Railways can be a serious business – safety critical and always in the public domain. Staff have to watch their step ever mindful of the unblinking eye of passenger and political scrutiny. Happily that’s not the case at the RailStaff Awards.
On the face of it, the RailStaff Awards is a ceremony recognising courage, bravery and professionalism of the people who deliver the railway – from drivers to cleaners, and engineers to station staff. Often these are stories of lives saved, careers turned around and adversity conquered.
However, the evening is much more. It’s a party as well, a celebration with music, dancing, floorshows, comedians and a theme.
This year, the RailStaff Awards 2012 will take you back to the Roaring Twenties in the United States and the era of prohibition, speakeasies molls and gangsters. Based on the famous New York Prohibition ’21 Club’ party-goers will be celebrating in the ‘Rail 17’ Club.
Hardworking staff at the ICC and RailStaff Awards organisers will convert the hall at the Birmingham International Convention Centre into a mock up of the famous underground speakeasy.
This year, the RailStaff Awards has 17 categories and Rail 17 Club is open to everyone on the railway.
The evening is much more. It’s a party as well, a celebration with music, dancing, floorshows, comedians and a theme.
“Will there be a bar?” One nervous enquirer asked. “Yes, we will have a bar and lots of bootleg liquor and food based on the sort of cuisine beloved of Mafiosi and border smugglers,” says organiser, Lianne Capone. The club will be decked out with Tiffany lamps, potted palms and violin cases.
Fancy dress is strongly encouraged. “As well as dressing as a gangster in pin stripe suit, remember many of the people involved were tug boat captains, dockers and smugglers,” says Tom Barleycorn, who works with Lianne.
“For girls, it’s a chance to reprise the flapper fashions of the 1920s.”
People will be able to dress as cops and clergy, who also flouted the ban.
Prohibition lasted from 1920Â to 1933, coinciding with the Jazz Age – and saw a huge rise in organised crime
Immigrants from countries like Italy, Germany and Ireland were used to wine and beer as an integral part of their diet. People generally drank alcohol to avoid cholera.
“Many were not prepared to give it up,” says RailStaff’s Drew Dillinger. “Up to 80 per cent of US congressmen flouted the ban. Even Winston Churchill weighed in against it calling at an affront to civilisation. In the north of the United States Americans flooded across the border into Canada for rye whisky and beer at weekend.”
Smuggling became endemic with fur trappers and ranchers cashing in. Happily the situation in Canada did much to engender good relations with Britain as this popular rhyme back then relates: “Four and 20 Yankees, feeling rather dry, 
went across the border to drink a glass of rye.
 When the rye was flowing, the Yanks began to sing,
 God bless America, oh – and God save the King.”
And remember you don’t need to hold up the ticket office to get a good deal. Early bird tickets are still available at a discounted price of £80 per ticket + VAT until September 14. Go to railstaffawards.com or call Pat on 01530 560021.
