Pilkington, a member of the Gresley Society, secured the visit during the group’s Gresley 150 celebrations – marking the 150th anniversary of the legendary railway engineer’s birth on 19 June 1876.
The prize offered a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at Network Rail's operational training, education and development hub, which was named after Gresley following a public vote.
The visit showcased how the South Yorkshire centre – opened in October 2025 – uses innovative methods to educate the next generation of railway colleagues.
During his tour on Friday 11 September, Anthony was able to try out signalling scenarios on both traditional lever-pull models and modern systems with visual display units.
He also held a videogame controller for the first time to explore the 3D environments of the custom-built “Immersiv” simulator used to train Network Rail’s mobile operations managers – the frontline responders who attend and deal with incidents on the network.
He said:
“It was fascinating to see behind the scenes at the Gresley Institute and learn how railway staff are trained.
“As someone with a long-standing interest in railways and Sir Nigel Gresley’s legacy, I found it very impressive to see the various teaching methods used in a centre keeping Sir Nigel’s name alive.”
Bruce Langlands, Network Rail training delivery manager, said: “We were delighted to welcome Anthony to the Gresley Institute as winner of the Gresley 150 charity auction prize. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the breadth of training delivered at the centre, from traditional railway skills through to innovative immersive technology.
“The Gresley Institute plays a vital role in developing the skills our railway needs, so it was a pleasure to share some of that work with someone who has such a strong interest in the railway and its heritage.”