Somerset Poppy Train 

Several train stations in Somerset will welcome the arrival of a 'Poppy Train' to transport wreaths to London for remembrance weekend.  Six trains will work to collect over 200 wreaths from GWR stations ahead of the London service on Friday, November 10.  The Great Western Railway service will mark 70 years since the end of the Korean War, remembering particularly personnel of the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Royal Fusiliers, who were involved in some of the heaviest fighting.  Taunton Railway Station will be the first of the Somerset stops for the Poppy Train, which is expected to arrive in the town at 7:24 a.m. on Friday, November 10. 

The train will then travel north through Sedgemoor and into North Somerset before diverting towards London Paddington Station.  It will make stops to collect wreaths at the following Somerset stations:

• Bridgwater - 7:35 am
• Highbridge & Burnham - 7:42 am
• Weston-Super-Mare - 7:55 am
• Weston Milton - 7:59 am
• Worle - 8:03 am
• Yatton - 8:09 am
• Nailsea & Backwell 8:15 am

Planned engineering work preventing trains from running between Penzance and Plymouth, will be mitigated by support from a Royal Navy helicopter, and a bus to collect wreaths from stations through the region and carry them to Plymouth.  Danny Greeno, CEO of The Veterans Charity, said:  “We are very proud to have wonderful support from GWR for this Remembrance initiative which is now in its fourth year.  "Poppies To Paddington will once again be hugely poignant, paying respects to the fallen.  "Thanks to great support from the military and railway communities, wreaths are still able to complete their journey from across the South-West to Paddington to form the backdrop to the annual Remembrance service on Platform 1.  “Bringing communities, service personnel and Veterans together to remember in this special way is so important to ensure the sacrifices of the fallen are never forgotten.

The RGBW Association County Chairman for Somerset will be at Highbridge Train Station to present a Gloster Poppy Wreath to commemorate the return of our Imjin heroes from the Chinese prison camps 70 years ago.  It would be greatly appreciated if any other Association members could be in attendance at any of the stations listed at the stated time to meet/greet the train,  “By our deeds we are known”

Yours aye

Martin Talling

County Chairman