First World War heroes from Scotland's capital have been honoured in a ceremony at a major station.

The memorial event at Waverley Station in Edinburgh took place in front of East Coast's specially-liveried locomotive 91 111 "For The Fallen".

The train's livery features images, stories and tributes to regiments along the East Coast route and the people who served in them during the conflict.

Those at the ceremony included the descendants of Lance Corporal James Boyd, a professional footballer with Hearts who was killed in action on the Somme.

The last message he sent home before he was killed in action on August 3 1916, aged 21, features in the special livery on the locomotive.

He served in the 16th Battalion The Royal Scots which was raised by Sir George McCrae, who was also a director of Heart of Midlothian FC.

Veterans of the Royal Scots and serving soldiers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland joined representatives of McCrae's Trust for the ceremony today.

East Coast deputy managing director Andy Meadows said: "The whole rail industry has rightly been marking the centenary of World War One.

"'For The Fallen' is East Coast's individual tribute to those who went to war and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

"This includes the 20,000 rail workers who signed up for the war, never to return.

"We worked on the design of our commemorative loco with five regiments on the East Coast route, including the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

"It takes some of the stories, images, facts and history behind the regiments, and the Great War, to millions of our passengers across the country.

"By setting an example, sportsmen played a key role in encouraging young men to sign up for service. One of those brave men was James Boyd.

"The sacrifices of James and his comrades secured our freedom. To quote from Laurence Binyon's poem, For The Fallen, 'We Will Remember Them'."

The locomotive carries the insignia of five historic regiments from the East Coast route as well as those of their modern-day successors, including the Royal Scots and their Scottish combat infantry descendants in today's Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland played at today's service and a trumpeter sounded the Last Post ahead of a minute's silence.

Major Gary Tait MBE of The Royal Regiment of Scotland said: "The naming of this locomotive 'For the Fallen' is a great example of the wider community recognising and remembering the service of soldiers.

"This engine bears the badges of the Royal Scots and their modern-day successors within The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

"So, it is a reminder of not only those who gave their lives in 1914 but those who serve now in 2014.

"Volunteers from Edinburgh and the surrounding area continue to serve in the Scottish infantry today in our regular battalions and in the Army Reserve with 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland."

About 700,000 people worked on Britain's railways 100 years ago and 20,000 of them died after volunteering to serve in the First World War.