Magnificent train journey competition: Meet our winners
Back in 2021, we challenged the school children of Wales and the borders to give proud identities to over 150 brand-new trains that were joining our fleet. We needed their help to forge a connection between modern, greener trains and the history, heritage and culture of the communities they’ll serve.
We asked them to come up with names for our new trains, based on either a real place, landmark or mythical figure associated with Wales and its borders. We also requested a creative explanation of why they chose the name, such as a painting or drawing, a poem or short story. The children more than rose to the challenge and we received some wonderful suggestions.
Five regional judging panels have selected the winning entries, including overall regional winner for their respective areas. A final judging panel included CBBC star, teacher and motorsport presenter Grace Webb, popular S4C presenter Trystan Ellis-Morris, Children’s Laureate for Wales Eloise Williams, and Bardd Plant Cymru Gruffudd Owen. The panel chose the overall winners for three creative categories: best poem, short story and picture.
This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our young people to become part of railway history. The winning names will be displayed on the side of the trains for many years to come. We’re hugely grateful to everyone who took part in the competition.
There’re more than 100 winners from schools across Wales and the borders. You can find a full list of our winning train names below. Click each link to view the wonderful artwork submitted.
Creative category winners
| Category | Child's name | Train name |
| Picture | Zoe | Llyn Barfog |
| Poem | Sam | Coed Y Bleiddiau |
| Story | Evan | The Skirrid |
Regional category winners
| Region | Child's name | Train name |
| Mid Wales and Borders | Ruby | Ruabon Ruby Rooster |
| North Wales and Borders | Tabitha | Happy Valley |
| South East Wales and Borders | Culainn | Tintern Furnace |
| South Wales Central | Morgan Daniel | Sultan |
| South West Wales | Rhys | Castell Caeriw |
| Train name | Winner’s name | Winner’s location |
| Cambrian Coast | Junior | Tywyn |
| Cwm Alys | Nia | Machynlleth |
| Dolwyddelan Castle | Cynan | Porthmadog |
| Barmouth Bridge | Ellis Paskin | Dudley West Midlands |
| Osprey | Abigail | Penrhyndeudraeth |
| Dyfi Môr | Imogen Skye Thomas | Aberystwyth |
| Osprey | Cameron Rollinson | Bishops Castle |
| Castell Criccieth | Tomos | Llanystumdwy |
| Traphont Abermaw | Tomos | Llanystumdwy |
| Tir a Môr Treferthyr | Annest o Neill | Criccieth |
| Llyn Barfog | Zoe | Tywyn |
| Y Barcud Goch | Erin | Aberaeron |
| Ruabon Ruby Rooster | Ruby | Shrewsbury |
| Gwenllian | Osian | Tal-y-Bont |
| Llanrhystud | Alanna | Aberystwyth |
| Happy Valley | Tabitha | Llandudno |
| Celtiaid Ceiri | Tomos-Gethin | Pwllheli |
| Dwyryd | Seth | Penrhyndeudraeth |
| Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant | Leia | Bromborough |
| The Lady of the Lake | Mia | Mold |
| Y Porthmon | Ynyr | Caernarfon |
| Llamhigyn y Dŵr | Indie | Llanddulas |
| Adar Llwch Gwin | Ophelia | Llanddulas |
| Afon Dyfrdwy | Elinor | Mold |
| HOPE | Maisie | Ewloe Flintshire |
