Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
A strike for Met Police staff has been suspended following a vote on a new offer for pay.
The strike was supposed to be go ahead from Monday 19th to 24th January for the 175 members of the Unite union – including call handlers, technicians and office staff.
The regional Unite officer, Keith Henderson, says that there had been a “breakthrough in negotiations” following the earlier offer of an “inferior pay increase” in comparison to the 4.2% increase to other staff and officers from various forces across the United Kingdom.
Crazy News
In a heart-warming video, musician Harriet Cree uplifted the spirits of passengers on board a train which was on its way to Norwich from Liverpool Street.
She was playing the keyboard when an impromptu sing-along and karaoke session from the passengers started to grow, even taking requests from the ticket inspector!
Her dad was also part of the ensemble who sung Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and Oasis’ Don’t Look Back In Anger.
The caption on her video read: “Excellent use of free will in my opinion”.
It really was a midnight train going anywhere!
Happy News
A couple who are fascinated with trains have spent the last 30 years restoring a former railway station which was left derelict.
Mark and Carol Benson purchased Ebbertson Station in North Yorkshire back in 1996 – 46 years after it originally closed.
The converted ticket office is now a cottage and the three former First Class carriages are also cosy places to rest up too.
The Bensons live in what was the station master’s house, and have since restored the platform and waiting area – with a blue plaque now marking the historic value of the site.
Carol is “Very proud of what has been achieved”, adding: “It has been a lot of hard work”.
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