Naming Update
Great Western Railway continues to apply suitable nameplates to its Castle Class 255 short-formed HST sets, with the latest recipient being 43040, which is now named Berry Pomeroy Castle. As with most of the other Castle names, the nameplates for 43040 were applied without ceremony at Laira depot in Plymouth, although the power car has been in the news this month as it was chosen to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War in 1982 and vinyl roundels have been applied to the bodysides.
Three GB Railfreight Class 66s have been named over the past few weeks, with 66734 gaining a vinyl Platinum Jubilee nameplate upon its repainting into Platinum Jubilee purple and grey at Eastleigh. It is understood that the cast nameplates for 66734 were not ready in time for the unveiling of the locomotive and will be fitted at a later date.
The Darius Cheskin nameplates that were previously carried by 66778 have been reapplied to 66781 at Doncaster Roberts Road in May. On June 18, 66786 was named Cambridge University Railway Club Founded by Junior Members in 1911. Celebrating its 111th anniversary this year and founded by student members as the Cambridge University branch of The Railway Club, the Cambridge University Railway Club is now the second-oldest railway club in the world. Club members engage in all aspects of the railway in Britain and around the world, with a celebrated history of members going into thriving careers across the industry. Not previously reported on these pages, over the past few months 12 members of the Heathrow Express Class 387/1 fleet have had vinyl names applied, dedicated to various cities and travel destinations around the world. These are applied at each end of the driving vehicles of the train, with the relevant name and a suitable recognisable landmark graphic alongside.
As mentioned in Livery Changes, GWR Hitachi Class 800 IET 800008 was named Alan Turing OBE FRS at Paddington station on May 26 by members of the legendary codebreaker’s family.
It has also had its rainbow vinyls updated to include distinctive coding on the background.
Another Hitachi train to receive a vinyl name is Transpennine Express 802212, which now carries the name St Abb’s Head, in celebration of the Scottish National Nature Reserve. The name was revealed upon the opening of the new Reston station on May 23, with 802212 being the first train to call at the newly-built station.