The historic Winton Train delivers to Nicholas Winton his “children”

04.09.2009

Today, 4 September 2009 at exactly 10.37, the historic Winton Train arrived on Platform 10 at Liverpool Street Station. This last phase of the journey from Harwich to London measured 112 km.

Today, 4 September 2009 at exactly 10.37, the historic Winton Train arrived on Platform 10 at Liverpool Street Station. This last phase of the journey from Harwich to London measured 112 km. The journey attracted tremendous attention among the British public, who waited along the track and greeted the passing train, pulled by the Tornado steam locomotive. Immediately after its arrival at the London station, all 26 of Winton’s children exited the train and went to be welcomed by their rescuer, Sir Nicholas Winton. In addition to Sir Nicholas, other rescued children – primarily from Great Britain – were waiting to welcome the train as well, along with their families. The whole event took place in a very joyous atmosphere. After Nicholas Winton had inspected the locomotive, an international press conference was held with many journalists and film crews from around the world.

The first speaker was one of the rescued children, Eva Paddock, who thanked Sir Nicholas Winton on behalf of all the children for saving their lives. Sir Nicholas briefly expressed the hope that they would all meet again sooner than in another seventy years. His daughter Barbara recounted the train journey and passed the podium over to her son, Lawrence, who took up the theme of inspiration by goodness in the works of the young artists who travelled aboard the Winton Train. The next speakers were Chris Mole, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, Miloslav Vlček, Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, Štefan Füle, Czech Minister for European Affairs and Zbyněk Honys, Communications Director at Czech Railways. Following the conclusion of the official part of the programme, the passengers travelled in legendary double-decker buses to the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Great Britain, where a reception and meeting with Nicholas Winton had been prepared without the presence of the media.

On the web pages www.wintontrain.eu the current position of the Winton Train was available for the duration of the journey on an interactive map. There are also photographs and messages from journey participants available here for free download