British Royal Train

The Royal Train is the name given to the set of railway carriages dedicated for the use of the British Monarch, other members of the Royal Family, and their staff.

History

Queen Victoria was the first British monarch to travel by train, on 13 June 1842, when she travelled on the Great Western Railway (GWR), which ran the line between London and Windsor (for the Castle). [ [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page5024.asp The Royal Train] , Monarchy of the United Kingdom. Accessed December 31, 2007.] By the end of the century, each of the major railway companies operating in the British Isles had their own carriage(s) dedicated for use by the Royal Family or other dignitaries [http://www.nrm.org.uk/collections/carriages.asp] . After her funeral, Queen Victoria's casket was taken to London Paddington station and transported on the Royal Train. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9402E0D8133EE333A25750C0A9649C946097D6CF&oref=slogin "THE PROCESSION IN LONDON.; SCENE AT VICTORIA STATION. THE FUNERAL TRAIN ARRIVES. THE ROYAL MOURNERS. KAISER EASILY RECOGNIZED. AT PADDINGTON STATION."] , "The New York Times", February 3, 1901. Accessed December 31, 2007.]

In 1948, upon the formation of British Railways, the individual regions continued to maintain their own Royal Train carriages. A single "Royal Train" was formed in 1977 as a response to the demands of the Silver Jubilee. This train has been maintained since privatisation of the UK's railways, although the Royal Family have travelled on ordinary service trains more frequently in recent years to minimize costs.Chamberlain, Gethin. [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2323888 "Royal Express is more Pizza than Orient"] , "The Scotsman", 04 May, 2002. Accessed 31 December, 2007.]

The train currently consists of nine British Rail Mark 3 carriages, which were originally built for use with the HST prototype. Not all of these will be used to form a train, as different vehicles have specified purposes. Two locomotives are designated for use on the train and painted in the claret livery of the royal household, but are used for other traffic when not hauling the royal train. The carriages may be used for other Heads of State, but they cannot be hired by private users. When not in use, the train is stored in Wolverton, where it is maintained by an Alstom subsidiary.

Train drivers are specially selected based on their skills, including the ability to make a station stop within six inches of the designated position.

Locomotives Nominated for the Royal Train

Although railways often had nominated locomotives for hauling the Royal Train (with special high maintenance regimes), no locomotive had ever been dedicated solely to the train until the 1980s when two Class 47 locomotives were painted in the claret livery of the royal household. During the 1990s these were dedicated solely to Royal Train duty until they were replaced in 2003 by two Class 67 locomotives, both owned by EWS. The new locomotives are often used for special charter train services, as well as other occasional passenger services when not required. Occasionally the Royal Train is attached to other engines, such as in March 2005 when Prince Charles was carried over the Settle-Carlisle Railway by the steam locomotive, "Duchess of Sutherland".

Locomotives nominated for working the Royal Train over the years have included:
*1990-2004: Class 47 locomotives 47834 "Fire Fly" and 47835 "Windsor Castle" (painted in InterCity livery) and later refurbished, renumbered and renamed as 47798 "Prince William" and 47799 "Prince Henry" (painted Royal Claret). Both are now withdrawn and the former is preserved at the National Railway Museum, York.
*Since 2004: Class 67 locomotives 67005 "Queen's Messenger" and 67006 "Royal Sovereign" (painted Royal Claret).

Royal Train Carriages

Historic Carriages

The table below lists Royal Train carriages in chronological order through to 1977. Where a separate date is shown for building, the vehicle was converted rather than built new.

ee also

* Royal Train
* Air transport of the Royal Family and executive of the United Kingdom
* Royal Yacht
* Official state car

External links

* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page5024.asp About the British Royal Train from HM Website]
* [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=479232002 "Royal Express is more Pizza than Orient "] , a description of the fixtures and fittings from The Scotsman, 2002

References