READERS of The Press have a unique opportunity today to vote for the name of a train locomotive to represent the city of York.

A host of suggestions was put forward by readers after rail operator East Coast revealed it was reviving the tradition of naming locos on the route from Edinburgh to London.

A panel of judges has now come up with a shortlist of three – York Minster, City of York and Visit York – and people can vote over the coming week in a telephone poll for their favourite.

York Minster, which was suggested by several readers, was selected because it is an iconic symbol of the city, recognised around the world.

Visit York was chosen because it serves as an invitation to everyone to come to the city, as well as being the name of York’s tourism organisation.

The merits of City of York were perhaps best summed up by reader Ron Smith, of Haxby, who said: “It would put York into the minds of everyone on the main line as soon as they see it. What advertising!”

Close contenders included York-born Oscar-winning composer John Barry, who died earlier this year and Victorian railway king George Hudson.

Other suggestions included Highwayman Dick Turpin, the saint Margaret Clitherow, York-born gunpowder conspirator Guy Fawkes, York-born poet W H Auden, who wrote the poem Night Mail, and even Kevin the train.

East Coast managing director Karen Boswell said she was delighted at the great response. “I would like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to send in their suggestions,” she said.

“There have been many excellent suggestions and we’re looking forward to receiving the result of the public vote.

“We’re looking for a train name that will help us to promote York far and wide across the UK and encourage people to visit this great city, where East Coast’s Head Office is based. “Train names can also reflect history and heritage of places and, as we’ve seen from the response to the Press’ competition, the enormous amount of pride people feel for the community in which they live.”

The winning name, which will go on a sign on the side of the loco, will be announced in The Press on Monday, May 23.

Here is how to vote for your favourite name.

By Phone: Call 09012210036 for York Minster, 09012210037 for City of York and 09012210038 for Visit York

By Text: Text 80360 starting with NAME and leave a space, followed by the digits 0036 for York Minster, 0037 for City of York and 0038 for Visit York. Calls cost no more than 26p per call from a BT Landline.

Calls from mobiles and some other networks may cost more. Texts cost 25p plus your normal operator text charge.

Telephone and text voting lines open today and close on May 15 at 23:59:59pm. For full terms visit newsquest.co.uk/terms Service provided by Newsquest Media Group.