LNER NAMEPLATES AUCTION RAISES MORE THAN £40,000 FOR CHARITY

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) nameplates have raised £41,000 for charity, after famous names from the iconic Intercity High Speed Train (HST) fleet attracted interest from around the world at an online auction.

43308 Highland Chieftain proved most popular among enthusiasts, selling for £13,900, with 43300 Craigentinny and one Crest fetching £6,500. Auctioneers claim these are record prices for Class 43 HST nameplates.

The proceeds from the auction will go to LNER partner charity, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), in support of suicide prevention.

David Horne, Managing Director of at LNER, said: “We are delighted these symbols of rail history have generated such interest and raised much needed funds for CALM.

“CALM has seen record demand for its helpline services this year with teams answering more than 70,000 calls and chats since lockdown in March. This money will help support even more people during these uncertain times.”

Seven nameplates were up for auction and all sold:

• 43308 Highland Chieftain - £13,900
• 43300 Craigentinny and one Crest - £6,500
• 43238 National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975-2015 - £6,100
• 43290 MTU Fascination of Power - £4,600
• 43257 Bounds Green - £4,100
• 43274 Spirit of Sunderland - £4,100
• 43208 Lincolnshire Echo - £1,700

The proceeds of the auction will be added to the £230,000 LNER has already raised for CALM since the start of the partnership in October 2018.  The charity works to prevent suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths a day.

Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said: “LNER has been absolutely brilliant championing the CALM cause and raising funds for our vital helpline services. This auction is another example of its generosity.

“A lot has happened over the past eight months and the pandemic has affected our lives in many ways, which is why people are needing CALM and our helpline services more than ever.”

The nameplates, celebrating the heritage of the East Coast route, were auctioned on 14 November 2020 by G.W Railwayana Auctions. Further information can be found at  www.gwra.co.uk