Recently, 21 graduate apprentices from across years 1 to 4 of Story Scotland’s Early Careers Programme came together at the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway for our 2026 Graduate Apprentice Development Day.
The day brought together trainee engineers and quantity surveyors from across the business, providing a valuable opportunity to build relationships, share experiences and collaborate with colleagues they would not normally work alongside in their day-to-day roles.
Working in small groups supported by the railway’s volunteer track maintenance team, participants spent the day carrying out practical railway maintenance activities, including replacing timber sleepers, stripping and oiling fishplate joints, and supporting general track maintenance works. All activities were undertaken within a full railway possession, providing a safe and controlled environment for learning and development.
For many of the graduate apprentices, the day offered valuable hands-on experience using tools, materials and equipment they may not typically encounter in their current roles. The experience also provided a greater appreciation of the practical skills, teamwork and dedication required to maintain a safe and operational railway.
As well as developing practical skills, the event was designed to bring together apprentices from across all stages of Story’s Early Careers Programme, encouraging collaboration, knowledge sharing and professional relationship building between cohorts.
Graeme McInnes, Engineering Director, Story Contracting, said:
“This has been a fantastic opportunity not only to continue our support of the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, but also to provide our early careers colleagues with a valuable experience that has allowed them to develop new skills, expand their professional networks and learn from more experienced graduates across the business within a live railway environment.
The event builds on the success of the PWI initiative that Story Contracting supported several years ago and, this time, we were fortunate to enjoy excellent weather throughout the day. A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising and coordinating the event, and to the Bo’ness Railway team for their warm welcome and hospitality.”
The day also delivered a lasting benefit to the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, a heritage attraction welcoming around 50,000 visitors each year, while supporting the preservation of railway heritage and contributing to the upkeep of an important community asset.
Andrew Anderson, Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway Volunteer, said:
“The work delivered by Story not only supported the safe operation of the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway but also contributed to a valued tourist attraction welcoming around 50,000 visitors each year. Beyond the railway itself, the project provided valuable training opportunities for the wider rail industry and created significant wellbeing benefits, bringing volunteers together through outdoor teamwork and giving people a real sense of pride and achievement in what they accomplished.”
With volunteers ranging in age from 18 to their early 80s, the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway continues to play an important role in preserving railway heritage, supporting skills development and fostering community wellbeing.
At Story, investing in our people is central to everything we do. Through initiatives such as the Graduate Apprentice Development Day, we are helping to develop the next generation of rail professionals while supporting organisations and communities that make a lasting difference across the regions in which we operate.
