THE NAMEPLATE of a locomotive named in honour of Sir Edward Elgar has been handed over to Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service chiefs.
Lord Faulkner presented Coun Lucy Hodgson with the Elgar nameplate from the British Rail Class 92 dual-voltage electric locomotive numbered 92009, which was built to operate services through the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France.
In his role as co-chair of the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board, Lord Faulkner made the presentation on behalf of the trustees of the National Science Museum.
“I’m delighted to be able to present the Elgar nameplate to the Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service and thrilled it will now be part of a wonderful collection at the Hive that not only celebrates Worcestershire’s great historical past, but also honours the great Sir Edward Elgar,” Lord Faulkner said.
Elgar had four locomotives named after him. The first two were GWR’s steam engines: a Bulldog class numbered 3704, and a Castle class which carried the number 7005. The third was a British Rail Class 50 – 50007.
The Channel Tunnel locomotives, of which 92009 was one of 46, were built between 1992 and 1996 by a consortium of Brush Traction and ABB Traction. Virtually all of them were named after European composers and writers.
The nameplate was selected for designation by the Railway Heritage Committee in 2011, and is statutorily protected under the terms of the Railway Heritage Act 1996.
It was selected for designation in accordance with the agreed criteria; they have to hold particular cultural or historic significance, perpetuate a railway tradition of naming and/or steam-era plates held in the national collection and they also have to commemorate significant people or events in the history of railways.
”It’s a real privilege to receive this nameplate from the National Science Museum and add it to our extensive collection celebrating the county here at the Hive,” Coun Hodgson said.
