The North Midland Railway required a large number of new employees to manage, operate and maintain the new 72 mile mainline railway. 

At Wingfield this created important new employment opportunities for the local population. Over the years the following railway jobs were undertaken at the station:

• Station Master

• Booking or Ticket Clerk

• Signaller (24/7 shift coverage)

• Porters

• Night Porter

• Weighing Machine boy

• Shunter driver, fireman and shunter

• Permanent Way Supervisor and gangers

• Stable grooms

• Horse drawn wagon drivers and load assistant

All the above jobs required the employee to be able to read, write and undertake basic arithmetic. All the staff would be recruited by the Station Master who was also responsible for rostering, task organising, pay, discipline, holidays and rules examinations!

Every employee was expected to be conversant and competent in the company Rule Book which defined what was expected of each job role, procedures to be followed and safety arrangements. As such, the railways pioneered an early form of what would now be referred to as workplace competency assessment. Clearly the nature of the jobs performed over the years would have changed with the introduction of new technology and changing commercial and operating practices.

Employees who showed competence, initiative and an aptitude for hard work would have the opportunity to apply for and obtain promotion which meant more responsibility and better renumeration. Thus, the railways also pioneered merit-based career advancement which was ground breaking in the Class based 19th Century.

More information on railway employees at Wingfield can be found in the station archive.