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UK’s first Pride train staffed entirely by LGBTQ+ crew is arriving in Manchester today
Amazing!
The UK’s first Pride train is setting off today, arriving at Manchester Piccadilly this morning.
Avanti West Coast has launched the fully wrapped Pride train, which is staffed entirely by an LGBTQ+ crew on its first official service.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced Pride events to be cancelled all over the country, but in a bid to still fly the flag for the LGBTQ+ community Avanti West Coast decided to wrap one of its trains in the Pride colours.
According to Granada Reports, the train operator adopted the most up to date version of the Pride flag, which includes the addition of brown, black, light blue, pink and white – to represent people of colour, transgender people, as well as those living with or who have been lost to HIV/AIDS.
Avanti West Coast is billing it as the ‘biggest Pride flag the UK has seen on the side of a train’, with all 11 carriages of the 265 metre-long vehicle covered in the flag.
The train will be waved off by Avanti West Coast staff and members of the LGBTQ+ community at London Euston, before arriving up North at our very own Manchester Piccadilly today, Tuesday August 25th.
Avanti West Coast
Avanti West Coast Executive Director – Commercial, Sarah Copley said: “I’m delighted to be launching our new Avanti West Coast Pride Train which represents everyone in the LGBTQ+ community.
“It is a symbol of our commitment to diversity and inclusion as it travels up and down the West Coast Main Line. We Live Proud 365 days a year, not just today.”
She continued: “I am so proud to be a part of a business where our people represent the communities we serve.
“We are always listening to our people and customers to ensure our diversity and inclusion strategy is relevant. Our new train livery is a powerful example of keeping the conversation going”.
The livery is set to become a permanent part of Avanti West Coast’s fleet, and as such the public have the opportunity to name the train, with submissions accepted from today over on the company’s website here.