South Western Railway (SWR) launched the UK’s first ever Intersex-Inclusive Pride train in Bournemouth this week to show support for and solidarity with its LGBTQIA+ customers and colleagues and the community at large.

The new livery, which was applied to a Class 444 train last weekend entered the service this week. On its first run, the newly designed train was crewed exclusively by LGBTQIA+ SWR colleagues.

The newly decorated train operates on the busy South West Main Line between London Waterloo and Weymouth, which passes through Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch.

SWR revealed its inaugural ‘Trainbow’ train with a Pride flag livery in 2019 ahead of Southampton Pride, the annual event that SWR first sponsored in 2017 and will sponsor for 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The rainbow Pride flag has long been a symbol of LGBTQIA+ people and it has been updated several times in recent years to reflect different parts of the community.

American activists Amber Hikes and Daniel Quasar respectively incorporated black and brown stripes for black and minority ethnic people and light blue, light pink and white stripes for transgender people to create the ‘Progress Pride’ flag.

In 2021, British intersex equality campaigner Valentino Vecchietti redesigned the Progress Pride flag to include the intersex flag, a purple ring on a yellow background, to create the ‘Intersex-Inclusive Pride’ flag which SWR has used.

SWR’s new train design was formally revealed by senior leaders including SWR’s managing director, Claire Mann, and chief operating officer, Stuart Meek, who were joined by LGBTQIA+ colleagues and the flag’s creator, Valentino Vecchietti.

Stuart Meek, chief operating officer of South Western Railway, said: “It is wonderful to have this train proudly flying the flag for equality on our network, furthering inclusion with the new Intersex-Inclusive flag design, and visibly showing our support for LGBTQIA+ colleagues and customers.

“SWR is one family, and we are committed to fostering a sense of togetherness and standing up for all of our customers and colleagues, and all of the communities we serve.”

Bryce Hunt, Weymouth station manager and chairman of South Western Railway’s Pride Network, said: “Our commitment to our colleagues and customers is that they can be unafraid of their true self and be met with understanding and support.”