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Royal train tour announced


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The operational details will be hush hush.

 

The actual details will be common knowledge. I'm sure there's a "Royal" website, Facebook and Twitter pages where these sort of things get announced. Otherwise look at local news.

 

Having seen the RT on numerous occasions don't expect mass crowds. That only tends to happen at major events. You normally get about a couple of dozen wellwishers.

 

 

Jason

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40 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

You'd never guess the country has a fine set of timetabled trains - even now - upon which royals with a suitable retinue could be safely and comfortably accommodated, at considerably less cost to the public purse. Sigh.

If they use the train it has the big advantage that they can stay/travel on it overnight while moving from one area to another and with fairly simple security arrangements.  And of course it can take routes on which there might not be suitable booked passenger services.

39 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

The operational details will be hush hush.

 

The actual details will be common knowledge. I'm sure there's a "Royal" website, Facebook and Twitter pages where these sort of things get announced. Otherwise look at local news.

 

Having seen the RT on numerous occasions don't expect mass crowds. That only tends to happen at major events. You normally get about a couple of dozen wellwishers.

 

 

Jason

I doubt details about the train movements will be common knowledge because very few people will know about all of it and at most people will only know about what is happening in one particular part of the railway with no knowledge at all about the rest of it.  For example if it starts from London there will be very few railways staff in London who will even know where it is going agfter that departure.

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1 minute ago, The Stationmaster said:

 

I doubt details about the train movements will be common knowledge because very few people will know about all of it and at most people will only know about what is happening in one particular part of the railway with no knowledge at all about the rest of it.  For example if it starts from London there will be very few railways staff in London who will even know where it is going agfter that departure.

 

I mean the details of where they are appearing.

 

Its a tour where they are meeting and greeting the public, not a secret mission. 

 

They'll announce it on here probably.

 

https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

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I think their egos would be bruised if they turned up at some random station to see an army of photographers clicking away at "King Ted" or "Princess Elizabeth" and about half a dozen watching them.  They need a dedicated new build Hydrogen powered steam loco with inside cylinders and low height  for maximum route availability, maximum traction, good water capacity,   Cardean?    

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2 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Having seen the RT on numerous occasions don't expect mass crowds. That only tends to happen at major events. You normally get about a couple of dozen wellwishers.

 

That seems a tad harsh. 

 

I'm sure the town crier with his bell and his worship the mayor will make a point of turning out with his chain bowing and scraping and a couple of council workers will roll out a red carpet and curtsey.  Councillors tend to like flummery and not to have republican leanings.  And there's sure to be a photographer from the local rag.  Royalty seems to be one the few things that still sell newspapers.

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1 minute ago, Michael Hodgson said:

That seems a tad harsh. 

 

I'm sure the town crier with his bell and his worship the mayor will make a point of turning out with his chain bowing and scraping and a couple of council workers will roll out a red carpet and curtsey.  Councillors tend to like flummery and not to have republican leanings.  And there's sure to be a photographer from the local rag.  Royalty seems to be one the few things that still sell newspapers.

 

What's harsh?

 

I was pointing out that you don't tend to get crowds at Royal visits. Not like you do when there's a Jubilee, wedding or similar.

 

Most people are invited. This is a short tour to visit NHS and other "keyworkers" which is taking in Wales, Scotland and England. So expect one stop in Wales and Scotland each and maybe a couple in England. Also consider they will need a railway station and a hospital close by. Not many places fit the criteria.

 

Maybe Cardiff or Wrexham. Maybe Chester due to it's Royal links, particularly to his mother.

 

Now name other stations with a hospital close by. I doubt it will be in a busy city centre hospital in Tier Three.

 

 

Jason

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7 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

What's harsh?

 

I was pointing out that you don't tend to get crowds at Royal visits. Not like you do when there's a Jubilee, wedding or similar.

 

Most people are invited. This is a short tour to visit NHS and other "keyworkers" which is taking in Wales, Scotland and England. So expect one stop in Wales and Scotland each and maybe a couple in England. Also consider they will need a railway station and a hospital close by. Not many places fit the criteria.

 

Maybe Cardiff or Wrexham. Maybe Chester due to it's Royal links, particularly to his mother.

 

Now name other stations with a hospital close by. I doubt it will be in a busy city centre hospital in Tier Three.

 

 

Jason

Warwick fits the bill quite nicely.  Warwick station is close to the Hospital.  Even though it's Tier 3 the actual instances of the virus are quite low.

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I doubt it will be going to Liverpool,

 

unless the pleasure of their majesties  extends to going to visit the Mayor who may soon be enjoying Her Majesty's pleasure on a longer basis.

:D

Edited by adb968008
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On 06/12/2020 at 17:22, Joseph_Pestell said:

Are there still the two 67s in Royal Train livery? I would expect them to be used but one might need to be renamed.

67005 Queens Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign.

(Regularly seen on the ECML acting as thunderbirds on “off days” from royal duties, or on the VSOE)

 

if your referring to the Princes.. 47798/9 are both long withdrawn.

 

47798 Prince William being at the NRM, like its namesake was fully operational, but now unlikely to work again and is now protected and manicured.

 

47799 Prince Harry, also much like its name sake banished, royal signatures & nameplates removed, hidden in a remote place out of sight.

 

sadly given the negtive comments on twitter about this tour, I suspect the 67’s will be the last royal train locos, and given the under utilisation of the class 67’s generally, my feeling is some day they will be exported. Probably to Israel, whose class 67’s are used daily quite strongly and will be attractive for spares some day.

