Great Western Railway (GWR) is naming one of its trains after veteran fundraiser Captain Tom Moore to mark his 100th birthday tomorrow (April 30).
Captain Tom, who has raised more than £29million for the NHS by walking laps of his garden, will have his name on GWR's Intercity Express Train 800025.
The train was named after calls from GWR staff and members of the public, according to the train operator, and will be re-entering service on Thursday.
The veteran from Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, who was stationed in Cornwall during his career, has extended his challenge to 200 laps after he completed the first 100 laps 14 days ahead of schedule.
He originally hoped to raise £1,000 before his 100th birthday, but his pledge went viral and more than one million people donated to his JustGiving page for NHS Charities Together.
GWR Interim managing director Matthew Golton said: “With his indomitable spirit what Captain Tom has achieved is truly inspirational, and an example to us all.
“We at Great Western have a long history of naming trains after Great Westerners, the past and present heroes from across our network, and I am honoured that we can respond to requests to have a train named after Captain Tom Moore.”
The train will carry key workers travelling to and from work on the Great Western network when it goes into service tomorrow.
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Captain Tom, who is originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, joined the British Army in June 1940.
His regiment – the 8th Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment – trained in Wadebridge, Cornwall, tasked with coastal defence against a threatened German invasion. He later served on the frontline in Burma.
Captain Tom has received praise from the Royal Family, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other famous faces, and there have been calls for him to be given a knighthood.
He has also recorded a duet of You’ll Never Walk Alone with singer Michael Ball, which has reached number one in the 海角视频 charts.