A VETERAN steam locomotive has been renamed in honour of nursing pioneers as a tribute to the role of healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 1916-built Illingworth, which runs on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway was renamed after nurses Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, who both cared for British soldiers during the Crimean War.
The locomotive’s owner Simon Middleton said the honouring of Seacole, who was of British-Jamaican heritage, will remind future generations of the ‘contribution and sacrifice that internationally educated and ethnic minority nurses have made during the Covid crisis’.
Professor Greta Westwood of the Florence Nightingale Foundation and Trevor Sterling of the Mary Seacole Trust unveiled the nameplates before joining guests for a ride in Queen Victoria’s saloon and vintage directors’ carriages.
The Embsay and Bolton Abbey heritage steam railway runs a variety of special events throughout the year including a father's day special on June 18. Visit: https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk
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