Southern train driver creates handmade Christmas hat for 15th year to spread joy to customers

The festive season is known for its traditions and Southern driver, Matthew Staniforth’s, favourite pastime is spreading joy to customers by wearing his handmade Christmas hat.

 Matthew, 55, creates a new top hat every year to surprise and delight passengers and has been doing so for 15 years. He’s sharing his story as he prepares to help thousands of customers travel by train this winter. 

“In 2010, I was struggling with family issues so I wanted to do something which would help me cope and that’s when I came up with the idea to make a Christmas hat. Christmas can be a difficult time for people because relationships can break down, or we can lose loved ones; I wanted to help relieve some of that pressure and spread some festive cheer to our passengers. The first hat I created was black and had lights, tinsel, and ‘bah humbug’ written on it. Lots of people loved it and would burst out laughing when they saw it, so this inspired me to make a different hat every year.”

Matthew, who is based at Barnham depot, said this year he teamed up with a local business to help bring his design to life. His black top hat is covered in orange tinsel, blue baubles, and miniature train tracks, in a nod to steampunk fashion, and had to pass safety checks before he could wear it with pride. Matthew will be showing off his quirky creation to customers until the end of December.  

“Each year, my new hat must be vetted by my depot operational manager and other managers within the Barnham area to make sure it’s compliant with Southern’s health and safety regulations. The checks measure the wearability of the hat so I can do my job to the highest standards, which is why I started designing it in September so it would be ready in time.

“To make sure this was my best hat yet, I collaborated with an independent milliner, Isabella Josie, who is based in Arundel. As she’s married to another railway employee, she understands the rules and regulations we must follow, which made the process seamless. This hat turned out so brilliantly that we’ve already stated planning the next one!”

Matt, who lives in Littlehampton, is reminding passengers how to travel safely over the festive period.

“More people will be travelling by train to enjoy Christmas, so there are a few things customers can do to stay safe as winter approaches. We’re asking passengers to give themselves a few more minutes when catching the train and please remember to wrap up warm. We want everyone to get home safely so we’re urging customers to take extra care if they’ve been drinking, because we do see an increase in slips, trips and falls during this time of year. If you need assistance or are worried about something, please approach a member of staff and they’ll be happy to help.”