Dream job at Johnstone train station is just the ticket for schoolboy

Five-year-old Jack Ludlow arrived at Johnstone train station this morning with his family for a day out to Glasgow.

When Susan Temple, who works for ScotRail at the station’s ticket office, learned of the St Anthony's Primary pupil's passion for trains, she decided to assign him a special role.

Jack's mum Annie told The Gazette: "Jack is always very interested when we're up buying the tickets and I told the lady that he loves trains.

"She gave him the special kid's ticket and his own wee holder, and then told us to come back to the window once the queue had gone down."

Soon afterwards, Susan brought the schoolboy inside the ticket office and helped him sell a couple of tickets to commuters.

Annie said: "Jack had a big smile on his face the whole time because this was the stuff of his dreams, and he was a very happy wee boy.

"It was so kind of the staff to take the time to do it, as it wasn't a quiet morning at the train station and they really made an effort with him.

"Even afterwards, Jack was still buzzing and a few of the customers on the platform were asking if he wanted to check their tickets, so he felt like a bit of a celebrity."

Susan, who has worked at Johnstone train station for the past 15 years, said she was glad to hear the experience had such a positive impact on Jack.

She said: "He also made my day, because it had been quite a stressful morning at the station and it was nice to have a wee break.

"There are sometimes other kids who come here who also love trains, so I just try to do anything I can to help out."

Annie added: "Jack has always been obsessed with everything from Thomas the Tank Engine to the Jacobite Steam Train which goes from Fort William to Mallaig.

"We spend a lot of our time indulging Jack's train habits but this probably tops everything we have done, because this time he was getting to give real tickets to real people.

"It made a normal day out into a very special day out for Jack."