At last weekend’s The Greatest Gathering festival held at Alstom’s works in Derby, LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies from across the UK rail industry marched together in the world’s first Pride parade on a train.

Highlighting the railway industry’s proud commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the procession included representatives from various railway-related companies, including Alstom, Angel Trains, AtkinsRéalis, Avanti West Coast, Hitachi Rail, and Transport for London (TfL).

Leading the procession were fierce drag performers: Alexander Garnett-Scherer, Senior Operations Manager at TfL, known as Connie Tactless ‘Mother of Oyster’; Lady Felicia, London Underground train driver Lee Nicholson-Brown, and Medusa Has Been, the ‘newest oldest showgirl in town’.

After parading across the 90-acre train factory site, the colourful procession stopped for a photoshoot in front of Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino No. 390119 Progress, which was unveiled in 2020 as the first train in the UK to be fully wrapped in the progressive Pride flag, before continuing onto the train itself.

Moving on to the 1.6 km-long Test Track, which curves around the site, the marchers boarded an Elizabeth line Class 345 Aventra train No. 345055, which, since 2023, has been adorned with its own ‘trainbow’, making it the perfect vehicle to host the second parade on a train at The Greatest Gathering.

Cheers from the hundreds on board who had witnessed the spectacle greeted a special announcement informing the passengers about the historical significance of the journey.

Organisers had asked for the Pride-liveried units to be on display to showcase the diversity of Britain’s railway industry, and provide a safe, inclusive, and visible space for railfans attending the event.

Other Alstom vehicles carrying a rainbow included East Midland Railway’s Class 158 Express Sprinter No. 158773, West Midlands Railway’s Class 730 Aventra No. 730018 named Hurst Street in honour of Birmingham’s Gay Village, and a CrossCountry Turbostar and Voyager unit. Other vehicles that have displayed a ‘trambow’ include Nottingham Express Transit’s tram No. 213, several Manchester Metrolink trams, and trains operated by other train operators.

Alstom UK and Ireland founded Voices of Pride+, its employee resource group for LGBTQ+ staff and their allies, in 2018, designed empower everyone to be their most authentic self in the workplace. The parade was coordinated by Journey, a not-for-profit organisation for LGBTQ+ professionals working in the transport industry.

“It was magical to be part of the world’s first train-borne Pride event at The Greatest Gathering. It was the result of a collaboration across the UK transport industry through the network of LGBTQ+ networks, Journey. In a climate where LGBTQ+ rights are being eroded both here and abroad, visibility is more important than ever to show that LGBTQ+ people are safe and welcome in our industry, both as colleagues and customers.”

Alstom’s Pippa Armstrong and TfL’s Joe Brown, co-chairs of Journey