Avanti West Coast celebrates 100th anniversary of Stoke-on-Trent

• Avanti West Coast and Stoke 100 celebrate a century of Stoke-on-Trent as a city
• First ever Stoke-on-Trent Day (5 June) marks official birthday of Staffordshire city
• Pendolino nameplate updated and unveiled to recognise Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary

Avanti West Coast has marked the 100th anniversary of Stoke-on-Trent becoming a city with an updated nameplate that honours the centenary.

Partnering with the team behind Stoke 100 – a campaign to mark the city’s century - the train operator unveiled a new nameplate for Pendolino 390129, which carries the name ‘City of Stoke-on-Trent’. The design has now been changed to include ‘1925 – 2025’ to recognise the centenary.

The nameplate which was unveiled at Euston – before the train, hosting city dignitaries including local MPs Allison Gardner, David Williams, and Gareth Snell, set off to Stoke-on-Trent for the official birthday celebrations.

At the station the train - which also carries the name ‘Brett’ on the cab ends in memory of a much-loved Avanti West Coast employee, Brett Hobson, who lost his battle with cancer in 2022 - was greeted by Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, special guests, as well as friends and colleagues of Brett.

They enjoyed local produce, including Titanic Brewery’s Century Anniversary Ale, and a birthday cake to mark the occasion.

The day’s activities took place on the first ever Stoke-on-Trent Day (5 June 2025) – exactly 100 years since it was granted city status by King George V – and are part of a wider programme of events throughout 2025 to mark the centenary.

Avanti West Coast were presented with a certificate by the Lord Mayor recognising their contribution to the inaugural Stoke-on-Trent Day, which will be an annual celebration held on 5 June to honour the city’s history, culture, and the diverse communities that call it home.

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “It’s an honour for us to take part in the official birthday celebrations of this fantastic city. We proudly serve Stoke-on-Trent with our Pendolino trains and have a great team at the station who take pride in welcoming hundreds of thousands of people to and from the city by rail each year.

“Our Pendolino nameplate is a nod to the rich heritage of Stoke-on-Trent which has long been connected to the railway and comes as 2025 also marks the 200th anniversary of the railway in the UK. The ‘City of Stoke-on-Trent’ will be making many more journeys on the West Coast Main Line and some of those will be bringing people together to celebrate this fantastic city.”

Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent Councillor, Steve Watkins, said: “It’s a great honour to see Stoke-on-Trent’s name carried proudly across the country on one of Avanti West Coast’s iconic trains.

“This is a special moment in our Centenary year, reminding us not only of our proud past but also of the journey we continue to make as a city. It’s a celebration of our identity, our communities and our place on the national map.”

Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, said: “I really appreciate Avanti West Coast’s support to mark Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary and host special guests ahead of the civic celebrations. With the City of Stoke-on-Trent Pendolino now honouring 100 years of this fantastic city, the special milestone will be recognised by many as the train journeys across the West Coast Main Line.”

ENDS