GB Railfreight have unveiled a train in celebration of this year’s Brighton & Hove Pride. The Class 66 locomotive first pulled into Brighton station last Friday, and will start running effective immediately. The train has been named “Pride of GB Railfreight”, and celebrates LGBTQ+ GB Railfreight employees, as well as the business’ commitment to ensuring diversity in the rail sector.
The train was unveiled on the 2nd August by Times columnist Matthew Parris and Engineering Director Bob Tiller, as well as members of the Brighton & Hove City Council. This included councillor Amanda Grimshaw, the Council lead for Equalities, and councillor Alan Robins, chair of the Tourism, Development and Culture Committee.
Parris, who was named Britain’s 49th most influential LGBT person in 2010, attended the event with his partner, and said he was “thrilled” to unveil “Pride of GB Railfreight”.
The locomotive joins the rainbow Thameslink train, now dubbed “trainbow”, that was was unveiled in celebration of Brighton & Hove Pride earlier last month.
The Train Services Director of Govia Thameslink Railway, Stuart Meek, stated:
We are pleased to be able to work in partnership with GBRf to promote diversity in the rail sector and are thrilled to be part of the unveiling of the ‘Pride of GB Railfreight’ at Brighton station which is joining our Thameslink ‘trainbow’ out on the Brighton Main Line and beyond. It’s a real testament to the company’s commitment to showing everyone is welcome on board both freight and passenger trains.
Bob Tiller, the Engineering Director at GB Railfreight, announced:
We are delighted to be part of Brighton Pride this year. Our newly named rainbow loco is symbolic of the changing nature of the rail sector and how important our LGBT+ employees are. As a business, we are keen to ensure that diversity and equality shines through, and the ‘Pride of GB Railfreight’ helps us in our mission.
