The last time the royal train was steam hauled

[18B]

Hi, 

 

was wondering when the last time the royal train was steam hauled pre 1968 and the end of BR mainline steam?
 

this is believed to be Barmouth on 10 august 1963. Can anyone offer any later outing behind steam? 
 

TIA 

Edited October 17, 2021 by 18B
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[uax6]

It was hauled by Tornado, with Prince Charles in the cab, so within the last ten or so years....

 

Andy G

[asmay2002]

Quite a few times in preservation era since 2002.  Most recently Clan Line in 2018 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Royal_Train#Steam_locomotives

[18B]

I'll amend the OP, I was meaning in BR days, pre privatisation 

[Steamport Southport]

I can't remember the details off hand. But the winter of 1967/1968 I believe. Somewhere in the North West (Preston?).

 

ISTR it was one of the last express passenger workings* of a Black Five which was requested due to the steam heating. Diesels being deemed too noisy to be used at night when the royals would be sleeping,

 

*As opposed to railtours

 

I'm sure someone will know.

 

 

Jason

[pH]

3 hours ago, 18B said:

Hi, 

 

was wondering when the last time the royal train was steam hauled pre 1968 and the end of BR mainline steam?
 

this is believed to be Barmouth on 10 august 1963. Can anyone offer any later outing behind steam? 
 

TIA 

 

 

I can offer a later one, but with no claim for it to be the last. Jubilee 45562 worked the Royal Train around Harrogate in May 1967. There is a picture of it at Wormald Green on May 30. I believe it was stabled overnight on the Pateley Bridge branch.

 

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

I can't remember the details off hand. But the winter of 1967/1968 I believe. Somewhere in the North West (Preston?).

ISTR it was one of the last express passenger workings* of a Black Five …

Again, that could have been ‘one of the last’ express workings of a Five, but it certainly wasn’t the last. 45318 worked the Liverpool section of a Glasgow to Liverpool/Manchester express from Preston on the last night of BR ‘regular’ steam - August 3 1968. Fives had worked that train quite often in the months before that. Reckoned to be the last but one time passengers moved behind BR ‘regular’ steam - the final move was a shunt at Preston later that night.

Edited October 17, 2021 by pH

[adb968008]

23 hours ago, pH said:

 

I can offer a later one, but with no claim for it to be the last. Jubilee 45562 worked the Royal Train around Harrogate in May 1967. There is a picture of it at Wormald Green on May 30. I believe it was stabled overnight on the Pateley Bridge branch.

 

Again, that could have been ‘one of the last’ express workings of a Five, but it certainly wasn’t the last. 45318 worked the Liverpool section of a Glasgow to Liverpool/Manchester express from Preston on the last night of BR ‘regular’ steam - August 3 1968. Fives had worked that train quite often in the months before that. Reckoned to be the last but one time passengers moved behind BR ‘regular’ steam - the final move was a shunt at Preston later that night.

Wasnt the Belfast Boat Express the last ‘named” steam hauled express, with 45025/45156 as regulars on it in 1968 ?

[Nearholmer]

Didn’t HMQ actually drive a loco on the Exbury Garden Railway within the past decade? Or, if not drive the loco, then certainly rode the railway, possibly officially named the loco or something.

 

 

May not be quite what the OP had in mind ….

 

Oh, and Met 150 too, I think, rode behind Met No.1.

 

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Nearholmer