Trainbow
{{Short description|LGBT marketing concept by train operating companies}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}File:AWC's Progress train 390119 (Trainbow) at Coventry station, June 2023.jpg Progress train.]]
Trainbow is the nickname that is given to the LGBT marketing concept by train operating companies, initially in the United Kingdom, to cover their trains and carriages in rainbows or pride flags. The word is a portmanteau of the words "train" and "rainbow".
History
The trainbow was started by Transport for London in June 2015 by decorating two DLR B92 trains for Pride in London, after previously doing it on a Routemaster bus and a London taxi under the phase "Ride with Pride".{{Cite web |date=2015-06-23 |title=DLR Train Turns All The Colours Of The Rainbow |url=https://londonist.com/2015/06/dlr-train-turns-all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=Londonist |language=en}} After the success of the interest in rainbow-decorated light rail carriages, other train operating companies started decorating trains in rainbow colours and LGBT symbols, notably starting in 2018. Later, the hashtag #trainbow came out on Twitter as a reference to these rainbow coloured trains.
File:801226 NTR 20241113.jpg "Azuma" No.801226 in Pride Together livery at Northallerton in November 2024.]]
Notable trainbows include a GWR Class 800 IET Alan Turing, serial number 800008, which has rainbow stripes on the front,{{Cite web |date=2022-05-26 |title=GWR honours WWII codebreaker Alan Turing and unveils new 'Trainbow' livery |url=https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-honours-wwii-codebreaker-alan-turing-and-unveils-new-trainbow-livery |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=GWR News |language=en-GB}} the Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino Progress, serial number 390119, the first one that is covered from end-to-end in pride colours,{{Cite web |date=2020-08-25 |title=Avanti West Coast launches the UK's first fully wrapped Pride train staffed by all LGBTQ+ crew |url=https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/news/avanti-west-coast-launches-the-uks-first-fully-wrapped-pride-train-staffed-by-all-lgbtq-crew |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=Avanti West Coast News |language=en-GB}} and the LNER Class 801 Azuma Together, serial number 801226, which has multiple stripes based on various pride flags.{{Cite web |last=Mansfield |first=Ian |date=2023-06-02 |title=LNER introduces Azuma Train in a celebration of Pride |url=https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/lner-introduces-azuma-train-in-a-celebration-of-pride-63195/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=ianVisits |language=en-GB}}
File:Thameslink Class 700 155 at Peterborough.jpg's trainbow-liveried Class 700]]
{{As of|2024|May}}, the only British train operating companies (TOCs) that have not had trainbows are: Northern, Transport for Wales Rail, Hull Trains, Merseyrail, Grand Central, Caledonian Sleeper and Eurostar. When enquired, TfW Rail has said it has no plans to introduce trainbows on its train in the near future. {{Cite tweet |number=1750520145498312727 |user=tfwrail |title=Hi Philippe, I've been informed that we do not have any current plans for a trainbow livery. We have given this consideration in the past, but from engaging with colleagues we decided to move in a different direction (1/2) |first= |last=TfW Rail |date=25 January 2024 |access-date=2 February 2024 |ref=}} In May 2024, West Midlands Trains decorated a Class 730 Aventra (serial number 730018), {{Cite tweet |number=1793664039190495296 |user=WestMidRailway |title=🌈🚆 Say 'Hey girl, hey!' to 'Hurst Street'! 🏳🌈 Our 2024 Pride train, named after the ♥ of Birmingham's Gay Village & the very first of our 'Landmark Class' 730 fleet! ✨ Joining us in Birmingham this weekend for Pride? Make sure to take a selfie & tag us! #BirminghamPride |last=West Midlands Railway |date=23 May 2024 |access-date=23 May 2024}} while Cross Country introduced a trainbow on one of its Class 220 Voyager (serial number 220005) and a Class 170 Turbostar (serial number 170618) as part of Birmingham Pride. {{Cite web |last=RailUK-admin |date=2024-05-23 |title=CrossCountry takes pride in supporting LGBT+ communities |url=https://railuk.com/rolling-stock/crosscountry-takes-pride-in-supporting-lgbt-communities/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Rail UK |language=en-US}}
Trainbows have since expanded to other nations, starting in 2019, when France's SNCF wrapped a TGV inOui Euroduplex locomotive in rainbow colours to celebrate 50 years of Pride.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-06 |title=Un TGV arc-en-ciel circule en France pour célébrer le mois des fiertés |trans-title=A rainbow TGV goes around France to celebrate a month of Pride. |url=https://www.rtl.fr/actu/debats-societe/mois-lgbt-la-sncf-met-en-service-un-tgv-arc-en-ciel-7797785324 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=www.rtl.fr |language=fr-FR}} In June 2022, as part of the celebration of Dublin Pride, Ireland's Iarnród Éireann wrapped a CIÉ 8100 Class DART commuter train (serial number 8315). {{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Proinsias |date=2022-06-20 |title=Iarnród Éireann and NTA Wrap DART Carriages in Rainbow Colours to Celebrate Dublin Pride 2022 |url=https://www.transportforireland.ie/news/iarnrod-eireann-and-nta-wrap-dart-carriages-in-rainbow-colours-to-celebrate-dublin-pride-2022/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=Transport for Ireland |language=en-US}} In Belgium, in June 2023, a number of SNCB carriages of a SNCB Class 08 Desiro (serial number AM08 8586), had rainbow wrappings celebrating IDAHOBIT and {{ill|Brussels Pride|nl|Brussels Pride - The Belgian & European Pride}}.