Media Centre

Vikings invade Liverpool Street to launch National Express support for Armed Forces Day

11 Jun 2010

Serving members of 1st Battalion The  Royal Anglian Regiment - ‘The Vikings’, invaded Liverpool Street station in the heart of the City of London on 10 June to launch National Express’s support for Armed Forces Day.

National Express train companies, National Express East Anglia (NXEA) and c2c are offering serving members and veterans of the three armed forces, The Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy up to 1,500 complimentary train tickets for travel to an Armed Forces Day event later this month in the East Anglia region where both NXEA and c2c operate train services. Events are taking place in towns and cities across the region including, Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge, Canvey Island, Chingford, Cromer, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Norwich and Southend-on-Sea. 

The Royal Anglians have established close links with National Express and one of NXEA’s Class 90 locomotives is named ‘Royal Anglian Regiment’, and fittingly ‘The Vikings’ officially launched the Armed Forces Day ticket offer at Liverpool Street against the backdrop of the ‘Royal Anglian Regiment’ locomotive.

The locomotive is part of the fleet operating NXEA Intercity train services between Norwich and London and proudly carries the Regiment’s crest with the nameplates which were rededicated in a ceremony at Liverpool Street in November 2007 to mark 1 Royal Anglian return from their tour of Afghanistan.

The ticket offer is being promoted on the Armed Forces Day website at: www.armedforcesday.org.uk and serving personnel and veterans can register for a ticket at: www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/forcesday or www.c2c-online.co.uk/forcesday

Armed Forces Day on Saturday 26 June is an annual opportunity for the nation to ‘Show Your Support’ for the men and women of the Armed Forces community, which includes serving personnel and their families, veterans and the Cadet Forces. The day aims to raise awareness of and support for the Armed Forces community and highlight the outstanding contribution they make to this country.  People across the UK will have the chance to celebrate the achievements of British servicemen and women past, present and future.

Major Stuart Smith, Officer Commanding A Company 1 Royal Anglian said: “Knowing that the British public supported us on the last tour of Afghanistan was a great boost to our morale.  Armed Forces Day on Saturday 26 June is the epitome of that support and we want to thank everyone that shows their support and especially to National Express for making it a special day for us.”

Andrew Chivers, Managing Director of NXEA said: “I was delighted to welcome 1 Royal Anglian to Liverpool Street station. National Express is proud to support Armed Forces Day across all our businesses and in the East Anglia region through our NXEA and c2c train companies we have developed strong links with the Regiment, so I am especially grateful that The Vikings could join us to launch our ticket offer, making it easier for both serving members of the armed forces and veterans to attend an Armed Forces Day event in the region.”