A special train named the Spirit of Invictus has been unveiled to celebrate the courage and resilience of wounded, injured and sick service personnel. The train is part of a one-year countdown until the Duke of Sussex’s multi-sports event takes place in Birmingham.
Presenter and former Invictus Games competitor JJ Chalmers, who revealed the train at London’s Euston Station, said he hopes it will help “empower” those taking part.
Chalmers, who was injured in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011 while serving with the Royal Marines, said competing in the inaugural Invictus Games in London in 2014 had given him a valuable chance to “serve again”.
He said that when Harry, who did not attend the launch, approached him to be part of the games it was obvious it would help people with their physical, mental and social recoveries.
Chalmers added: “None of this matters if nobody sees it. Yes, it will change the lives of those who compete but actually we would want for those people to be empowered to change the lives of those who watch it.
“So we want people to come all across the world, certainly throughout this country, to come to the games in one year’s time and we would love them to be travelling on this.”
The train, wrapped in black and gold Invictus branding, will run for at least a year across the London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway networks, on routes that may take visitors to the games. The train’s name was picked after a public competition.
JJ Chalmers unveiling the train at Euston Station this morning(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)