South Western Railway (SWR) has joined forces with The Rest is History’s Tom Holland to name a train after Athelstan, the first King of England.
In a ceremony at Kingston station on Friday 4 September, the globally acclaimed podcaster and historian unveiled the new King Athelstan name on one SWR’s Class 450 trains, flanked by Saxon warriors. The day marked the 1,100-year anniversary of the coronation of King Athelstan on 4 September 925 in Kingston upon Thames.
While less widely known than successors such as William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I, in 2021 The Rest is History declared him England’s greatest monarch following a public poll.
SWR is the only train operator to serve Kingston upon Thames, where Athelstan and six other Saxon kings were crowned.
The event on Platform 1 saw local children from the King Athelstan Primary School donning crowns as well as a choral performance by the Tiffin School.
Sir Ed Davey, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, and Cllr Noel Hadjimichael, the Mayor of Kingston, joined Tom Holland with tributes on behalf of the town and borough. The Bishop of Kingston, Martin Gainsborough, blessed the train to conclude the ceremony.
Tom Holland commented: “Who better to have a train named after him than Athelstan, the great Anglo-Saxon king who first set England on track to becoming a united kingdom?”
Peter Williams, customer and commercial director at South Western Railway, commented:
“It’s a privilege to have Tom Holland unveil the newly named King Athelstan train. Few people have done more to bring the story of England’s first king to new audiences.
“As it travels around the network, we hope our train will inspire customers to discover more about Athelstan’s reign, and his coronation in Kingston 1,100 years ago.
“As the only operator serving Kingston, we wanted be part of marking this special anniversary — commemorating the town’s remarkable history, as well as celebrating its present and future.”
Sir Ed Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, commented:
“When we were planning on the sorts of things we might do to celebrate Kingston 2025, I don’t think any of us envisaged the dedication of a train. It’s a little unusual but absolutely in the spirit of the occasion and I’ve been delighted to be a part of today.”
King Athelstan was the grandson of Alfred the Great, whose coronation at Kingston preceded his unification of England as Rex Anglorum, King of the English.
Friday’s ceremony was part of wider ‘Kingston 2025’ celebrations for the anniversary. Later in the day, commemorations continued at All Saints Church, the site of the coronation.
Also present at the ceremony were the Mayor of Malmesbury, where Athelstan is buried, and the Mayor of Oldenburg in Germany, which is twinned with Kingston.
Image credit: South Western Railway
