South Western Railway workers awarded for efforts following Queen’s death

Two managers at South Western Railway (SWR) have been recognised in the New Year Honours List for their work in the railway operation following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Chico Coulibaly, SWR’s regional manager based at Waterloo, and Sam Camfield, design manager, received British Empire Medals (BEM) for their work during Operation London Bridge.

Mr Coulibaly ensured that Waterloo would be a safe and welcoming environment for thousands of people who made their way into the capital for the Lying-in-State and the State Funeral.

He worked many night shifts to ensure customers and colleagues were supported throughout the busy period.

On the day of the funeral, a major power failure led to the closure of Paddington railway station, resulting in thousands of customers being diverted to SWR’s services from Reading to Waterloo. 

This unexpected influx was overseen by Mr Coulibaly, who ensured passengers safely passed through the station to their destinations.

He said: “I feel truly privileged and incredibly humbled.

“I would especially like to thank the teams who have worked alongside me – without such great people, many of these achievements would not have been possible.”

Sam Camfield is SWR’s Design Manager and was responsible for developing the entire visual suite of materials displayed across all SWR channels. 

Mr Camfield often worked late into the night to ensure that printing and distribution were achieved on time.

There was a particular focus needed for Windsor and Eton Riverside station, which was dressed with special banners to go on the railings alongside the platforms, hiding the car park from view, as well as special hoardings which improved the view for passengers waiting to get into and out of the station.

Mr Camfield said: “I am delighted to have been nominated in the New Year Honours list for my part in making sure that SWR’s stations honoured Her Majesty and for dressing Windsor and Eton Riverside station for the State Funeral.

“It was a major team effort, and everybody involved should be proud of themselves.”

Pictured top: From Left, Chico Coulibaly and Sam Camfield have received BEM’s in the New Year Honours List (Picture: South Western Railway)