Elizabeth line: TfL: Tube station engineer who helped build Bond Street station to compete in Miss England

A London Underground engineer is competing mission to be crowned Miss England.

Afrose Ameen helped build the new Bond Street station for Transport for London (TfL) but her next challenge will see her competing in the national beauty competition.

The 23-year-old wants to inspire other women to get into male-dominated industries.

Afrose said she would often be the only woman on site while working on the Elizabeth line. She revealed her industry is so male-oriented that on one internship the company had to build her a women’s toilet and had no gloves to fit her hands.

The renewable energy engineering master’s degree student from Lewisham said she was inspired to enter Miss England after learning it was about more than just a “pretty face". Afrose hopes to join either the Navy or the Royal Marines as an engineer when the competition finishes.

“I've actually never done a pageant or modelling before,” she said. “My friends and family suggested it, I wasn’t too sure. I don’t really love being photographed. Over the last year my opinion changed. I thought why not do it before I get old.

“I did get thrown into the deep end a bit, but everyone is lovely. There’s nice to know there’s more into it then who’s the prettiest. Miss England is the only one that I've been interested in. A lot of the others are more looks based.

“I definitely want to try and inspire women to get into different jobs.”

Afrose said she got to meet the Queen after working on the new Tube line when the then-monarch opened it last year.

She said: “I worked on the Elizabeth Line last year, I worked with the team who completed the Bond Street station. I got to meet the Queen.

"It was quite cool as all these people on the team had been working on it for seven years. It was commission engineering, electrical engineering. There was a lot to do with project management.

“More women should get into it. I am glad I have been given this opportunity. A lot of people are worried it might portray them as less feminine, but a job is a job.

“When I was working there I was often the only woman. It was mainly a lot of builders and engineers. I was often the only woman in 120 people.”

Afrose described some of her experiences, saying: “While I was working on an internship at a solar plant they had to build me an extra toilet, a temporary one as it was a site.

“When I was working on Crossrail they didn’t have any gloves that would fit on a woman's hand. They don’t expect women as they aren’t used to it. Female representation is needed.

“It’s definitely what I want to get into engineering after university. I haven’t decided what sector. Over the past year or so I’ve been thinking about joining the Navy or Marines as an engineer. They recruit you as an officer straight away.

“There were stalls at a Coventry event. I'm more interested in the marines - you’re a soldier first, it's more physical. I'm still considering it based on what kind of offer they give me.

“Everyone loves it there that I've spoken to. I have friends in the marines. I wouldn’t say it’s super diverse. I'm used to it with engineering.”

Afrose has reached the Miss England semi-final by competing in virtual heats and will compete at Viva Blackpool on October 16.

She added: “I'm confident in the pageant because there’s so many layers to it, I'm aiming to enter all the rounds. The benefits have been amazing. It's been a huge experience and a step out of my comfort zone.

“We're fundraising for two charities this year. A lot of girls do domestic abuse work. I was actually thinking to raise for climate action. There are a few charities that I have worked with previously as I'm a renewable engineer.”

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