Royal train for the use of the British royal family and staff
British Royal Train
Royal Train hauled by Class 67 67006 Royal Sovereign during a Royal visit to Machynlleth in April 2010
Overview
Service type
Royal train
Current operator(s)
DB Cargo UK
Technical
Rolling stock
Class 67 Mark 3 carriages
The British Royal Train is used to convey senior members of the British royal family and associated staff of the Royal Household around the railway network of Great Britain. It is owned, maintained and operated by DB Cargo UK.[1]
The Royal Train comprises a dedicated set of claret liveried sleeper, dining and lounge carriages. The current rolling stock dates from 1977 to 1987. They are arranged according to requirements, and stored when not in use. The earliest royal coaches date back to the mid-19th century in the reign of Queen Victoria; until an upgrade in 1977 there were multiple sets based in different regions, a legacy of the pre-nationalisation era of railways in Britain. Many are now in museums or on heritage railways; the National Railway Museum in York has a royal themed exhibition.
Dedicated locomotives have never traditionally been part of the Royal Train, first appearing in special livery only in the 1990s, but also seeing use on other trains since 2003. In the 21st century, various steam locomotives have also hauled the train on special occasions. Although regularly cited by critics as one of the unnecessary luxuries of the Royal Family, which has led to an increase where possible in the use of normal scheduled services as an alternative, supporters argue that the current arrangement emphasises utility over luxury, and is still often the most practical and secure mode of travel to fit the required itinerary and avoid disruption to the public.
In December 2020, the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled across Britain by the Royal Train to thank communities and key workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] In November 2020, the American PBS network aired a two-part series, Secrets of Royal Travel, with the first episode featuring the train and its history.[3]
^"Your complete one-stop shop for passenger train provision". DB Cargo UK. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
^Quayle, Ewan. "William and Kate set for national royal train tour to thank coronavirus key workers". Leading Britain's Conversation. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
^"Secrets of Royal Travel". PBS. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
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