{{Cite web |last=Belga |date=2024-01-22 |title=La SNCB met un train arc-en-ciel sur les rails en signe de lutte contre l'homophobie |trans-title=SNCB put out a rainbow train to signal the struggle against homophobia |url=https://www.lavenir.net/actu/belgique/2023/05/17/la-sncb-met-un-train-arc-en-ciel-sur-les-rails-en-signe-de-lutte-contre-lhomophobie-XVDZNRF3KRCKPE4RBJBUNU5Q4U/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122193412/https://www.lavenir.net/actu/belgique/2023/05/17/la-sncb-met-un-train-arc-en-ciel-sur-les-rails-en-signe-de-lutte-contre-lhomophobie-XVDZNRF3KRCKPE4RBJBUNU5Q4U/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=lavenir.net |language=fr |archive-date=2024-01-22 }}{{Cite web |last=Timothy |date=2023-05-17 |title=NMBS / SNCB dons train in rainbow colours for pride |url=https://tripbytrip.org/2023/05/17/nmbs-sncb-dons-train-in-rainbow-colours-for-pride/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Trip By Trip |language=en}}
Germany has a number of trains which have been wrapped with rainbow decals. It first started in July 2021 with an ICE 3 nicknamed Rainbow Train (serial number 403 504-4), having its famous red stripe replaced with a rainbow stripe to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Deutsche Bahn's LGBT+ employee network, railbow.{{Cite web |title=Que(e)r durch Deutschland: DB setzt mit Regenbogen-ICE Zeichen für Vielfalt und Toleranz |trans-title=Que(e)r through Germany: DB sets an example for diversity and tolerance with a rainbow ICE. |url=https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/presse/pressestart_zentrales_uebersicht/Que-e-r-durch-Deutschland-DB-setzt-mit-Regenbogen-ICE-Zeichen-fuer-Vielfalt-und-Toleranz-6867072 |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Deutsche Bahn |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-28 |title="Deutlich machen, wofür man steht" – Bahn beklebt ICE in Regenbogenfarben |trans-title=“Make it clear what you stand for” – Deutsche Bahn puts rainbow colours on a ICE |url=https://www.stern.de/reise/regenbogen-ice--zug-der-deutschen-bahn-wirbt-fuer-toleranz_30609636-30609538.html |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Stern.de |language=de}}
File:DB-423 Regenbogen.jpg Class 423]]
Trainbows were immortalised in miniature form in August 2023 when Hornby Railways began selling a miniature version of the GWR's Alan Turing train.{{Cite web |title=Hornby R3872 GWR, Class 800, Trainbow Train Pack - Era 11 :: Railway Models UK |url=https://railwaymodels.uk/product-hornby-r3872-gwr-class-800-trainbow-train-pack-era-11 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=railwaymodels.uk}}
While NI Railways wrapped two NIR Class 3000 units with trainbows (serial numbers 3006 and 3021) in April 2020, they are dedicated to the local health service instead of LGBT causes as part of a COVID-19-related marketing campaign called #ChaseTheRainbow.{{Cite journal |last=Conway |first=Gail |date=2020-04-22 |title=Transport company in NI spreads positivity in pandemic |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2020/0422/1134105-trainbows-covid-19/ |journal=RTÉ News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=RailUK |date=2020-04-20 |title=Translink releases two large Trainbows onto the Northern Ireland network |url=https://railuk.com/rail-news/translink-releases-two-large-trainbows-onto-the-northern-ireland-network/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Rail UK |language=en-US}}
Trainbow units
Influence on other transport
Since the creation of trainbows, other forms of transport in the UK, including regional buses,{{Cite web |title=New Pride bus takes to the road |url=https://www.wearebarnsley.com/news/15526/new-pride-bus-takes-to-the-road |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=We Are Barnsley |language=en}} {{Citation |last=Gilbert |first=Barrie |title=Diversity |date=2023-04-23 |work=Flickr |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129716166@N03/52935448726/ |access-date=2024-05-15}} and even a Loganair Embraer 145 plane, have marked Pride.{{Cite web |title=Loganair's Pride Jet flying the flag for the LGBTQIA+ community |url=https://www.loganair.co.uk/our-story/latest-news/2023/loganair-s-pride-jet-flying-the-flag-for-the-lgbtqia-community/ |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=Loganair |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Velani |first=Bhavya |date=2023-06-16 |title=Loganair Unveils UK's First Ever New Pride Jet for LGBTQ Community |url=https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2023/06/16/loganair-unveils-uks-first-ever-new-pride-jet-for-lgbtq-community/ |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=Aviation A2Z |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{Commons|Category:Trainbows}}
External links
- [https://www.thetrainline.com/via/europe/uk/trainbow-pride-trains Trainline - Trainbows: the Pride rainbow trains of 2020]
- [https://theprogresstrain.co.uk/trainbow-tracker/ The Progress Train - Trainbow Tracker]
- Dunn, Tim [https://timdunnportfolio.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/062-064_mr_july-2022_lgbt_trainbows.pdf Why trainbows matter] Modern Railways - July 2022
Category:Rail transport in the United Kingdom
Category:Passenger rail transport in France
Category:Rail transport in Belgium