EMT HST service train used by Queen

[38Cto15E]

Way way back in around 1972, I was Guard on the Royal Train when the Duke of Edinburgh visited Oakham.
I guess around 8-00ish we travelled light engine from Leicester HS to Old Dalby where the train had been stabled overnight with another engine (25 I think) on the Nottingham end of the train.
I cannot remember but I guess I must have coupled our loco up to the train, and whilst walking to the other end I saw a member of staff collecting metal trays which had been placed under the toilet discharges.
I can remember the chap got a can of Long Life for this work, shows how long ago it was.
We set off to Oakham after detaching the other engine, at Oakham after the Duke left the train our loco ran round and we went empty stock to Northampton (for Wolverton).

I wasn't allocated the turn of duty for my skills, but because I was one of the few guards who signed both the Old Dalby test line and Mkt Harborough to Northampton.

Hope you forgive me for my moment of nostalgia.

 

[D1009]

Way way back in around 1972, I was Guard on the Royal Train when the Duke of Edinburgh visited Oakham.
I guess around 8-00ish we travelled light engine from Leicester HS to Old Dalby where the train had been stabled overnight with another engine (25 I think) on the Nottingham end of the train.
I cannot remember but I guess I must have coupled our loco up to the train, and whilst walking to the other end I saw a member of staff collecting metal trays which had been placed under the toilet discharges.
I can remember the chap got a can of Long Life for this work, shows how long ago it was.
We set off to Oakham after detaching the other engine, at Oakham after the Duke left the train our loco ran round and we went empty stock to Northampton (for Wolverton).

I wasn't allocated the turn of duty for my skills, but because I was one of the few guards who signed both the Old Dalby test line and Mkt Harborough to Northampton.

Hope you forgive me for my moment of nostalgia.

That would have been the old Royal train, coaches from which have now joined their predecessors in the NRM at York. The metal trays were called sanitary pans, and times of provision and removal referred to in the Royal Train notices.

 

[Windcutter]

Yesterday the Queen came to Leicester due in at 11.30 am, so I went to photograph the Royal Train south of Wigston.
Along with 11 other people waiting for this Royal Train, we waited and waited, 11.30 came and went, how were we know that the Queen would travel on the 10.15 service out of St,Pancras, I did photograph a clean looking HST !!, but it left me disappointed having never seen a 'live' Royal Train.

 

[Bald Rick]

Way way back in around 1972, I was Guard on the Royal Train when the Duke of Edinburgh visited Oakham.
I guess around 8-00ish we travelled light engine from Leicester HS to Old Dalby where the train had been stabled overnight with another engine (25 I think) on the Nottingham end of the train.
I cannot remember but I guess I must have coupled our loco up to the train, and whilst walking to the other end I saw a member of staff collecting metal trays which had been placed under the toilet discharges.
I can remember the chap got a can of Long Life for this work, shows how long ago it was.
We set off to Oakham after detaching the other engine, at Oakham after the Duke left the train our loco ran round and we went empty stock to Northampton (for Wolverton).

I wasn't allocated the turn of duty for my skills, but because I was one of the few guards who signed both the Old Dalby test line and Mkt Harborough to Northampton.

Hope you forgive me for my moment of nostalgia.

On a slightly similar note, a long since retired colleague once had to look after the Royal train as it spent the night in a siding in a remote spot up north. Said colleague, having filled himself with endless cups of signalbox tea popped out to relieve himself. There being no 'box toilet, he selected a nearby bush. A few seconds into the process, the bush stood up, pointed a machine gun at him and using some military-industrial language invited him to avoid repeating his mistake again or have his f***ing head blown off.

 

[150222]

I wonder if the train driver knew who was behind him in the carriages

It is not unknown for the Queen to get a 365 from King's Cross to King's Lynn

You're saying that like she just turned up and decided to take the train! These things are carefully (& secretively) planned with lots of security guards.

 

[whhistle]

I may be one of the few people who couldn't really care less. To me she's just another person and shouldn't deserve any special treatment for her title or her wealth.

Why?
Even though she and her family bring in loads to our country?

Yes in her reign Great Britain has lost it's "great" title with regards to power around the world, but we're still a powerful country with her and her family.

Never understood people with a view like your own. I'm by no way a royalist but I like that we have a royal family and the good things they do for us.

 

[fsmr]

You're saying that like she just turned up and decided to take the train! These things are carefully (& secretively) planned with lots of security guards.

The boss of EMT was introduced live on telly to her so yes it was well planned out although i reiterate, the 1st class coach was in normal service which is why some punters got off first
she opted for a chopper home (with two Appaches flying shotgun
so perhaps "one doesnt like these new HST engines, not a bit like the old paxmans, who was responsible for this decission, send them to me at The Tower on monday"

 

[brianthegiant]

I may be one of the few people who couldn't really care less. To me she's just another person and shouldn't deserve any special treatment for her title or her wealth.

I agree, the queen, her privy council & the prince of Wales have more political influence than many realise. Its quite outdated and inapropriate to have an unelected head of state in a modern liberal democracy.

 

[asylumxl]

Why?
Even though she and her family bring in loads to our country?

Yes in her reign Great Britain has lost it's "great" title with regards to power around the world, but we're still a powerful country with her and her family.

Never understood people with a view like your own. I'm by no way a royalist but I like that we have a royal family and the good things they do for us.

Powerful country? We now just appease other countries with more clout than us. The days of the UK being one of the big powers is long, long, long gone.

Yes, the Royals do bring in tourism and do have their uses. I don't deny that, but I think there are far more important things in life than what the celebrities of this world are up to, as that is essentially what they are.

The tourists who come to look at Buckingham Palace etc. The sights, take many photographs, before finally retreating back to the Underground. Do they seem the large amounts of homeless people in London? The congestion? The pollution? The crime? The poverty? There is so very much wrong in London which we ignore. These are the issues I feel we should be focusing on.

These tours the Royals take, do they do anything more than boost moral in the areas they visit and Possibly give the area a temporary economic boost? I doubt it.

Is it seems safe to assume that public money is used to fund these things. I just think this money should be used to improve life for the British public. We need real action, not theatrics.

I'm sure many people will disagree with me, so after this post I shall bow out of this thread.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The late Princess Margaret used a Silverlink 321 from Euston to Leighton Buzzard one afternoon - it was arranged at very short notice so a frantic search of units at Camden revealed the cleanest one (all were Ok to be fair) , and yours truly was giving the interior a last minute clean with Windolene and polish when she arrived early. Stuffing cleaning rag into pocket , I approached her with the customary greeting and escorted her to the seat in the (private) 1st class section - she smiled and said "I appear to have caught you unaware" pointing to the yellow duster hanging out of pocket. She was well looked after , and the detective commented we had a good effort , which she approved of.