Champion of commuters, the late Barry Flaxman, is to have one of a new breed of trains named after him.
For almost 50 years Mr Flaxman from Southend campaigned for passenger improvements initially from within the Southend Rail Travellers Association, then with the Transport Users Consultative Committee for Eastern England and finally with the Central Transport Consultative Committee at national level.
Now one of c2c's new Electrostar trains will carry Mr Flaxman's name.
Ironically, the ardent champion of rail travel died of a sudden heart attack in June 1998 at the age of 72 - as he went to see a prototype of the new train.
A spokesman said: "He was a 19-year-old student when he first became involved with what was then the LTS line and barely 23 when in 1949 he fought for passenger improvements with the then chief executive of British Rail and won.
"His timetabling knowledge was the driving force behind the electrification scheme benefits of the early 1960s that brought such a step change in journey time and frequency."
Published Monday February 2, 2004
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