Network Rail

Creating Network Rail’s main website in WordPress

Network-rail website screenshot

Project overview

Network Rail, as they say, “keeps Britain moving.”  The company owns and operates the entire railway infrastructure in England, Wales and Scotland. In addition, Network Rail also manages rail timetabling, working with several different partners across the UK to deliver 4.5 million journeys a day for its customers.

Network Rail contacted us when they were undergoing the biggest and most ambitious upgrade the network had seen in more than 150 years. We helped them to similarly upgrade their website, to make it clear what they do and easier for all of their users to find the information they are looking for.

Features

  • UX
  • Custom Design
  • Theme Development
  • Ongoing Maintenance
Network-rail website screenshot

The Brief

Network Rail engaged our team to help them bring their website more up to date with the main objective making it clearer what they do, especially as in the past they have often had to redirect many visitors who were confusing the company with National Rail, which provides a different service entirely!

The challenge with this site was that there are multiple different types of site visitors to Network Rail, from those looking for a career with the company to the wide range of business partners they work with, to current employees. Network Rail also wanted to communicate up-to-date news on the ongoing upgrade, and highlight their community and sustainability work.

Network-rail website screenshot

More intuitive design

Working closely with the Network Rail team, we first held a series of UX sessions, to help them to define all the different audiences who visit the site and what their user journeys would be.

We then used these “personas” to create a custom site design that made each of these journeys much more intuitive, so whether people arrive at the site looking for a job or for details of weekend works in their local area, they can quickly find the information they need. We even included an external link to National Rail Enquiries on the homepage, for all those who arrive at Network Rail looking for train times.

We have gone on to develop a strong ongoing relationship with Network Rail, and have since worked together on several projects.

Visit the site

Network-rail website screenshot

A successful outcome and delivered the project on time and to the quality required. I cannot express enough how impressed I have been.

andy jones digital network rail

Andy Jones