Track and Train Scheme
Find out how to become a Track and Train team member and complete your Young Leader Scheme Missions
Are you part of the Young Leaders' Scheme? Join the Track and Train team! You'll help teach younger Scouts about railway safety while working towards completing your Missions.
What is the Track and Train scheme?
This new scheme, in partnership with the Rail Industry, is designed to spread important rail safety messages to groups, while also helping young people complete their volunteer hours for their top awards, including the Young Leader's Scheme.
Why is learning about railway safety so important?
Every year the Rail Industry experiences over 19,000 trespass incidents across the network. Since 2017, there’s been an average of 4,032 incidents per year involving young people under the age of 18. That’s 77 incidents per week where young people are putting themselves in serious danger.
These incidents happen for various reasons: a dog running on to a level crossing, people taking a shortcut across the tracks, collecting a ball that’s been kicked on to the railway or even trying to get a perfect backdrop for an Instagram photo.
Some of these incidents result in life changing injuries or tragically, a loss of life. Many of them could be prevented through improved rail safety education and awareness.
How it works?
- Learn about how to stay safe on and around the railway - We suggest spending 2-3 hours on this. You can attend a webinar, read the factsheets below and check out these websites:
- Speak to your leader - Work with your leader to source groups where you can run a session. You can choose to work independently or with a buddy.
- Research your session plans and activities – Spend 1-2 hours planning your sessions. We have a helpful programme planning tool with suggested activities for all age groups.
- Run your sessions – We suggest spending around 1 hour teaching young people about safety on and around the railway in each session.
- Log your sessions – After each session, record what you’ve done on the Track and Train in your ESYL Logbook. You can also order a free pin badge from Scout Stores, available to all Track and Train team members.
- Update your CV – Don’t forget to add your volunteer experience to your CV!
What does this count towards?
That depends on which higher award you're aiming for.
Take a look at the pages below to see what's needed for your specific award. Volunteering hours count towards all of them, so running a session on rail safety will help you make progress on any of them.
Introduction to the DofE | Scouts
Chief Scout's Platinum Award | Scouts
How to get your free pin badge?
If you'd like the free pin badge, just fill in this smartsheet letting us know when you completed your session and we'll send you an email with all the link to Scout Store
Resources to help you
Track and Train Pin Badge
We've created a new pin badge for all Track and Train team members.
They are free of charge (minus P&P) and will be available on the Scout Store website for anyone who's completed a Track and Train session.
Platforms for Change Blanket Badge
If you're planning to work with Squirrels, Scouts or Explorers, why not use the Platforms for Change blanket badge as the reward for learning about railway safety. The badge can be found on Scout Store
Get the badge here5 Key Rail Safety Messages
Electricity is easily the most dangerous factor in stepping on the track. It’s always switched on and people don’t realise it can jump. You don’t even need to touch a cable to be seriously injured.
Overhead lines carry 25,000 volts, a hundred times more than your supply at home. The third rail is probably the hardest danger to see. It looks just like an ordinary rail, but it carries 750 volts. It’s designed to send power to the train, but you are 70% water and the perfect conductor for this electricity. If you touch the rail, you will 'stick' to it.
You can’t outrun a train. And even if you could, you wouldn’t hear it coming. Today’s trains reach speeds of 125 mph almost silently and they run 24 hours a day.
This is about taking positive action if you see someone in distress. Approach them to see if they're OK, and if you need to, call for help.
In a busy and crowded train station, you can easily become distracted by other people or your mobile phone. At level crossings, you can also become distracted by your music or thoughts as you drift into your own little world.
This can be dangerous as you lose sight of the risks around you when you’re lost in thought.
Don’t be afraid to report anything that feels out of place. The Rail Industry relies on information from the public to help keep the rail network safe.
It could be someone avoiding rail staff or police, leaving a bag on the railway, or checking out security arrangements like CCTV. If it doesn’t feel right, let British Transport Police know and it can decide if what you have seen or what you know is important. You can text the British Transport Police on 61016.
