A five-year-old train superfan became a rookie driver for the day in an experience he’ll “never forget”.
Adorable Daniel Rogerson spent a day at Avanti West Coast training centre, testing out the British Rail Class 390 Pendolino, a type of electric high-speed passenger train.
The aspiring train driver has been obsessed with Pendolinos ever since mum Elaine Rogerson bought him a wooden train track when he was one.
Daniel test drove trains in a simulator and even had the chance to sit in the cab of a training vehicle.
He was given a behind the scenes tour of Crewe station, Cheshire, and learned how to dispatch the vehicles from an announcer’s office.
Elaine said it was an experience her son will “never forget”.
And she expects that Daniel will become a real train driver when he’s old enough.
“Daniel loves to watch trains, whether it’s from the nearby train bridge or YouTube,” Elaine, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, told What’s the Jam.
“So being given the opportunity to become a rookie train driver was amazing.
“It’s an experience we’ll never forget.
“After his time at Avanti West Coast’s driving school, I couldn’t be more certain he’s destined to be a train driver.”
Daniel spends hours watching trains pass through his local station and mum Elaine regularly takes him on rail trips between Wigan and Lancaster so he can experience high speed rail first hand.
A clip shows Daniel waving enthusiastically as a train speeds by and he can be heard excitedly yelling “he honked his horn”.
He also has a bed in the shape of a Pendolino and his beloved toy track has been expanded so it fills out the family’s entire living room.
Head of learning development at Avanti West Coast Natalie Whitehouse added: “We had a great time welcoming Daniel to our driving school for the day.
“With Daniel having so much love for trains it was brilliant to give him the chance to experience what it’s like to be in the driver’s cab with his mum.
“He seemed right at home and impressed us with his knowledge as well as eagerness to learn.”
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