09 May 2025 • 5 min read
On 8 May 2025, rail operator Trenitalia c2c surprised commuters travelling through its London terminus, Fenchurch Street station, with a special event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day.
The afternoon event opened with included music from community group, The Billericay Men’s Shed (Dementia Support Group), who performed with Marc Barnacle and Rob Fillary from T.I.M.E. (Together in Musical Expression) – an Essex-based charity devoted to breaking down barriers and bringing people of all ages and abilities together to experiment, grow and have fun through music. They were followed by Southend-based professional singer Holly Julier who sang a number of songs from the 1940’s.
The team from c2c served VE Day cakes to customers and stakeholders coming through the station, while sharing a captivating gallery of artwork, from the Southend Museums archives, that showed the impact bombings during the Blitz had across the c2c route during WWII (World War Two). Southend Central station was a hub for evacuees before they travelled up to the Midlands, and historic images of bomb damage to Shoeburyness and Southend Central stations are also displayed in the gallery, which remains in place at the front of Fenchurch Street station.
Meanwhile, c2c also hosted a 1940’s themed photobooth, where people travelling through the station could stop and have their photograph taken wearing VE Day flags, hats and 1940s attire.
To mark the occasion, c2c created a film to commemorate the day, which can be viewed below.
Rob Mullen, c2c Managing Director, said:
“It is so important that we remember the unfathomable effort and sacrifice it took from men and women across the world to end WWII in Europe and abroad. Their efforts are always held dear to our hearts – especially as it begins to pass beyond living memory.
“As we celebrate Railway 200 this year, it’s also a powerful reminder of how deeply the railway is woven into our national story — not just as a means of transport, but as a force for unity, resilience and remembrance.
“This event at Fenchurch Street station is a reminder of just what the men and women of our local communities went through in the name of fighting oppression and tyranny. We are deeply committed to always honouring those heroic people who took on the burden of a lifetime to defend our freedoms; the incredible picture gallery we have at Fenchurch Street station gives us an amazing insight into what life looked like back then.”
Several of c2c’s community partners were present through the day, with representatives from Missing People, Southend Museums, Basildon Borough Council and Essex Wildlife Trust all present to help us mark the day, alongside Richard Holden, MP for Basildon and Billericay.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- Owned by Trenitalia, c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 35.8 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- Italian-based Trenitalia is one of Europe’s leading rail operators and the passenger rail arm of FS Italiane Group.
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
- For full pay as you go with contactless terms and conditions, please go to nationalrail.co.uk/contactless
- Customers using pay as you go with contactless ticketing can view their journey and payment history at https://contactless.tfl.gov.uk/
Images: Featured Image ‘The Billericay Dementia Shed Choir and T.I.M.E. perform at Fenchurch Street station for commuters’
Second Image ‘Marc and Rob from T.I.M.E.’
Third Image ‘c2c’s VE80 cupcakes’
Fourth Image ‘Schoolchildren and school staff at Southend Central station in June 1940 being evacuated to the Midlands – from the Southend Museums archives ‘
Fifth Image ‘The 1940’s photobooth’
Sixth Image ‘A c2c customer enjoys the photobooth’