EuroMillions Win Second Dream Come True Moment for Rail Fanatic

EuroMillions Win Second Dream Come True Moment for Rail Fanatic

A Grantham rail enthusiast who spent 30 years pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a train driver is celebrating a second dream come true after winning £164,357.70 on EuroMillions.

For Pete Thursby, trains have been a lifelong passion. At just seven years old, he became fascinated by locomotives and railways, and decades later he finally achieved his ambition of becoming a train driver.

Now, 25 years after first stepping into the driver’s cab, Pete is celebrating another long-held hope becoming a reality after matching five main numbers and one lucky star in the EuroMillions draw on 3 July 2026.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a man who spent decades pursuing his first dream, Pete was remarkably calm when he discovered he had won.

“I waited 30 years to finally become a train driver,” Pete said.

“Waiting for my EuroMillions win has been easy, I’ve just left the direct debit to do its thing!

“In fact, I’ve been so relaxed about winning, I even waited to claim. I took a screenshot of the message and sent it to my partner saying, ‘I’ve won the Lottery, I’ll check it tomorrow,’ and then went about my day.”

Once his win was confirmed, Pete’s thoughts quickly turned to locos.

“I did toy with splashing out on a real diesel locomotive to fulfil all my childhood dreams, but the practicalities of owning an engine and the costs involved in maintaining it meant I headed to Birmingham instead to look at a Ford Focus ST.”

Although owning his own locomotive may not be practical, the win will allow Pete to spend more time enjoying one of his greatest passions.

“There is no denying this win is some serious icing on the cake of life,” he said.

“It will enable me to enjoy and explore more railway lines, near and far.

“Close to home, the Great Central Railway is a heritage line which runs steam and diesel locomotives, so I suspect I may be visiting there a little more often.

“Further afield, I’ve always wanted to step aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada, so I think that may well be the first big trip.”

For Pete, one of the most memorable moments came when he was able to share the news with his family.

“Once the win was confirmed, I messaged my three children and said I had some good news.

“We met up for a lovely meal and I was one of those lucky players able to say that magic line to them, ‘I’ve won the Lottery!’.”

It is a moment Pete says he will never forget, alongside another memory that has stayed with him since childhood.

“I will never forget that moment, just as I will never forget the first time I spotted the 11.00am daily Reading to Redhill newspaper and parcels train, a Class 33 locomotive, from the window of my middle school aged 10.”

Delighted to see Pete celebrating his win aboard a diesel locomotive on the Great Central Railway, which was recently awarded £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was Allwyns’ Winner’s Advisor to Pete, Penny Yeates, she said, 

“Pete’s story goes to show dreams really can come true! And while he won’t have that diesel locomotive on his driveway we wish him well as he enjoys some of the incredible railway adventures around the world.”

The Great Central Railway was recently awarded £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for Safeguarding the Great Central Railway: People, Heritage and a Sustainable Future.