21.04.16
Railway stations celebrate Queen’s birthday
As the Queen celebrates her real birthday today, railway stations across the country have announced plans to host celebrations of her official birthday in June.
The Queen was born 90 years ago today, but traditionally also has an official birthday, marked by the Trooping of the Colour on 11 June.
To celebrate, the Station to Station Queen’s Celebration event will run from 10 to 12 June, with stations hosting events including community markets, carnivals and concerts.
Maggie Philbin, BBC Tomorrow’s World presenter and a partner with Network Rail to encourage girls to pursue tech careers, said: “As someone who spends half her life on trains, I'm delighted to see the enthusiasm with which the rail industry has embraced HM The Queen's 90th birthday celebrations.
“Stations should be all about community, so to see all these stations come together in so many imaginative ways is quite thrilling. As many in the industry will know, I'm keen to raise awareness of all the opportunities that exist for young people in rail and here's hoping that one of the legacies of these celebrations will be that more recognise and seize the opportunity for an exciting and varied career.”
It was also announced this year that Crossrail will be named the Elizabeth Line in honour of the Queen.
Station to Station is supported by institutions including the National Skills Academy for Rail, RTM, the Rail Delivery Group and Women in Rail.
As part of the celebrations, CrossCountry trains are giving away goody bags and Virgin and East Midland are showcasing their partnership with the Mental Health Foundation.
To find Station to Station events near you, click here.
(Image c. Anthony Devlin from PA Wire/ Press Association Images)