Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis receives locomotive honour - BBC News

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The locomotive was unveiled by Michael Eavis at Paddington station, London

A locomotive has been named after Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis to honour his work in creating the famous arts event.

A brass plate with his name and the festival logo was unveiled on the First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) locomotive earlier.

During the festival period 50 extra trains are laid on to and from Castle Cary, the nearest station to the festival site in Pilton.
The Eavis locomotive will run between London, South Wales and the South West.

FGW's managing director Mark Hopwood said: "I know Michael is a keen supporter of the railways, and when you consider the number of places this will pass through, it is safe to say thousands more will see the high regard in which he is held across the South West."

During the festival period, some 15,000 festival-goers arrive by train.

The ceremony was held at Paddington Station, London.

Anyone out there know which Class 43 this is?

[Ollie]

43026

[chrisr_75]

What on earth is Mr Eavis wearing?! 

[ChrisB]

Shorts. Can't remember the last time he was seen in long trousers

[JayMac]

43026

Cheers Ollie. 

[grahame]

From The Breeze

Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis will today have a new Intercity Express Train named after him after being nominated in a poll of 100 Great Westerners.

Castle Cary station, the transport hub responsible for taking thousands of people to and from the festival site, will also receive a new dedication as  ‘Castle Cary, Station of the Glastonbury Festival’.

The train will carry the name Michael Eavis and the logo of the Glastonbury Festival.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Sales and Marketing Director Phil Delaney said: "I know Michael is a keen supporter of the railways, and when you consider the number of places this will pass through, it is safe to say thousands more will see the high regard in which he is held across the South West.

 "Great Western provides over 50 extra trains to and from Castle Cary to help Glastonbury travellers attend the festival, carrying as many as 15,000 festival goers.

[ChrisB]

I bet Hitachi are really looking forward to a muddy Glastonbury :-)

[PhilWakely]

I bet Hitachi are really looking forward to a muddy Glastonbury :-)

May just be wibble, but I heard that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were retaining 'one or two full HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets for events such as Glastonbury'

[Pb_devon]

Did no one else spot the word for word repeat sentence in the press releases 4 years apart!

[grahame]

Did no one else spot the word for word repeat sentence in the press releases 4 years apart!

Funnily enough, I re-activated the old thread because it seemed so similar to the earlier naming.  I'll admit I had not read back line for line to note that Phil Delaney had said exactly the same words in 2019 that Mark Hopwood said in 2015.   Modern databases of standard cut and paste sound bites are wonderful, aren't they!

[bobm]

Well... there is an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) named after him - but he didn't get the chance to name it.

The plan was he would officially christen it when the 05:41 from Penzance stopped at Castle Cary at 09:40 this morning.  However a problem with the set for the 05:05 from Penzance meant a last minute swap and so the named train passed through Castle Cary at speed about 08:40 on the up Golden Hind.

However he did receive a picture of "his" train.

[JayMac]

Couldn't they have set up the free standing curtains on the platform edge and got Mr Eavis to pull the cord as 'his' train sped through Castle Cary?

Slow the train a bit, good timing and a fast shutter speed, and it may have been possible to get the photo opportunity as if the train were stationary.
 
I also thought that if the vinyl name hadn't yet been applied they could have got a magnetic-backed one and thrown it at the passing train. But then I remembered the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) bodies are non-ferrous aluminium.

[bobm]

He wasn't even there at that point!   He did thank GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) for the honour - but pointed out they had probably had a fair few tonnes of his good quality top soil swept up off their trains for use in station planters.

I was at Castle Cary from 07:20 until nearly 10:00 and it was bitterly cold.  Mr Eavis is obviously made of stronger stuff - he was there in his trademark shorts.

[bobm]

Slow the train a bit, good timing and a fast shutter speed, and it may have been possible to get the photo opportunity as if the train were stationary.

One of the photographers who regularly submits pictures to the railway press did manage to catch the name as the Golden Hind passed - although he didn't realise it until he was asked to have a look!

[paul7575]

I bet Hitachi are really looking forward to a muddy Glastonbury :-)

May just be wibble, but I heard that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were retaining 'one or two full HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets for events such as Glastonbury'

This has been suggested a few times in the wnxx and railuk forums, and each time a GWR insider (who posts in both) has quickly replied that it is most definitely wibble...

Paul