Great Western Railway has unveiled a special train livery to thank key workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the theme of ‘the nation says thank you', the design features thank you in 116 languages.
The livery is carried by InterCity Express Train 802020. The design incorporates the ideas of three teenagers who entered a competition on GWR's social media page.
Sam Smith from Gloucestershire suggested the words ‘The nation says thank you'; Sam Moorey, from Newton Abbot, proposed saying ‘thank you' in different languages; and Ned Thompson, of Guildford, crafted the overall design.
The livery features 109 speech bubbles, using 116 languages from at least 166 countries.
Tim Dunn, who judged the competition, said: “Everyone is incredibly grateful to those key workers, including the railway family, who have been working tirelessly to help us through the pandemic. We wanted the design to represent the thoughts and thanks of those living across the network and believe the inclusion of these different languages is the perfect way to illustrate everyone's gratitude. Hats off to the two Sams and Ned for coming up with such original concepts.”
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “GWR has chosen a great combination of designs and I am pleased to see the rail industry saying ‘thank you' in such a great diversity of languages. This serves as an excellent reminder of the hard work of so many people in our NHS and so many other crucial industries, and I am delighted to join with GWR and add my thanks to all the key workers across the nation.”
GWR Head of External Communications Dan Panes said: “We wanted to give people the opportunity to express their thanks to key workers in a unique way. This design on one of our Intercity Express Trains will provide a lasting tribute to the selfless dedication of all those who have given everything to help us through these unprecedented times.”
The special thank you livery for Great Western Railway has been funded by Eversholt Rail and Hitachi Rail.
Mary Kenny, Chief Executive Officer at Eversholt Rail, said: “We are proud to support Great Western Railway with this fantastic initiative to thank all of the key workers who have supported the country throughout these difficult times. The number of fantastic entries to the competition shows that so many people appreciate the hard work and dedication of our key workers and want to say ‘thank you'. Congratulations to the two Sams and Ned for their winning entries.”
Andy Radford, UK Projects Director at Hitachi Rail, said: “We have seen first-hand the resilience of key workers, either as passengers using our trains for essential travel or rail staff who kept trains running safely during the peak of the pandemic. Hitachi Rail is proud to be part of this fitting tribute, but equally delighted to be giving passengers a reason to smile.”
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What about the cleaners who work for interserve on the train stations what thanks have thay had nothing just from moning from railway staff
Getting bored of this diversity drivel being forced down our throats by companies. Maybe one day they’ll realise we just want a good service, not political platitudes. Looks crap as well.
My thoughts entirely – just vacuous virtue-signalling by people with too much time and taxpayers’ money on their hands.
LNER (London North Eastern Railway) should of done the same thing to one of their Azuma trains. But credit to Great Western Railway. Well done GWR for doing this.
Very good. Well done Great Western Railway.
The people that propose this politically biased and charged mess are suffering with severe emotional incotinence. The NHS has been a disaster on any metric. Facts however, do not matter in 2020, just feelings. The Enlightenment has been snuffed out with nonsense like this. Marxist drivel and passengers have to look at it. Where’s my car keys.
Yep !
Official graffiti perhaps? what an eyesore.