Naming Update

Four further Class 43 HST power cars which are part of GWR’S Class 255 ‘Castle’ sets have been named in recent times, as more of the Castlethemed names spread across the fleet. Those to have been most recently treated are 43022, 43156 and 43162, with 43029 understood to have gained its new Caldicot Castle name during May, but not previously reported on these pages.

Five Class 66s have been named during the period under review. Firstly, GB Railfreight’s 66720 was named Wascosa at an event at London Victoria station on June 28 to celebrate the partnership between Wascosa, GB Railfreight and Network Rail (see page 13).

During a GBRF staff charter train around East Anglia on July 5, 66765 was named Julie Garn in recognition of the company’s intermodal business leader, while 66766 is now named Gail Richardson after one of GBRF’S production assistants. The naming of the two locomotives, which were carried out at Great Yarmouth, follows a long tradition by the company of recognising the efforts of some of their staff members with locomotive namings.

Two DRS Class 66s were named during the DRS Crewe Gresty Bridge depot open day on July 16. 66422 has now had the Max Joule 1958-1999 name applied that was previously carried by 20301 and 20303, while 66424 was named Driver Paul Scrivens 1969-2021 in memory of a former DRS driver who passed away last year. Another GB Railfreight locomotive receiving a new name during the month has been 73212, which is now named Stephen Eaves to commemorate the retirement of Network Rail

Kent controller Stephen Eaves, who had worked on the railway for more than 50 years. Friends and colleagues gathered at Blackfriars on July 8 to witness the Class 73 being named. The name Peter West OBE has been applied to GWR Class 150 DMU 150233, which also carries vinyls applied for the opening of the Dartmoor Railway. Another GWR naming is 800034, which has received the name Jo Prosser, marking the final IET to be named after a ‘BBC Make a Difference Superstar’, with the naming taking place at Oxford station on July 12. Ms Prosser masterminded a project in Bicester to provide one million meals for NHS frontline staff, spending four months during the pandemic to spearhead a Salute the NHS project co-founded by Ron Dennis CBE, founder of F1 team Mclaren. She co-ordinated a team of 800 volunteers to deliver one million meals, boxes, bags, and 75,000 soothe and care packs to the NHS.

GWR Billy Palmer Jo Prosser poses alongside GWR IET 800034 following the application of her name on the train on July 12. This was the 18th and final naming of a GWR IET after its partnership with the ‘BBC Make a Difference Superstar’ campaign to recognise people who went out of their way to assist their communities during the pandemic. 66765 Julie Garn leads 1Z80 from Ipswich to Peterborough, having earlier visited Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, with 66766 Gail Richardson on the rear of the train, seen passing Second Drove crossing, near Little Downham, on July 5. The two locomotives were named after GBRF staff members at a ceremony at Great Yarmouth station earlier in the day.