Railway vehicle manufacturer Alstom has picked up two gongs at the Young Rail Professionals (YRP) Awards 2026 – one for a long-serving employee, and the other for The Greatest Gathering.

Alstom’s Communications Manager Kathryn Lancaster received the Distinguished Service Award. She has worked in the rail industry for nearly forty years, and Alstom describes her contribution as “significant and lasting”.

Acknowledging Lancaster as a “stalwart of Alstom and its predecessor organisations since 1988”, the company adds that she “profoundly shaped the company’s communications, and fostered a culture of inclusivity, collaboration and mentorship across the sector”.

Lancaster was a key organiser of Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering in August 2025, the largest railway festival that has ever taken place. The Gathering won the Operational Excellence Award at the YRP Awards.

This is a new category for 2026, having been established to recognise teams or organisations which deliver outstanding performance in railway operations.

The event marked the bicentenary of the modern railway, and took place at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works in August 2025. 40,000-plus railway enthusiasts joined the Gathering, which showcased 140 rail vehicles at the ninety-acre rolling stock factory. The event was also broadcast online.

The event lasted three days, and was the first time in nearly half a century that the site had opened to the public. It raised more than £100,000 for good causes.

The Greatest Gathering has also received other awards.

Alstom was nominated for ten awards in total at the Young Rail Professionals Awards 2026, which took place on Thursday 26 March at Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge.

“It was a pleasure to see Kathryn recognised with an individual award and to see The Greatest Gathering celebrated on the evening as well. Having attended with Young Rail Professionals, I saw the great impact it had. These achievements are a testament to the dedication, collaboration and excellence shown by those delivering such important work for our industry.

“On behalf of Young Rail Professionals, I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Kathryn and the wider team on their well-deserved recognitions.”

Chief Executive Officer at Young Rail Professionals