text: Train conductor Graham Palmer is the first to admit his poetic works aren't Shakespeare, but when they're delivered over the Tannoy his passengers certainly don't seem to mind. Palmer, 52, has been giving safety announcements and other messages in verse since last year when Northern Rail encouraged their guards to give their addresses a festive flavour. The rhymes were a hit with travellers and have been going strong since, and he even customises the self-penned couplets according to the stations his carriages are passing through. Train conductor Graham Palmer delivers safety announcements over the Tanny in the form of poetry . Palmer, 52, has delighted Northern Rail passengers with his self-penned poems since Christmas last year . 'The poems aren't that clever really. They're not Wordsworth, but it's all a bit of fun,' he told Gazette Live. 'I was a bit self-conscious to start with but I've got more confident now, especially when I see the smiles on people's faces. 'I don't do them for every announcement and I try to mix them up a bit. For our regular passengers, it's probably a little bit repetitive but then again, so are safety announcements!' Palmer, who lives in Skelton and works out of Middlesbrough Station, has worked on trains since 2006 after a career working with glass and five years as a handyman for Age Concern Teesside. His poem's are anything but serious but they do get his messages about safety and ticket policy across. One as passengers enter the train goes: 'I'm Graham your conductor and welcome on track, Safety information's at front and back. Keep all your personal belongings in view, As you don't want anything missing, do you? Despite being a local hero with his colourful announcements, Graham still has to check his tickets . Have your tickets and passes ready to see, And if you have neither, you'll have to pay me. If you're buying a ticket, please have the right money, 'Cos my tea's going cold and it's simply not funny.' Graham said: 'I'm taking the mickey out of myself a little bit and it's all done tongue in cheek, but at least it's getting the message across. And the best words you can hear as a conductor are 'I'm glad it's you today'.' Passenger Kath Sainsbury, of Saltburn, said Graham is 'well known and liked by all his regular passengers'. She said: 'His jolly personality gives us all a lift.' I'm Graham your conductor and welcome on track . Safety information's at front and back . Keep all your personal belongings in view . As you don't want anything missing, do you? Have your tickets and passes ready to see . And if you have neither, you'll have to pay me . If you're buying a ticket, please have the right money . Cos my tea's going cold and it's simply not funny . Thank you for travelling on Northern with Graham . Please use the handrails when you step from the train . If you're making connections, consult platform screens . Or ask station staff if there's any to be seen . Keep your tickets and passes to exit the gate . 'Cos any delay and you'll be in late . Tell Northern Rail Twitter how it was for you . Cos we value your feedback, yes we really do! Graham says he's taking the Mickey out of himself a bit 'but at least it's getting the message across' Graham's boss, Northern's conductor team manager at Middlesbrough Colin Savage, is pleased with the response from the public but doesn't expect his colleague to follow suit if they don't want to. 'Graham's delivering the announcements in a different way which makes people listen, so we're delighted,' he said. 'The other conductors are scared we're going to make them do it too, but we don't have any plans!' Graham, married to Trudy for 22 years, likes to freshen his poems up with couplets penned at home and make them relevant to the stations his trains pass through.
target: Train guard Graham Palmer addresses passengers with original poems .
  The Northern Rail conductor began writing poems last Christmas .
  Palmer even customises his couplets for the stations his train passes .
  He says it's tongue in cheek but at least it's getting the message across .