Royals on the Rails

Michael Montagu tells the story of the royal train

- Michael Montagu

Lovers of interesting and unusual trains and, indeed, of tradition, will be disappointed by the announcement from Buckingham Palace that, from 2027, the royal train will be taken out of service, because it is too expensive. That's quite strange, because for many years it was said that the security and convenience offered by the train made it one of the less expensive royal travel options. Times change and, apparently, we have to change with them. Personally, I'm reminded of the old saying about knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

The pioneer royal for rail travel was Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV and aunt of Queen Victoria, who made her first journey from Nottingham to Leeds on 22 July 1840. In 1842, a private carriage, described as a bed-carriage, was built for her. Looking like two and a half horse drawn coaches stuck together, it was made for use at night, when the seats could be made up into a short bed.

The first reigning monarch to take to the rails was Queen Victoria who, on 13 June 1842, travelled on the Great Western Railway between Slough and London Paddington. The journey took 25 minutes, after which she wrote in her diary that it was “delightful and so quick”. She was initially reluctant because there was then a belief that rail travel could lead to insanity or damage the optic nerve. After having found that it didn't, she travelled more, believing that it was her duty to go around her kingdom and be seen by her people.