Q&A with Ryan Boughton-Shields, Junior Software Developer at Worldline

Was developing software for the rail industry always your dream job?

Kind of. I did jobs from catering to warehouse work after university and although I’d always loved tech, I never considered it as a career until I was diagnosed Autistic. My condition makes me think logically – a key skill for software development – so add in my childhood obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine, and working in the rail industry was inevitable.

I’d suffered with mental health issues at uni and was initially wrongly diagnosed, so when my Autism diagnosis came through two days after I got married it was a turning point.

How has the Worldline apprenticeship helped in your journey?

Most firms wanted coding experience from people applying for software developer apprenticeships, but Worldline were looking for potential, attitude and enthusiasm which is so refreshing. It’s an incredibly people-focused company in terms of the wellbeing of its employees and finding solutions for its customers. I’d had a lot of issues but meeting my wife, my diagnosis and joining Worldline rather than plodding along in catering and retail jobs saved my life and has made me stronger.

How has your autism benefited you?

I struggle with change, especially when it’s big. But logical thinking and hyper focus help me really get to the root of the issues when fixing code bugs. My thought process is completely different to someone creative who might have crazy and brilliant ideas, but together we can make them work. Another reason why everyone’s uniqueness should be celebrated. Different people bring new and potentially better ways of doing things and the looming re-nationalisation will mean a big shake up where fresh ideas will be vital.

What kind of fresh ideas do you mean?

Renationalisation under GBR and the possibility of tap on, tap off means an opportunity to gather real data on the actual journeys people are taking. This will improve the accuracy of revenue allocation through Lennon and offer real insights into customers travel habits. Once the industry has those it will enable operators to make more informed decisions and prioritise getting people where they want to go quickly, efficiently and at the best price.

What are you working on now?

Mostly on maintaining and improving Lennon, our system that’s been processing UK train ticket sales and dividing revenue between train operating companies, rail retailers and third parties for more than 20 years. We’re always looking to improve and are working on making it cloud-based so it can be more powerful, scalable and dynamic to handle increases in traffic even quicker.

I’m proud to say I work on a system that’s keeping the country moving – the growth of AI will enhance that by automating time-consuming admin processes and freeing up people to focus on the customer side of things.

What are the benefits of greater awareness of diversity and inclusion in the rail industry?

Ours has traditionally been a male dominated industry, but now there’s an acceptance that people from different backgrounds, cultures and abilities can think differently and come up with new ideas for rail – rather than sticking with outdated ones. Initiatives such as the recent Big Rail Diversity Challenge run by Women in Rail and the Rail Industry Association have helped drive change. I joined Worldline colleagues at the event as teams from various companies completed a series of physical and mental challenges to promote teamwork and use their differences as an advantage to reach a common goal.

Things like that build on the great work done by Worldline, which was voted in The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality for the fourth year running this year. We also won the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award at the 2025 Rail Industry Association RISE Awards.

What is a good example of inclusivity in the rail industry?

The industry is working harder to reflect society better, but there are still areas we need to improve to make rail travel more accessible.

My local station in Beeston recently had accessible lifts installed to take passengers from the platforms to the road bridge over the platforms, but 40% of UK train stations are still not fully step-free. It’s been a game changer for disabled people and able-bodied people with lots of luggage. We also need to ensure there are always staff at stations to help wheelchair users on and off trains with the ramps as this is a common problem.

What else needs to happen and why?

Timetables need to be rethought to ensure customers don’t have to go through the stress and preparation of changing repeatedly to reach their destination. That’s where AI has a big role to play. I get anxious when I’m taking a trip that requires multiple connections because it could be affected by delays. I often over prepare and plan to arrive an hour early to get there on time.

Until we make environmentally friendly rail more attractive as a direct proposition than the car, getting people to think differently will remain tough. Get it right and the changes will improve opportunities, lead to increased independence and open up leisure activities and jobs.

What is your short and medium-term vision for rail?

AI will allow the industry to analyse data around people’s journeys and offer a more personalised experience tailored to their habits and price points. The opportunities are limitless.

More immediately I’d love to see ‘speech to text’ ticket kiosks customers can talk to and have a conversation about the cheapest and quickest routes available. Full electrification with airline-style on board entertainment and reliable WIFI would also make rail more attractive.

Longer term I’d like to see driverless taxis or Very Light Rail schemes like the one being trialled in Coventry picking people up along a route, based on their ticket booking. Integrated ticketing offering multi-model transport to a hub where people can take direct train trips at affordable prices is the only way we’ll stop people taking the car.