Railway remembers and wears poppies with pride

VETERANS of the armed forces gathered at Euston station to see Direct Rail Services Class 68 No. 68033 baeing named The Poppy.

The naming, which took place on October 30, just under a fortnight before Remembrance

Day, also marks the centenary year of the Royal British Legion (RBL).

To raise funds for the RBL, six 'OO' gauge models of the locomotive were made available by DRS for auction during November via sealed bid, along with a train headboard.

Many DRS employees formerly served in the military and the operator’s parent company, Nuclear Transport Solutions, recently received the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition

Scheme’s gold award.

NTS chief executive Seth Kybird said: “Everyone feels passionately about supporting our armed forces and helping to raise vital funds for such a fantastic charity as the Royal British Legion.”

TREVOR HALL Also pictured on October 30, at Doncaster, is LNER Class 800 'Azuma' No. 800111, which has been given poppy vinyls at both ends, along with a thank you message. The same treatment was given last year to No. 800101.

DRS Jane Ayres from the Royal British Legion and DRS driver David Poynter unveil No. 68033’s name at Euston.