London Northwestern Railway: Hundreds of jacket potato lovers descend on Milton Keynes for Spudman giveaway

Hundreds of people descended on Milton Keynes’ outdoor market on Saturday (21 February) as viral TikTok star Spudman gave away hundreds of free jacket potatoes in partnership with London Northwestern Railway (LNR).

Ben Newman, more commonly known as Spudman, is a loaded jacket potato seller based in Staffordshire who has gained millions of social media followers by uploading customer interactions online.

The street food vendor’s visit to the city came as part of a wider collaboration with LNR where he is giving away 730 jacket potatoes across three locations – Milton Keynes, Crewe and Tamworth.

The partnership celebrates the introduction of brand-new Class 730 trains onto the Trent Valley railway line which connects destinations in Cheshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire and London.

For those who missed out on a free jacket potato, fans were encouraged to try Spudman’s limited-edition dish featuring an LNR-green pesto chicken topping, with a fifth of the profits going to Andy’s Man Club, a charity providing free peer to peer support groups for men struggling with mental health issues. In total, Milton Keynes locals raised hundreds of pounds for the cause.

David Watkin, commercial director at London Northwestern Railway, said: “We’ve been blown away by the reception of our partnership with Spudman, helping to build awareness of our new trains on the Trent Valley Line. It’s been fantastic to see so many fans claim their free spuds or try the limited-edition dish, with a share of the proceeds going towards Andy’s Man Club.”

Ben Newman (Spudman) said: “I was always going to come to Milton Keynes after meeting everyone at BLUDFEST last summer, and with family down the road it's a place that has always been on my list to come back to properly! LNR’s brand-new trains are making journeys to Milton Keynes much more comfortable, so it’s even easier for my fans to visit.”

Lucas Whitehead, head of partnerships at Andy’s Man Club, said: "A huge thank you to London Northwestern Railway for supporting ANDYSMANCLUB during their campaign alongside Spudman. This gives us an opportunity to get in front of a wide variety of people in the heart of their communities in the hope that they will take up our support should they need it."

To find out more about LNR’s newest train fleet, visit: www.lnr.uk/newtrains