Captain Tom Moore has train named after him for 100th birthday

The WWII veteran was honoured with a happy birthday to the sound of train horns and his own train entering service for key workers

World War Two veteran Captain Tom Moore was honoured on his birthday today by Great Western Railway (GWR), naming a train after him and posting a happy birthday video featuring the train horns.

Tom gained national attention when he raised an enormous £29 million for NHS Charities with a sponsored 100 laps of his garden using his walker at his home in Bedfordshire. With a goal of £1,000 before his 100th birthday, the story snowballed resulting in nearly £30 million given by over one million people for the NHS Charities through his JustGiving page.

GWR Intercity Express Train 800025, the train named after Tom, entered service on 30th April and will help during the coronavirus epidemic to take key workers to and from work.

GWR’s Head of Communications Dan Panes said:

“Captain Tom truly has captured the hearts of the nation with his phenomenal fundraising achievements during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Our decision to name a train in his honour followed requests from GWR colleagues and members of the public, and we wanted to make it an extra special birthday with this fun video. We hope Captain Tom has time to enjoy it on his big day.”

Captain Tom, who is originally from West Yorkshire and joined the army in June 1940. His regiment helped with coastal defence during WWII and he later fought on the frontline in Burma.