Adam Sergent and Jake Nelson
25 Mar 2026
Read more about the Neurodiversity in Rail Conference
The Neurodiversity in Rail Conference, held at Square One, Network Rail’s headquarters in Manchester, was a powerful and inspiring event that brought together voices from across the rail industry to champion inclusion and neurodiversity, organised by Jake Nelson and Adam Sergent.
The morning programme featured a series of engaging and thought-provoking sessions. Fellow train driver Stuart Jones shared valuable insights from lived experience, while Mark Hector delivered a fascinating talk on behavioural science. This was followed by a keynote address from Rob Mullen, before Karen Bennett from Community Rail brought the morning to a close with an impactful presentation. Alongside these talks, the panel discussions throughout the morning offered meaningful perspectives and encouraged honest, insightful conversation.
After lunch, attendees took part in an interactive workshop focused on neuroinclusive design. The session encouraged collaboration, creativity, and the sharing of ideas and opinions in an enjoyable and practical way, with participants enthusiastically working together to build and explore concepts.
The afternoon then marked a particularly significant moment, as one first-time speaker took to the stage to deliver their own talk. Despite the nerves—and the awareness of speaking a little faster than intended—the presentation was delivered successfully, covering everything that had been planned. The generous applause and warm support from the audience at the end reflected both the impact of the message and the encouragement present throughout the day.
Following the talk, the speaker joined a powerful panel discussion on supporting neurodivergent women in the rail industry. Hosted by Tracey Barber, the panel included Jane Cubbin, Abbie McCue MCIPD, Abigail Coates, Eirian Thomas, and the speaker themselves. Sharing the stage with such accomplished and inspirational women was a standout moment of the day. The discussion was open, honest, and deeply meaningful, doing justice to an important and often underrepresented subject.
Overall, the conference was an incredible success—supportive, positive, and rich with learning. It left attendees inspired and motivated to continue driving positive change across the industry.
Special thanks were extended to Adam Sergent and Jake Nelson for creating such a thoughtful and impactful event, as well as to the supportive management and team at GB Railfreight, whose encouragement and flexibility make participation in this important work possible alongside the day-to-day role of driving trains.
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The event served as a clear reminder of what the rail industry can achieve when inclusion, understanding, and collaboration are placed at its heart.