Two war memorial plaques honouring railway workers who served during the First and Second World Wars have returned to London Euston, more than two decades after they had been removed.
The plaques have been installed on the main concourse, giving passengers and staff a place to pause and remember the 24 railwaymen whose names they recall.
The return of the plaques follows a collaborative effort by Network Rail, Avanti West Coast and the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens, after Tracey Fisher, archive and historic records director for Intact Insurance, had contacted railway staff about bringing the memorials back to Euston.
The Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens had looked after the plaques while they were away from the station, but thanks to Tracey and railway staff they have now returned to their railway home and been reunited with other commemorative plaques.
Among those remembered is Richard Jonathan ‘Dick’ Woodgate, who worked as a railway clerk before serving as a driver with 133 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Service Corps during the Second World War. Dick was captured near Dunkirk and taken to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland, where it is understood he died from tuberculosis on 22 May 1941, aged 22.
Network Rail’s station transformation programme manager at Euston Tom Barry said: ‘There is something incredibly special about bringing these plaques back to Euston. They commemorate people from our railway who served their country, so it feels absolutely right that their stories and service should be remembered here.
‘This has been a real team effort, and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped us bring the plaques home in time for Armistice Day.
‘Behind every name on these plaques is a person, a family and a story. Thousands of people travel through Euston every day, and I hope the memorials encourage people to stop for a moment, learn something about the railway colleagues they commemorate and ensure their stories continue to be remembered.’
The plaques will now have a permanent home on Euston’s main concourse.