World’s first train-borne Pride parade took place at Derby railway festival

The Greatest Gathering festival in Derby hosted the world's first train-bourne Pride parade in an event co-ordinated by Journey; a not-for-profit organisation for LGBTQ+ professionals working in the transport sector. Held during the first weekend in August, Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering festival – the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern trains – featured a procession showcasing the rail’s proud commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Copyright: ALSTOM SA 2024. Alexander Qureitem

Those marching across Derby Litchurch Lane Works represented various railway-related companies including Alstom, Angel Trains, AtkinsRéalis, Avanti West Coast, Hitachi Rail and Transport for London (TfL). They were led by drag performers: Alexander Garnett-Scherer, Senior Operations Manager at TfL – known as Connie Tactless ‘Mother of Oyster’; Lee Nicholson-Brown, London Underground train driver – aka Lady Felicia; and Medusa Has Been, described as the ‘newest oldest showgirl in town’.

Organisers asked for two Pride-liveried units to be on display at The Greatest Gathering as part of the Pride parade which took place on the afternoon of Saturday 2nd August. The first was Avanti West Coast’s Pride Pendolino No. 390119 ‘Progress’, which when unveiled in 2020, was the first train in the UK to be fully wrapped in the progressive Pride flag.

This train was met after a procession across the 90-acre train factory site, before the procession then continued onboard the train itself. The parade then moved towards the 1.6km-long Test Track around Alstom’s Derby site where further trains were boarded including London Elizabeth line’s No. 345055, which has carried a ‘trainbow’ since 2023, making it the perfect unit to host the second leg of the Pride parade on train.

Alstom’s Pippa Armstrong and TfL’s Joe Brown, Co-Chairs of Journey said: “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.”

They added: “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.”