A SOUTHERN railway service has launched its first ever 'trainbow' ahead of this weekend’s Pride festival in Southampton.

South Western Railway has had the nose of one of its trains liveried with the iconic Pride flag to show support for LGBT colleagues and customers.

SWR staff already introduced a special rainbow effect installation on the overbridge at Southampton Central to celebrate Pride events across the network earlier this summer.

During the day, each window on the rainbow overbridge at Southampton Central is bathed in a colour from the iconic Pride flag, while at night the effects can be seen from the station’s exterior.

Colleagues at Southampton have also renamed the station ‘#SOproud Central’ – a nod to the twitter hashtag and Pride campaign.

Glen Willie, Inclusion and Diversity Manager for South Western Railway, said: “We’re very proud to be supporting Pride in Southampton and what better way to show it than with the Trainbow.

“We’ll be celebrating Pride on the day itself at ‘SoProud Central’ and look forward to welcoming visitors to the station and city of Southampton.

Satty Potiwal, Duty Station Manager at Southampton Central, said: "We truly believe that diversity is a strength, not a weakness.

"We hope these small, symbolic acts of inclusivity demonstrates that.”

Southampton Pride will take place on August 24 at Southampton Guildhall from 11am to 11pm.

More than 12,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual festival-goers and their friends will descend on Guildhall Square next weekend for the fourth annual festival.