Sir Bobby Robson honoured

Tuesday, 29/03/2011

A high-speed locomotive was today named ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ in memory of the former England and Newcastle United manager.

Sir Bobby’s widow, Lady Elsie Robson, and former England and Newcastle captain, Alan Shearer, performed the train-naming along with Elaine Holt, Chairman of East Coast.

The ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ Class 91 electric locomotive features specially-commissioned, cast-iron nameplates - and is almost certain to be used to take Newcastle fans on their travels to away games.

Sir Bobby was a regular train traveller between the North East and London, and was loved by many of East Coast's staff at Durham and Newcastle stations.

East Coast is pledging its support for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the cancer charity set up by Sir Bobby in 2008.

Alan Shearer, a patron of the Foundation, said: “I’m sure that Sir Bobby would be very proud to see his name and legacy continued ithis very fitting and special way.

“I am a regular traveller on East Coast trains and I’m looking forward to the day when the locomotive on front of the train I’m on is the ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ locomotive... I think he would find it very amusing pulling Alan Shearer all the way to London at 125 miles per hour!”

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has now raised over £2.5m to help find more effective treatments for cancer.

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