Scotrail Class 43 naming first remembers campaigner

CLASS 43 No. 43134 was named in memory of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) campaigner Gordon Aikman on June 25 – making it the first of the Inter7City power cars to be given a name while in service with ScotRail.

Mr Aikman, who died from MND in February 2017, was diagnosed with the condition in 2014 and worked for three years to raise over £500,000 for research into a cure. He also successfully campaigned for the provision of more MND nurses and access to speech equipment through the NHS for patients who have lost their voices due to illness. He was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2015.

SCOTRAIL ScotRail Class 43 power car, No. 43134 Gordon Aikman at Glasgow Queen Street.