Train operator Great Western Railway is to name a train in honour of the veteran who has raised more than £29 million for the NHS to mark his 100th birthday.

GWR Intercity Express Train 800025 will pay tribute to Captain Tom Moore and his remarkable fundraising achievements during the Covid-19 crisis.

It is being named in response to requests from both GWR staff and members of the public, re-entering service this Thursday, April 30 – the date of Captain Tom’s 100th birthday.

World War Two veteran Captain Tom, who was stationed in Cornwall during his career, has extended his challenge to 200 laps after he completed the first 100 laps 14 days ahead of schedule.

His initial £1,000 fundraising target was broken in about 24 hours and he has now raised more than £29m for NHS Charities Together.

The fundraising feat was further boosted when his duet of You’ll Never Walk Alone, with musicals legend Michael Ball, reached number in the UK singles chart.

Captain Moore, from Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, joined the British Army in June 1940.

His regiment, the 8th Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, trained in Wadebridge and was tasked with coastal defence against a threatened German invasion. He later served on the frontline in Burma.

Falmouth Packet:

The new GWR train livery honouring Captain Tom Moore

GWR interim managing director Matthew Golton said: “With his indomitable spirit, what Captain Tom has achieved is truly inspirational and an example to us all.

“We at Great Western have a long history of naming trains after Great Westerners, the past and present heroes from across our network, and I am honoured that today we can respond to requests to have a train named after Captain Tom Moore.”

Following government advice against all non-essential travel, GWR is operating a reduced timetable.

The Class 800 Intercity Express Train will carry key workers travelling to and from work on the Great Western network from Thursday.