The Queen is on my train from King's Cross!

[bengolding]

On the 1045 out of Kings Cross. Train was late boarding, prusumably as The Queen got priority boarding. She's not in my First Class compartment, sadly. Despite a late start, we are running at full speed so far. I assume signallers give this service a priority over others?

Lets hope she didn't forget her Senior Railcard.

 

[GodAtum]

Go and have a wander down the train

 

[rdwarr]

You might see her when she goes to the buffet for a couple of cans and a panini.

 

[jopsuk]

Buffet? Not on a 365! It's just a standard Kings Lynn service

 

[317666]

Arrived at Cambridge 6 minutes late, and expected to leave 6 late as well! According to Open Train Times, it's only expected to make up a minute and be 5 minutes late into Kings Lynn.

 

[222007]

I believe when the queen is on board signallers are told a short time in advance and the train would be given priority. that said im not a signaller so not sure if this is accurate i might have been sold a pup on that one

 

[jopsuk]

Given that service runs as an express anyway to Cambridge, and there's nothing really that could hold it up (or any way of getting anything out of its way) north of Cambridge, I doubt the signallers do anything special

 

[jon0844]

Send a train along ahead to push away all the idiot tractor drivers and foreign lorry drivers on the line?

 

[greatkingrat]

It is a good job she didn't start her trip to Sandringham on Tuesday. I don't think the replacement buses have a first class section!

 

[PR1Berske]

The Queen taking a regular passenger service? You can hear the Tories grumbling from here, can't you

 

[A-driver]

As far as I know the signallers are told to prioritise it and hold other traffic (ie at Cambridge junction where up trains from the mainline often get in the way) and only give a red signal in an emergency. It is counted as valuable or dangerous goods and so the driver is instructed to contact the box immediately after being stopped at acres signal and if the signaller has no knowledge of why the signaller is red the emergency services are informed- I believe that rule comes from the great train robbery.

 

[43167]

The Queen taking a regular passenger service? You can hear the Tories grumbling from here, can't you

Believe its quite normal when The Queen is off to Sandringham.

 

[bnm]

The Queen taking a regular passenger service? You can hear the Tories grumbling from here, can't you

Not the first time she's done so:

Although why she's travelling with Snooker legend Steve Davis in that second pic is anyone's guess!

 

[jon0844]

The Queen taking a regular passenger service? You can hear the Tories grumbling from here, can't you

She uses FCC services quite a bit. She also mixes with the general public far more than people probably realise.

 

[asylumxl]

Who cares what train she is on?

 

[Zoe]

Would this have run with a 1X reporting number as the Queen was on board or would the normal reporting number for this service have been used?

 

[Aictos]

Would this have run with a 1X reporting number as the Queen was on board or would the normal reporting number for this service have been used?

X is only used if the train is out of gauge when travelling so according to the fantastic Realtime Trains website (cheap plug from the Mick Foley school of Cheap Plugs) it ran as it's booked head code which was 1T08.

 

[Zoe]

X is only used if the train is out of gauge

X has been used for the Royal Train.

 

[A-driver]

It will still be 1Txx but with a note on it to the signaller and driver as far as I am aware.

 

[jon0844]

Who cares what train she is on?

Anyone else in first class that gets turfed out?! I am pretty sure they take over the whole compartment.

 

[asylumxl]

Anyone else in first class that gets turfed out?! I am pretty sure they take over the whole compartment.

I was thinking in general rather than this specific train. I'm sure they can claim off FCC

 

[bnm]

I'm sure they can claim off FCC

Or perhaps submit a claim to Brenda herself!

 

[philjo]

Anyone else in first class that gets turfed out?! I am pretty sure they take over the whole compartment.

As it is a 365 (& an off-peak service) presumably there would be some room in the 1st compartment at the other end of the train. if it is running as 8 coaches there would be 3 other 1st class compartments available

 

[Wath Yard]

As the precise route and timings of the royal train is supposed to be kept secret shouldn't they have put a bag on her head until she boarded at King's Cross?

 

[asylumxl]

As the precise route and timings of the royal train is supposed to be kept secret shouldn't they have put a bag on her head until she boarded at King's Cross?

Some may think she's been escorted by the US Military from Abu Ghraib...

 

[philjo]

I don't know about today but they often put the train to leave form platform 10 or 11 when The Queen is on board so the car can drop her off by the entrance (though that was before the new concourse opened). I arrived on the train she would later be leaving on about this time last year & a large gang of cleaners & police were awaiting our arrival in platform 11!

 

[Dave1987]

I have strong republican views myself but I have to admit I really do admire her for using normal scheduled public transport. Just a shame she hasn't told Andrew to stop wasting taxpayers money on private charter flights.

And it seems the craze has worn off onto Middleton as well using a £13,000 per hour helicopter to fly to watch the sailing during Olympics.

My respect for the queen has increased hugely knowing she travels like this.

 

[Geezertronic]

She looks absolutely ecstatic doesn't she

 

[ainsworth74]

I wonder how many other heads of state you'll see travelling like this?

 

[Be3G]

Interesting thing is that if the Daily Mail is to be believed (yeah, I know, an oxymoron), it looks like the queen used exactly the same train on the same date last year too. I suppose sticking to the same schedule makes planning easier (from the royal family's point of view, that is).