| Bae Trearddur | Thomas | Mickle Trafford |
| Moel Famau | Emily | Ewloe |
| The Afanc | Isaac | Ewloe |
| The Cader Idris | Isaac | Ewloe |
| Conwy Carriage | Zac Jones | Ewloe |
| Deva Victrix | Joseph Cooper | Chester |
| Coed y Bleiddiau | Sam | Farndon |
| Segontiwm | Ifan | Caernarfon |
| Eryri | Anest | Caernarfon |
| Arianwen | Megan | Llannefydd |
| Cefn Caves | Amelia | St Asaph |
| Gwrych! | Ezra | St Asaph |
| Clychau Aberdyfi | Edryd | Llannefydd |
| Blodeuwedd | Elwen | Llannefydd |
| The Caergwrle Castle | Joel Martin | Hope |
| Carnedd Llewelyn | Llewelyn | Bangor |
| Prestatyn Beach | Wyatt | Wrecsam |
| Y Ddraig | Nicola | Undy |
| The Skirrid | Evan | Abergavenny |
| Jubilee Park | Max (Nursery Class) | Newport |
| The Jolly Folly | Joshua Kania | Cwmbran |
| Tintern Furnace | Culainn | Llandogo |
| Dai a Myfanwy | Joseph | Cwmbran |
| The Gollar | Joel | Newport |
| Mabon | Bryn Barlow | Y Fenni |
| Taff Trail | Nia | Mountain Ash |
| The Adar Llwch Gwin | Leo | Cardiff |
| Gelert | Fern | Cardiff |
| Billy Wynt | Elizabeth | Cardiff |
| Gelert | Ella | Cardiff |
| Caerphilly Castle | Daisy | Cardiff |
| Castell Cyfarthfa | Mya | Miskin |
| Gelert | Nel | Cardiff |
| Roath Park | Sophie | Cardiff |
| Tiger Bay | Jacob Coombes | Blackwood |
| Castell Coch | Ethan | Cardiff |
| Castle coch | Joey | Cardiff |
| The Red Dragon | Red Marshall | Whitchurch, Cardiff |
| Adar Llwch Gwin | Jacob | Creigiau |
| Draig Goch | Isabella | Cardiff |
| The Creigiau Gleision | Jacob | Cardiff |
| Penarth Pier | Ava | Creigiau, Cardiff |
| Dinas Emrys | Isla Hutching | Tonypandy |
| Castell Caerfilli Trên | Jacob | Ystrad Mynach |
| Ifor Bach | Joseff Roberts | Ystrad Mynach |
| The Chartist | William | Ystrad Mynach |
| Margam Park | Elsie | Creigiau, Cardiff |
| Castell Coch | Eve | Llandaff, Cardiff |
| Pen Pyrod | Theo | Tonyrefail |
| Castell y Ddraig | cameron | Caerphilly |
| Sophia Gardens | Philip eylert | Cardiff |
| Oakdale | Benjamin Crossland | Oakdale |
| Walnut Tree Viaduct | Peter | Cardiff |
| Sixteen Arches | George | Ystrad Mynach |
| Castle Beach | Lara | Merthyr Tydfil |
| Gelert | Alba deacon | Station road |
| Griffin | Arianna | Merthyr Tydfil |
| St.Dochdwy Church | Arham | Penarth |
| Tyddewi | Efa Dafydd | Penarth |
| Maesteg Town Hall | Elijah | Maesteg |
| Hendre Lake | Aralina | St Mellon’s Cardiff |
| Llanteg Explorer | Dylan | Cardiff |
| Y Mynydd Bychan | Otis | Cardiff |
| Castell Coch | Jack Harding | Penarth |
| The Taff | Rhys | Merthyr Tydfil |
| Sultan | Morgan Daniel | Ystrad Mynach |
| Oystermouth Castle | Caiden | Swansea |
| Gower | Rebecca Del Sol Gonzalez | Swansea |
| Plas Baglan | Maya | Port Talbot |
| Castell Caeriw/Caerew Castle | Rhys | Carmarthen |
| Red Dragon | Umniyah | Swansea |
| Harlech Castle | Elis Lloyd | Ammanford |
| Y Ddraig Gymraeg | Jaidan | Pyle |
| The Lady Of The Lake | Holly | Cwmafan, Port Talbot |
| Taliesin | Holly | Cwmafan, Port Talbot |
| Y Ddraig Goch/The Red Dragon | Tyler | Pencoed |
| Gwenllian | Gethin | Llanelli |
| Treforys | Dosbarth Spaceships | Swansea |
| Nest Ferch Rhys | Ffion | Kilgetty |
| Pentwyn | Will | Baglan |
| Bryn Top | Maisie | Baglan |
| Blaenbaglan | Grace | Baglan |
