Avanti West Coast's climate train will be known as 'Opportunity' following a nationwide search for a worthy name.
A competition was launched on social media last October after the train was wrapped in a unique design championing rail travel as part of Avanti West Coast's partnership with Eurostar to transport delegates attending the COP26 Climate Change Conference between Amsterdam and Glasgow. Opportunity is wrapped in a unique design with slogans including "Our planet means the world to us" and "Ride against climate change".
The successful name suggestion was put forward by 18-year-old Kyla Louise Poulton - while the contest to design Opportunity's emblem design was won by Luca Fazakerley, 10, from Grassendale. Kyla said: "The name was an idea I had after talking to my friends. We knew about the Progress train name, so I wanted to come up with a name that was on a similar line to that so that they were linked in some way.
"I just thought about how I see the future of transport is being changed by climate change and how trains represent an opportunity to provide low emission transport services. It's just very cool to have your chosen name on a train because I use them so much.”
Luca added: “I just couldn't believe it when I was told I won the competition. When I see the train out on the line with my picture on it, I’ll be like: ‘I made that. That’s mine.'"
The pair were each presented with 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 to commit to working collaboratively to use Opportunity as a trial train to continually reduce the carbon impact of the Pendolino fleet and in turn the West Coast Main Line to provide a sustainable, safe, as well as an attractive transport journey for passengers.
The announcement comes as Avanti West Coast hosts its Sustainability Week, which is designed to share stories internally and externally about the intercity operator’s efforts to make rail travel greener – recognising initiatives it has delivered over the last 12 months and how it plans to build on these.
Head of Sustainability at Avanti West Coast, Gareth Williams, said: “Kyla couldn’t have picked a more fitting name and Luca’s emblem looks fantastic. Opportunity showcases our commitment to climate change and protecting our planet.
"As the train travels up and down the West Coast Main Line it will provide a constant reminder that we can all do more to reduce our carbon emissions and one simple step could be taking the train, as a low carbon form of transport, to ride against climate change.”
