The NEC Birmingham will serve as the host venue for the 2027 competition
A specially branded locomotive named the Spirit of Invictus was revealed at London's Euston Station today, signalling exactly one year until the Invictus Games arrive in Birmingham.
Prince Harry, who founded the multi-sport competition for wounded, injured and sick military personnel, did not attend the launch ceremony.
Instead, television presenter and former competitor JJ Chalmers took centre stage to unveil the train, which honours the courage and determination of service members on their recovery journeys.
The event marks the official start of the countdown to the Birmingham 2027 games, with the distinctive train set to become a visible symbol of the approaching competition.
Chalmers sustained serious injuries during a bomb explosion in Afghanistan in 2011 whilst serving with the Royal Marines.
His participation in the inaugural Invictus Games held in London in 2014 provided him with an opportunity to "serve again", he explained.
The presenter recalled that when Prince Harry first invited him to join the competition, the potential benefits for participants' physical, mental and social recovery were immediately apparent.
"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."
The train features striking black and gold Invictus branding and will operate for a minimum of twelve months across London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway routes, potentially carrying spectators to next year's competition.
Members of the public selected the locomotive's name through an open competition.
Jonny Wiseman, customer experience and commercial director for both rail operators, described the Birmingham games as a "hugely significant moment for both the city and the country".
"With more than a million passengers using our services every week, this distinctive train will fast become a feature of the railway in the lead-up to the Birmingham Invictus Games and beyond," he added.
Helen D'Oyley, chief growth officer at the Invictus Games Foundation, expressed hope that the locomotive would generate interest wherever it travels.
"Every day, thousands of people will see this train, travel on it, or pass it in stations across the London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands network," she said. "Each journey is another opportunity to spark curiosity and start conversations about the incredible resilience of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans."
Helen Helliwell, chief executive of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, noted that Birmingham serves as a destination where numerous service personnel commence their recovery.
The NEC Birmingham will serve as the host venue for the 2027 competition.
