GWR's Captain Tom train going on epic journey for charity
Proceeds will go to The Captain Tom Foundation
Great Western Railway's 'Captain Tom Centennial' is going on an epic journey to raise money for the Captain Tom Foundation.
Intercity Express Train 800025, bearing the name of Captain Sir Tome Moore, will make 100 stops at stations across the network in just over 40 hours.
It sets off this Friday, on what would've been the war veteran's 101st birthday, and will cover nearly 1,500 miles.
GWR Head of Communications Dan Panes said:
“What makes calling at 100 stops in the ‘Captain Tom Centennial’ so unique is the geographical challenge. Normally our Class 800 trains wouldn’t travel down to the South West but we wanted to do our bit to ensure Captain Tom’s legacy lives on and reaches all parts of the GWR network.
“We were delighted to name a train in his honour last April following requests from both colleagues and customers. Now we’re hoping people will enjoy following the progress of the ‘Captain Tom Centennial’ and donate in the name of Captain Tom.”
Captain Sir Tom’s daughter and Co-Founder of The Captain Tom Foundation, Hannah Ingram-Moore, said:
“My father would have simply loved the idea of the ‘Captain Tom Centennial’ train making an epic journey as part of this special event. He was very proud to leave behind the growing legacy of his Foundation and would have really enjoyed watching people across the country uniting to have fun and inspire hope with their Captain Tom 100 challenges. It’s going to be a very special few days.”