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Thursday 7 May 2020

Scotland’s Railway marks 75th Anniversary of VE Day

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Scotland’s biggest train stations will hold a series of events on Friday (May 8) to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allies’ Victory in Europe.

With VE Day events taking place across Britain, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley will hold two-minute silences and wreath laying ceremonies at the stations’ war memorials at 11:00.

At 15:00 train horns will be sounded in the stations followed by lone pipers – Network Rail engineer Darach Urquhart at Central and LNER train manager David Johnston at Waverley – playing ‘When the Battle's Over’.

Network Rail has also commissioned Glasgow-based poet Erin Boyle to produce a piece commemorating WWII, and the pandemic challenge facing the nation today, which will be posted on social media channels on VE Day.

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “Rail had a key role in Britain’s war effort in the 1940s moving troops and materials around the nation.

“Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley would have also played a poignant part in many personal experiences of the war as the point of departure for service personnel travelling south, many for the last time.

“We are determined that, despite the very different challenge the country is facing today, our stations will take a moment to remember the sacrifices made on our behalf 75 years ago.”