Northern train renamed "The Bradfordian" to mark City of Culture
The train has also been covered with images of local landmarks and figures like The Bronte sisters
A TRAIN has been re-named “The Bradfordian” and covered with Bradford themed artwork in celebration of City of Culture.
The Brontë sisters, who grew up in Haworth, feature on a new train vinyl which also includes depictions of local landmarks like Bradford City Hall, Cartwright Hall, Alhambra Theatre and the statue of Bradford playwright J B Priestley.
It also features references to the film, sport and music that adds to the District’s culture.
The new train, which was unveiled at Bradford Forster Square Rail Station on Thursday, will be seen by tens of thousands of people in the coming months as the Class 331 train covers hundreds of miles on a daily basis while travelling across West Yorkshire and as far as Manchester.
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe and Kerry Peters, Regional Director for Northern in Yorkshire, officially unveiled the train’s nameplates.
Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “This is just part of what Northern Rail are doing with Bradford this year. We’ve worked closely with them to introduce new fares that mean people can get between Bradford and Ilkley for just £2.
“We’re already getting a lot of visitors to Loading Bay for the Bill Bailey exhibition and a lot arrive by train.
“When it was the Rise event I was here at Forster Square and you could see hundreds of people coming in by train.”
Mrs Peters said: “The City of Culture celebrations are already putting Bradford on the map and making a real difference to local people by boosting a sense of pride.
“That’s why Northern is committed to promoting these fantastic events, supporting the organisers and providing a warm welcome to everyone who visits the district.
“We hope that passengers who see this artwork will take a moment to reflect on Bradford’s unique history and then look ahead to find an event they can attend later this year.
“This train covers a huge patch, it will be seen all round the North so it will help promote the city and events.”
In May 2023 Northern reduced the number of services running between Bradford and Ilkley and Skipton. When asked about this cut, Mrs Peters said the rout was being partially restored, with two of the services returning to the route from May. Northern also hoped to restore the full service when possible.
Asked if Northern might increase the number of services to and from Bradford, she said: “We regularly review our services and we can add services to reflect capacity. If the need is there we could introduce more services or add longer trains.”
Mayor Brabin said: “Bradford UK City of Culture 2025 is inspiring creative talent from across the city and beyond, attracting more visitors and investment to the region, and driving jobs and growth in our economy.”