Naming Update
In conjunction with the repainting of 66708 into GB Railfreight livery, but incorporating the Ukrainian colours, the locomotive has also been named
Слава Україні Glory to Ukraine at Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh. Chiltern Railways has this month honoured the memory of two former staff members who lost their lives to coronavirus during the pandemic. Locomotive 68015 was named Kev Helmer on April 10 in front of friends and family at Birmingham Moor Street station. Mr Helmer was a Chiltern Railways driver based at Birmingham Moor Street.
The other locomotive is 68013, named Peter Wreford-bush at Leamington Spa on April 13. The nameplates on 68013 had already been applied but covered over for a number of weeks as the ceremony was delayed.
DB Cargo has named 90021 Donald Malcolm following the locomotive being reactivated and repainted into the blue and black Malcolm livery. Avanti West Coast has named its special climate-liveried Pendolino 390121 Opportunity following a competition on social media, with the vinyl nameplates applied at Oxley depot on March 24. The successful suggestion was put forward by 18-year old Kyla Louise Poulton, from Milton Keynes, who said: “The name was an idea I had after talking to my friends. “We knew about the Progress train name so I wanted to come up with a name that was on a similar line so that they were linked in some way. I just thought about how I see the future of transport is being changed by climate change and how trains represent an opportunity to provide low emission transport services.”
Avanti has also honoured the memory of former colleague Brett Hobson by applying the name Brett to the cab ends of Pendolino 390129 City of Stoke-on-trent. Mr Hobson was a duty control manager from 2016 and passed away aged 41 earlier this year after losing his battle against cancer. With several of his Control Team colleagues coming from Stoke, 390129 was nicknamed ‘Pride of the Fleet’ and it was a tag that stuck, with Mr Hobson playing along.
Avanti decided that applying his name to the cabs of 390129 was an appropriate tribute to their workmate and friend. Mr Hobson’s family hope that the application of Brett’s name to 390129 acts as a reminder to colleagues to look after their health and have any concerns checked out. Another three West Midlands Railway Class 323 have received vinyl nameplates after stations served by the fleet on the Cross City Line, with 323209/211/215 treated during the period under review.
A ceremony at Glasgow Queen Street on April 1 saw a vinyl plaque unveiled on 385103 to mark Scotrail passing to public control, stating ‘Marking the transition of Scotrail Scotland’s Railway to public ownership on 1 April 2022 by Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland’.
The vinyl is positioned on DMS 444103.