GB Railfreight (GBRf) formally named Class 57 locomotive 57310 UK Railtours on Saturday, 12 April 2025, during a platform-side ceremony at Southend Central.
The event took place while the charter train Thames Meanderer paused at the station, celebrating 50 years since John Farrow’s first organised rail tour for the Lea Valley Railway Club.
The nameplate was unveiled by UK Railtours Managing Director Liz Morris and former Operations Director Simon Farrow, children of the late John Farrow. John’s widow, Clare Farrow, who owns the charter operator, also attended.
John Farrow founded Hertfordshire Railtours in 1978 and re-established the business as UK Railtours in 2007. While three previous locomotives have carried the Hertfordshire Railtours name, 57310 is the first to bear the UK Railtours brand.
Liz Morris thanked GB Railfreight “for this wonderful gesture” and acknowledged the continued support of customers, industry partners and volunteer stewards. “We look forward to seeing where this journey takes us over the next 50 years and hope to see 57310 UK Railtours leading many of our special trains,” she added.
GB Railfreight Account Manager Kev Adlam noted that dedicating a locomotive during the 50th-anniversary year of John Farrow’s first tour was “only fitting,” describing the locomotive as a tribute both to Farrow’s legacy and to the current UK Railtours team.
Class 57 57310 entered service in 2003 after rebuild from Class 47 donor 47646. The locomotive retains its GM-EMD 12-645F3B power unit and Brush traction equipment, offering 2,580 hp for charter, freight and rescue duties.
Following the naming, 57310 worked the return leg of the Thames Meanderer, which covered routes along the Thames estuary and through south-east London before concluding at London Victoria.
GBRf has been an operating partner for UK Railtours since the charter firm’s relaunch, providing traction for high-profile excursions across the national network.
