A Texan in UK

[Anthea Fraser Gupta]

 A GNER Press Release: 
http://www.gner.co.uk/GNER/PressCentre/PressReleases07/RONDA%E2%80%99S+TEXAN+TONES+STOP+TRAIN+TRAVELLERS+IN+THEIR+TRACKS.htm

02 August 2007


RONDA'S TEXAN TONES STOP TRAIN TRAVELLERS IN THEIR TRACKS!


SAY howdy to Texan Ronda Franks - GNER's newest recruit to join the team at York station.

Ronda's distinctive Stateside accent has been stopping train travellers in their tracks this week after she began her new role, announcing dozens of departures across the busy station's public address system.

Commuters have even complemented Ronda on her clear announcing style - even though some of the more unusual train destinations served directly from York, ranging from Leuchars to Liskeard, and from Knaresborough to Kirkcaldy, proved a challenge at first.

Ronda says: "I have been teased a little about some of the pronounciations of placenames, but it's all good fun. The long distance trains from York, including the Penzance and Aberdeen services with lots of stops along the way, take some getting used to!

"I've been with GNER at York for six weeks now and am really enjoying the job. Even American tourists visiting York have come up to me and said it's great to have someone from back home to show them around".

As well as making train departure announcements in  her unique style, Ronda's other duties include safe despatching of trains from the platforms and helping passengers at GNER's customer information point on the concourse.

GNER spokesman John Gelson said: "Ronda is proving a big hit with passengers at York, many of whom have complimented her on her announcing style - it certainly seems to get their attention!

"As a company with more than three thousand staff, we have a lot of different national and regional accents in our team - but few have caught the imagination of passengers as quickly as Ronda".

ENDS.

Notes to Editors:

York station, which is managed by GNER, is one of the busiest interchanges on the UK rail network with more than nine million passengers a year passing through its doors.

GNER provides over 60 services a day to and from York, serving London, the East Midlands, North East England and Scotland.


 


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Anthea Fraser Gupta (Dr) 
School of English, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT <www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg> 
NB: Reply to a.f.gupta at leeds.ac.uk 
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