Blowing the Whistle for Excellence in Railway Operations
Golden Whistle Awards 2025
On Friday 7th March 2025, the great and the good of the rail industry gathered at the elegant Marriott Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, London, for the annual Golden Whistle Awards- a prestigious event that shines a spotlight on operational excellence across the sector.
Now a key fixture in the railway calendar, the Golden Whistles bring together professionals from across the industry to collectively recognise those delivering outstanding performance— both as individuals and as teams.
Organised by Modern Railways in partnership with CIRO, and the valuable contribution of the CIRO South East Area Council, the event combines a morning conference, a networking lunch, and a celebratory awards ceremony to operational excellence of individual and teams across the industry over the past 12 months.
CEO of Network Rail, held on-stage conversation which offered valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of railway operations and leadership.
Most of the Golden Whistle Awards are determined through rigorous, data-driven analysis carried out by the CIRO SE Area Council— ensuring that every award is firmly rooted in measurable performance. In contrast, the Outstanding Individual and Team Awards winners are chosen by a CIRO and Modern Railways judging panel from a growing pool of impressive nominations submitted by industry peers, recognising exceptional contributions that go beyond expectations.
Winners in each category were presented with a gold whistle for best-in-class performance and a silver whistle for most-improved performance.
Ahead of an insightful key note speech from Alex Hynes, CIRO CEO, Phil Sherratt, and Andrew Haines,
We congratulate all the winners and look forward to witnessing their continued contributions to the advancement of railway operations.
16 CIRO | Bulletin 55