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Platinum Jubilee: Severn Valley Railway unveils Elizabeth II train

BBC Locomotive Elizabeth being unveiledBBC
Locomotive 34027 has been temporarily named Elizabeth II, with a new number - 70

A heritage railway has unveiled a train in honour of the Queen for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

In a ceremony in Bewdley, Worcestershire, Severn Valley Railway (SVR) revealed Locomotive 34027's temporary new name - Elizabeth II.

The engine has been hand-painted purple, which took "months" to do.

SVR managing director Helen Smith said: "The whole country is coming together to commemorate this occasion and we really wanted to be a part of that."

"A lot of labour has gone into it to make sure it is absolutely perfect," she said.

Ms Smith added that "people who aren't interested that much in railways, really want to come and see it".

Helen Smith
Helen Smith is pleased with the interest in Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II
The railway is offering free travel to anyone named Elizabeth

SVR runs heritage services between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. Earlier, locomotives sounded their whistles as town criers in the boroughs made a special Queen's Platinum Jubilee proclamation.

To mark the jubilee, the railway said it would be offering free travel to anyone named Elizabeth over the weekend.

Presentational grey line

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