GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading rail freight operators, has thanked Captain Tom Moore for his fundraising efforts for the NHS with a birthday surprise – a freight locomotive named in his honour.
A 129-tonne, Class 66 freight locomotive, will be named Captain Tom Moore’, with the added inscription ‘A true British inspiration’. The name plates were produced by Procast, one of which has been kindly donated by Neil Booth, Director of Railwayana Auctions UK Ltd, as a thank you for Captain Moore’s amazing efforts.
The naming took place to coincide with Captain Moore’s 100th birthday (30 April). The name plate which will now adorn the locomotive, was unveiled by GB Railfreight Managing Director John Smith, with Captain Moore watching the ceremony from home.
Captain Moore won the hearts and minds of the nation, raising over £29,000,000 for the NHS. GB Railfreight was keen to do its bit to thank NHS workers for their extraordinary efforts during this period and decided to paint a locomotive with a message of gratitude from GB Railfeight to the NHS. Given Captain Moore’s inspirational story, it was decided to name the locomotive after him.
GB Railfreight is playing its part in supporting the UK’s COVID-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country and ensuring that warehouses and supermarkets remain stocked, and vital medical supplies are transported across the country whilst ensuring all of our team are being kept as safe as possible.
John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said: “Happy birthday Captain Tom! On behalf of myself and the whole team at GB Railfreight I wanted to offer a big ‘thank you’ for what is fantastic fundraising that you’ve carried out. We are in awe of your efforts to raise money for frontline NHS workers. We thought we were good at raising money but what you’ve achieved for the National Health Service is quite simply fantastic.
“Last week we unveiled one of our of our freight locos in honour of all the critical workers at the NHS, painted in their livery. It was a way of offering our thanks particularly for your efforts, and to wish you a very happy birthday. We are very proud to name this loco after you, Captain Tom.
“After today it will be pulling crucial rail freight throughout the country helping to keep the NHS going, helping to get food on people’s tables and also helping to kick start the country’s economy as we go forward. Thank you again Captain Tom and I’m very proud that your name will be carried on our locomotive.”
Lifelong rail enthusiast Neil Booth, Director of Railwayana Auctions UK Ltd, said: “I was inspired by the sheer tenacity and conviction of the fundraising task for the NHS that Captain Tom Moore had set himself and thought that it would be a wonderful idea to name a locomotive in his honour on his 100th birthday. Once we had his family’s permission to do so, we very quickly had the nameplates cast, had Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chairman of Network Rail and John Smith, Managing Director of GBRf on board along with his management team and staff who have bent over backwards in providing a more than suitable locomotive to be honoured in this way. I just can’t thank everyone enough for their sterling efforts in making this happen within just seven days.”
Photo credit: GB Railfreight
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