The team at East Midlands Railway were one of a number of Train Operating Companies to join the expanded event in 2021, following on from the first event by of The Veterans Charity to keep remembrance on track through the pandemic in 2020.
Several options were suggested to EMR about how they could participate and their team immediately saw the value and set about creating their own versions or creating new options
The team cover pretty much west coast to east coast in the Midlands and have a strong Community Railway team who have set about engaging with their neighbours young and old, with planting schemes such as the Ribbon of Poppies ™, creating art work, storytelling events, to this year a special poem, set to a most moving video, called “It took every soldier”.
Soldiers line up at the station
Soon to fight for their nation
Wheels greased and engines fired
Duckling carriages warned of mire
All in uniform, harsh and stiff
Polished boots, new leather, no give
What awaits they do not know
Only to defeat the foe
Soldiers line up at the station
Soon to fight for their nation
Glancing up and down the line
All this will end by Christmas time
The train begins to pull away
Oh, how she wishes he could stay
No letter, no whisper, no sign of return
Heart for her hero begins to yearn
Soldiers line up at the station
Soon to fight for their nation
Hissing engines, coaches sway
Taking soldiers on their way
King and Country, proud to serve
But wartime is a learning curve
Flag-waving children watch in awe
They can’t understand the truth of war
Soldiers line up at the station
Soon to fight for their nation
While young men go to join platoons
This platform fills with children soon
“Mummy, where did daddy go?
Are we going to get him?” “No.”
Families divided by sorrowful partings
To mobilise, evacuate. Wartime starting
Brings fears unknown and country life
Far from bombs, but not from strife
Soldiers line up at the station
Soon to fight for their nation
“Last time I was here was with our Peggy
Getting the Sunday train to Skeggy.”
“How do you think it’ll be when we arrive?
You don’t think there’s a chance we won’t
come back alive?”
“Nah, mate, over by Christmas, we’ll be fine.
You’ll be back on the train to the seaside next
summer, having a lovely time.”
Soldiers lined up at the station
Humans, machines; all fought for this nation
For families ripped apart by war
The railway station: the guardian’s door.
