Calls to name train in honour of rugby league legend and MND campaigner Rob Burrow

Councillors are expected to meet with rail operator Northern and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to consider the proposal, a meeting heard.

Details of the plan were raised during a Wakefield Council meeting by Scott Haslam, councillor for Featherstone.

Coun Haslam said: “Featherstone as an area was actually, I believe, a catalyst advancing his stardom in rugby league.”

Burrow died aged 41 in June last year, having spent the last five years of his life, together with close friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield, raising awareness about MND after he was diagnosed with the condition.

The Leeds Rhinos hero played at junior level for Castleford Panthers and Featherstone Lions.

There were emotional scenes in Featherstone as his funeral cortege passed through the town in July, with fans of all ages paying their respects.

Cars slowed at the Featherstone Lions ground on Wakefield Road, where Burrow started his rugby journey as a boy.

Coun Haslam said: “The streets of Featherstone were flooded with local residents. The people of Featherstone, I believe, would like to see some form of testimony to Rob Burrow.

“Is there scope to honour Rob’s legacy, in conjunction with his family of course, perhaps in the naming of a locomotive that would honour him across the district, West Yorkshire and the wider community?”

In response, Matthew Morley, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and highways, said: “You are not alone at the moment.

“There are other groups that are asking for some sort of permanent memorial to the late, great, Rob Burrow.

“I know Castleford Civic Society too have asked if a train could be named after him.

“Obviously the support of the family would be needed, but Rob was a legend and by naming a train it ties West Yorkshire together. It would be used in our district. It’s something we will move forward on.”

Coun Morley said the issue was also raised at a WYCA transport committee meeting on January 22 and talks were planned with Northern.

At the transport meeting, Tony Wallis, councillor for Castleford Central and Glasshoughton, asked representatives of Northern about the procedures on naming trains after an individual.

Coun Morley also said: “We are looking to name a train. We have a great rugby league legend. Castleford Civic Society would welcome any dialogue with yourselves about how we could do that.”

Darren Allsopp, regional stakeholder manager for Northern, replied: “We tend not to name trains because we would get so many requests.

“However, if it is something specific I am happy to have an offline conversation.

“It could be something we could do but we try not to encourage that because there are so many requests that you could imagine that we would probably receive.”