 

Israeli equivalent to UK class 67, Tel Aviv, August 2019. Just behind it is a Euro4000 (DRS class 68 equivalent)

 

Edited by adb968008
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5 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

You'd never guess the country has a fine set of timetabled trains - even now - upon which royals with a suitable retinue could be safely and comfortably accommodated, at considerably less cost to the public purse. Sigh.

 

My thoughts are given the amount of distance that will be covered on this trip and the large number of engagements the Royal train is being used to provide sleeping accommodation for the royal couple!

 

IIRC that was one of the main reasons the Queen used it extensively around the time of her Golden Jubilee celebrations a few years back.

 

It also can act as a handy isolation bubble keeping the VIPs away from potential sources of contamination.

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29 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

I doubt it will be going to Liverpool,

 

unless the pleasure of their majesties  extends to going to visit the Mayor who may soon be enjoying Her Majesty's pleasure on a longer basis.

:D

 

Why not? Station right near the hospital and a place they visit on a regular basis with plenty of Royal ties. Also not in Tier Three.

 

I can tell quite a few stories about that individual.....

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28 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

67005 Queens Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign.

(Regularly seen on the ECML acting as thunderbirds on “off days” from royal duties, or on the VSOE)

 

if your referring to the Princes.. 47798/9 are both long withdrawn.

 

47798 Prince William being at the NRM, like its namesake was fully operational, but now unlikely to work again and is now protected and manicured.

 

47799 Prince Harry, also much like its name sake banished, royal signatures & nameplates removed, hidden in a remote place out of sight.

 

sadly given the negtive comments on twitter about this tour, I suspect the 67’s will be the last royal train locos, and given the under utilisation of the class 67’s generally, my feeling is some day they will be exported. Probably to Israel, whose class 67’s are used daily quite strongly and will be attractive for spares some day.

B4795A66-D766-4205-9BB6-5D34F613A808.jpeg.e4206dd22c505891eabec4e0b36c5fd6.jpeg

 

 

You're right. I was confusing the 47s with the 67s.

 

A pity that the 67s have been so underused over the years.

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1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

67005 Queens Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign.

(Regularly seen on the ECML acting as thunderbirds on “off days” from royal duties, or on the VSOE)

 

if your referring to the Princes.. 47798/9 are both long withdrawn.

 

47798 Prince William being at the NRM, like its namesake was fully operational, but now unlikely to work again and is now protected and manicured.

 

47799 Prince Harry, also much like its name sake banished, royal signatures & nameplates removed, hidden in a remote place out of sight

 


799 was named Prince Henry. ‘Harry’ is a nickname, his proper name is Henry Albert Charles David.

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1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

67005 Queens Messenger and 67006 Royal Sovereign.

(Regularly seen on the ECML acting as thunderbirds on “off days” from royal duties, or on the VSOE)

 

if your referring to the Princes.. 47798/9 are both long withdrawn.

 

47798 Prince William being at the NRM, like its namesake was fully operational, but now unlikely to work again and is now protected and manicured.

 

47799 Prince Harry, also much like its name sake banished, royal signatures & nameplates removed, hidden in a remote place out of sight.

 

sadly given the negtive comments on twitter about this tour, I suspect the 67’s will be the last royal train locos, and given the under utilisation of the class 67’s generally, my feeling is some day they will be exported. Probably to Israel, whose class 67’s are used daily quite strongly and will be attractive for spares some day.

 

 

 

Since when is Government policy decided on what is posted on Twitter or Facebook?

 

The plan is to build a new Royal Yacht. I can see a new train following.

 

 

Jason

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7 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

You'd never guess the country has a fine set of timetabled trains - even now - upon which royals with a suitable retinue could be safely and comfortably accommodated, at considerably less cost to the public purse. Sigh.

But on which they couldn't work, sleep or be secure, all of which they can on the Royal Train. You get what you pay for. (CJL)

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7 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

You'd never guess the country has a fine set of timetabled trains - even now - upon which royals with a suitable retinue could be safely and comfortably accommodated, at considerably less cost to the public purse. Sigh.

I don’t think it’s a good idea the heir to the throne being on a  service train with all the security issues that entails - you may have noticed we have a little terrorist issue from time to time...

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1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Since when is Government policy decided on what is posted on Twitter or Facebook?

 

The plan is to build a new Royal Yacht. I can see a new train following.

 

 

Jason


if a Royal Yacht was used for government as well as royal business, for global business promotion, then its a good thing, as its growing the UK on a global stage.

 

However the royal train harks back to days of secure transportation vs Highwaymen, Robin Hood, Dick Turpin and who ever else could ambush a stage coach. Latterly the train was a faster medium vs cobble and mud roads. 
The UK today has good road & air transport as well as a nation of good hotels.

 

The train is probably in good condition and could well last another decade, but  mk3’s are now history, in 10 years spare parts are going to be hard to source. It will be bad news if the government is buying derelict sleepers from preserved railways to maintain the royal train... those costs are going to rise... even tonights formation has a borrowed DBS staff train sleeping coach in the formation.

 

If the 67’s end up sold on, (no suggestion they will, but 67’s arent getting the healthy revenue they should be) will they keep a dedicated royal train fleet ? That adds to the cost.. the end of EWS 47’s is why the 67’s came.

 

If they decide to buy a new Royal Train in a decade, it will need to be one of a production new build type to avoid too many one off costs, but given loco hauled has pretty much gone, so will dedicated rolling stock... it could well be a royal Multiple Unit... but bear in mind public image, only the UK, North Korea has royal train. China has a presidential train, the rest of the world has moved on to planes, cars and helicopters.

 

The UK however does have a growing market of luxury trains, which presumably could be hired, and maybe where the royal train ownership ends up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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