Eurostar has loaned one of its Class 73 locomotive to help support a Welsh regeneration initiative.

Within a few months the locomotive will be moved to Barry in South Wales, where a workshop is being developed to facilitate local heritage skills training opportunities. It is hoped that the workshop and the training it provides will play a central role in providing local youngsters with key skills which will help prepare them for a career in the rail or transport industries.

Paul Haley, Chairman of the local community organisation Pride in Barry, received the loco from Eurostar’s Chief Executive, Richard Brown on behalf of Cambrian Transport, the organisation that is developing the skills training facilities in Barry. Also present were Andrew Dakin, Pride in Barry Ambassador; Dr Mark Lang, representing Welsh Assembly Minister for Finance and Assembly Business Jane Hutt; and John Buxton, Managing Director, Cambrian Transport. To commemorate the loan of the locomotive it is being named Pride in Barry.

Richard Brown, Chief Executive, Eurostar, said: “Eurostar is delighted to be able to help the people of Barry. The locomotive is a great example of a functioning Class 73 and will be an excellent aid for training the rail engineers of tomorrow. I wish Pride in Barry every success with this fantastic initiative.”

Paul Haley said that he was delighted that the ‘Pride in Barry’ name is to be carried by the locomotive, raising the profile of the important work that the community group undertakes.

Jane Hutt, Welsh Assembly Minister for Finance and Assembly Business said: "This is fantastic news for Pride in Barry, which plays such an important role in the exciting and ongoing regeneration of the town.  I am grateful to Eurostar for its support, and to John Buxton and Andrew Dakin for helping to make this possible.  I am sure that this important new facility will benefit many local people."

The Class 73 locomotive that Eurostar is loaning Pride In Barry is a  rescue locomotive kept at North Pole International depot. It can only be used on ‘classic’ lines so when Eurostar moves to its new depot at Temple Mills in East London it can no longer be used by the train operator. It is, however, still functioning well – hence the decision to lend it to community group.