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Valour Naming 11 November 2003
A locomotive belonging to rail freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf) was today named ‘Valour’, at a special service to honour the dead of two world wars.In a simple but poignant ceremony at the site of Sheffield’s former Victoria station, GBRf General Manager Ward Simpson unveiled locomotive 66715 in front of invited guests, including the Very Reverend Peter Bradley, Dean of Sheffield.
Earlier, the Dean had rededicated a newly restored First World War memorial to the memory of 1304 employees of The Great Central Railway Company.
The original ‘Valour’ was a steam locomotive belonging to the Great Central Railway, named in honour of those who died in the First World War. It entered service in 1920 and was withdrawn in 1947.
Today’s ceremony was a joint initiative between GBRf, the Great Central Railway Society and the Royal Victoria Holiday Inn Sheffield.
Commenting on the naming, GBRf’s Ward Simpson said: “It is a great honour to be associated with this event and to have a locomotive bearing such an historic and illustrious name.”
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Notes to editors: This release was issued on behalf of GB Railfreight by Woodhouse Communications; for further information call 01444 473588.
