British royal coach on the continent?

[janw]

A recent thread on the Dutch railway enthusiasts' forum Beneluxspoor.net shows what looks like a former royal carriage from the UK that is part of a collection in Germany.

 

https://forum.beneluxspoor.net/index.php?topic=90382.15

 

I don't know the exact location, but apparently this coach (and others, see thread) are located somewhere near the Dutch border in western Germany.

The color scheme of the coach seems to suggest a GWR origin. The bogies are on p. 1 in the thread.

What is this coach and its history? Maybe someone here knows more about this?

The photographs are by Hans Reints who recently visited this location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by janw

[K14]

Replica of Queen Victoria's carriage built for the Madame Tussaud's display at Windsor & Eton from 1983 to 1997.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trainsandstuff/45011379691

https://www.flickr.com/photos/50256734@N05/8507301891

https://www.flickr.com/photos/50256734@N05/6897021757/in/photostream/

 

Pete S.

[janw]

Aha...! Many thanks. "looks like" was actually the right word then.

But on that Flickr page I read:  "It is not known what happened to the replica coach."

 

it seems we have an element of the answer here, no?

Edited October 24, 2019 by janw

[Ian Morgan]

Seeing the two large, cast crests/coats of arms on the tender and loco sides, there are two original 1897 versions in the Fawley Hill museum. Were they used on this display, or were copies made?

 

 

 

[dibber25]

On 25/10/2019 at 13:59, Ian Morgan said:

Seeing the two large, cast crests/coats of arms on the tender and loco sides, there are two original 1897 versions in the Fawley Hill museum. Were they used on this display, or were copies made?

 

 

 

Sir William told me that BR used to phone him up and say "send a lorry round. We've got something for you." The Cast and painted coat of arms which is what I expect you saw at Fawley Hill, were made at Swindon and used on Royal funeral trains. It was this that Sir William was talking about. It had to be collected from Old Oak Common. He was amazed at just how heavy it was and (it's a long time ago now) but I seem to recall that, having sent a lorry, he then had to send a crane. The Windsor ones ere, as far as I know, replicas in resin. When Tussaud's disposed of the exhibition, I believe much of it went abroad, including the animatronic Queen Victoria, who stood up at the end of the presentation. I was told she went to Disneyland Paris but I don't know if that's true. The coats of arms certainly weren't on the loco when it was unloaded at Windsor when I was lucky enough to be invited to come and watch. As a resident of nearby Old Windsor, I visited the exhibition several times. It was impressive and compelling and there's was something surreal about passing the station when shopping on a Saturday morning and hearing Handel's 'Music for the Royal Fireworks' booming out across the town! (CJL)

[dibber25]

Found one shot of the Royal saloon before it was lifted into place. (This is likely to be the vehicle seen in Germany). The loco and coaches had to be delivered by road to a car park below the station, as Windsor & Eton Central stands on a viaduct. They were then lifted up and placed on the track by a very large road crane. I have a vague recollection that the saloon was built on an LNER 42ft parcels van under frame and that the vehicle now in STEAM was mounted on BR Mk1 bogies. No. 3041 was designed and supervised by Steamtown's George Hinchcliffe, who was an 'O' gauge modeller. He said that the 4-2-2 was essentially an enlarged O gauge model without a motor. When I last saw it, it looked neglected and rusty, surrounded by abandoned plastic cups and all the other detritus of a shopping centre coffee shop. (CJL)

[dibber25]

Apologies for the fuzzy photos. The slides are a lot better than the results produced by my cheap and nasty scanner. (CJL)