GB Railfreight named 66731 Capt. Tom Moore – A True British Inspiration on April 29, the day before the veteran’s 100th birthday.
The ‘66’ was named by GBRf Managing Director John Smith with Captain Moore watching the ceremony from home.
This naming celebrates the veteran who raised more than £29 million for the NHS by completing 200 laps of his garden in the days leading up to his birthday.
Smith 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.
“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.”
The nameplates were produced by Procast, one of which was donated by Director of Railwayana Auctions UK Ltd Neil Booth.
Booth 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 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.”
The naming was carried out in line with Government rules on social distancing.
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