Freight operating company GB Railfreight (GBRf) has named its Class 57 loco 57310 ‘UK Railtours‘.

The new name was unveiled at a ceremony at Southend Central station in Essex on Saturday, 12 April.

British Rail Class 57s are diesel locomotives. Brush Traction of Loughborough rebuilt the Class 57s from Class 47 locomotives between 1998 and 2004.

The renaming ceremony of the Class 57 locomotive took place during the layover of the ‘Thames Meanderer‘ tour operated by GB Railfreight.

The tour is celebrating fifty years since the first trip organised by UK Railtours’ founder, the late John Farrow, who died in 2020 after contracting Covid-19. In 2021, the ‘John Farrow Salute’ rail tour paid tribute to Mr Farrow.

That first tour back in 1975 was organised under the auspices of the Lea Valley Railway Club. Three years later, in 1978, Mr Farrow set up Hertfordshire Railtours as an independent rail tour operator. It ran services mainly from London terminal stations. Twenty-nine years after its founding, in 2007, the company was reconstituted as UK Railtours.

UK Railtours organises mainline railtours around the country. Its tours are hauled by both steam and diesel traction.

John Farrow’s widow and children attended the renaming ceremony. Daughter Liz Morris is UK Railtours’ (UKR) Managing Director, and son Simon Farrow was previously the company’s Operations Director. John’s widow, Clare, owns UK Railtours.

There are already three locomotives which have carried the name ‘Hertfordshire Railtours’. However, 57310 is the first to carry the name ‘UK Railtours’.

“In the 50th anniversary year of John Farrow’s first train, it is only fitting that GBRf has dedicated a loco to his charter legacy. It is also a tribute to the team who have carried that torch forward since his death in 2020. We remain a proud and committed operational partner of UK Railtours.”

Kev Adlam, GB Railfreight Account Manager