A special service was held at the National Railway Museum, York, on 23 March as part of a series of events to mark the third anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown.
Other services were held at stations, offices and depots across the country, including Birmingham Moor Street, Glasgow Central, Manchester Piccadilly, London Waterloo and King’s Cross. They celebrated the role rail staff played in enabling key workers and goods to move around the country, and remembered those in the industry who lost their lives to the virus.
Network Rail Chair Lord Hendy and Chief Executive Andrew Haines were at the event in York. Lord Hendy unveiled a special plaque dedicated to rail staff who served the country during the pandemic.
He said: ‘The memorial service was an opportunity to pay tribute to the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of our staff and to acknowledge their key role in keeping the country moving during the pandemic. I have been humbled by the stories of loss suffered by individuals and their families across the railway industry and we should never forget their sacrifice.’
It was organised by the Railway Mission and was the brainchild of the charity’s executive director Liam Johnston and British Transport Police Director of People and Culture Rachael Etebar.
