Avanti West Coast’s climate train will be known as “Opportunity” after a nationwide search for a worthy name.
Last October, a competition was launched on social media after the train was given a unique design as part of Avanti West Coast’s partnership with Eurostar to transport delegates to the COP26 climate change conference between Amsterdam and Glasgow. Opportunity is wrapped in a unique design with slogans like “Our planet means the world to us” and “Ride on climate change”.
The successful name proposal was submitted by 18-year-old Kyla Louise Poulton – while Opportunity’s emblem design competition was won by Luca Fazakerley, 10, of Grassendale. Kyla said: “The name was an idea I had after talking to my friends. We knew about the name of the Progress train, so I wanted to come up with a name that was on a similar line to this one so that they were connected in some way.
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“I was just thinking about how I see the future of transport being changed by climate change and how trains are a way to offer low-emission transport services. It’s just really cool to have your chosen name on a train because I use it so often. ”
Luca added: “I just couldn’t believe it when I was told I had won the competition. When I see the train with my picture on it on the track, I think, ‘I did that. This is mine.’”
The two each received their own replica nameplates and the original will be attached to the train in the coming weeks.
Avanti West Coast, Alstom and Angel Trains have also recently signed an agreement in which they commit to work together to use Opportunity as an experimental train to continuously reduce the CO2 emissions of the Pendolino fleet and in return the West Coast Main Line sustainable and safe, as well as an attractive transport journey for the passengers.
The announcement comes as Avanti West Coast hosts its Sustainability Week, designed to share stories internally and externally about the intercity operator’s efforts to make rail travel greener – and to recognize initiatives it has implemented over the past 12 months has and how he intends to build upon it.
Gareth Williams, Head of Sustainability at Avanti West Coast, said: “Kyla couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate name and Luca’s emblem looks fantastic. Opportunity shows our commitment to climate change and protecting our planet.
“As the train travels up and down the West Coast Main Line, it will constantly remind us that we can all do more to reduce our carbon emissions and one simple step could be to use the train as a low-carbon mode of transport driving against climate change”.
