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Loco naming honours Battle of Britain

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One of East Coast’s record-breaking locomotives, 91110, will be named ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’ on 2nd June.

The RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight preserves fully operational Spitfires, Hurricanes and several bombers.

The loco naming will be staged under a fly past at York at the start of the Railfest 2012 celebration organised by the National Railway Museum. Carol Vorderman will conduct the ceremony.

The locomotive will carry a specially-designed livery featuring the planes and insignia of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAF BBMF).

91110 achieved a national speed record for electric trains at Stoke Bank, north of Peterborough, on 17 September 1989, a record which stands to this day.

Says Carol Vorderman, ‘It would be a privilege to be asked to name any train. But to be asked to unveil this particular East Coast locomotive, named ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’, is a deeply moving honour.

‘I’ve been a friend and supporter of the RAF BBMF for a long time, and I’m thrilled to be invited to carry out this important ceremony. It’s firmly in my diary and I am very much looking forward to being part of such a landmark event.’

East Coast’s Director of Communications Paul Emberley said, ‘Our named and liveried locomotive will be an ambassador for the RAF BBMF, and everything it stands for, along the East Coast Main Line between London, Leeds, York and Edinburgh.

‘Bestowing the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight name on this electric locomotive is highly appropriate, and the commemorative plates kindly donated by the National Railway Museum will continue to emphasise the power and prestige of the East Coast route, just as Sir Nigel Gresley’s streamlined locomotive ‘Mallard’ did in the steam age.’

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