Yarnbombers knit up a stir to celebrate Herriot train

The James Herriot is re-dedicated at a ceremony at King's Cross. Pictured are:
Ian Ashton Managing Director at World of James Herriot
, Sean English Chief Operating Officer at Grand Central Rail
, and Wight's children Jim Wight and Rosie Page — The James Herriot is re-dedicated at a ceremony at King's Cross. Pictured are: Ian Ashton Managing Director at World of James Herriot , Sean English Chief Operating Officer at Grand Central Rail , and Wight's children Jim Wight and Rosie Page

THE SON and daughter of Thirsk author and vet Alf Wight attended a special ceremony to re-dedicate a train named in his honour to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Mr Wight, who is know around the world as his pen-name James Herriot and whose books were the inspiration for the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small, died in 1995, and in 2009, Grand Central named one of its Class 180 trains that stops in Thirsk after him.

October will see the 100th anniversary of his birth, and the train company has teamed up with The World of James Herriot, Herriot Country Tourism Group and Visit Thirsk to celebrate.

Today a re-dedication ceremony was held at King’s Cross station, attended by Jim Wight and Rosie Page, the children of Mr Wight, and stars of Channel 5’s The Yorkshire Vet.

The Thirsk Yarn Bombers onboard the train with Ian Ashton, managing director of The World of James Herriot.

The train features photographs and artwork of Thirsk and the Yorkshire Dales, and was decorated yesterday by members of the Thirsk Yarnbombers with specially knitted creations.

Chief operating officer at Grand Central, Sean English, who was presented with a knitted version of the train, said: “Marking the anniversary was something very close to our hearts at Grand Central. By bringing fantastic pictures of the Dales into King’s Cross, were hoping to inspire people to visit Thirsk and Herriot Country.”

The managing director at World of James Herriot, Ian Ashton said: “The re-dedication is one of the many things we have planned to celebrate, including a black tie dinner two days before the anniversary in October.”