Royal Train

[sprinterguy]

Does the Royal Train have sleeping quarters?

Yes, both for members of the royal family and staff.

 

[Darandio]

Does the Royal Train have sleeping quarters?

You don't think that 'one' sleeps on a couch do you? hock:

 

[Deepgreen]

Anyhoo - it was only mild curiosity that prompted the thread. I suspect it was heading ECS back to Wolverton as some have mentioned. The open leading loco cab door when I saw it suggests less than 100% security!

 

[pdeaves]

I would suggest you mean" after the event" means the following day rather than a few minutes afterwards.

That's exactly what I meant.

 

[Deepgreen]

You don't think that 'one' sleeps on a couch do you? hock:

I always imagined that HM spread a copy of 'The Metro' on the opposite seat and put her feet up for a snooze.

 

[CardiffKid]

Does the Royal Train have sleeping quarters?

I wouldn't mind a personal train to take me around but then I'd have to be a member of the royal family, along with all that comes with it. No disrespect to the Royal Family but not sure I'd want to be a member.

Here's a look inside:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ear...al-Train-as-he-launches-Start-initiative.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...eens-travelling-bedroom-mobile-home-home.html

Not used every day but still very economical. If used for overnight accommodation the train will often travel up the night before staying in a nearby siding and head off to the town/city the next morning, rather than be used as a conventional sleeper train.

 

[CardiffKid]

If any of the moderators are reading this they may consider a ruling on this security matter.

I think you're probably getting a little bit carried away here.

 

[broadgage]

Some years ago I and others were watching passing trains at a busy station, when a number of police officers approached and searched any bulky luggage, but did not prevent viewing or photography.
For about ten minutes no admittance to the platforms was permitted, but those already on the platforms could remain subject to a search.
Shortly afterwards the Royal train passed.

 

[Deepgreen]

Some years ago I and others were watching passing trains at a busy station, when a number of police officers approached and searched any bulky luggage, but did not prevent viewing or photography.
For about ten minutes no admittance to the platforms was permitted, but those already on the platforms could remain subject to a search.
Shortly afterwards the Royal train passed.

There are several shots on Flickr of yesterday's move. Let's not descend into paranoia about photography being an instrument of terrorists, etc. Withholding movement details should be more than enough security if we are not to play into the hands of those who would restrict us.

 

[TimboM]

Indeed, as they found out with the Flying Scotsman last year, ultimately it's pretty difficult to completely hide a very large metal object weighing several hundreds of tonnes which makes a fair bit of noise and has to run on fixed rails out in the open...!

Understandably they keep planned movement as secretive as possible - but once its out and about and on the move, it's quite literally in the pubic domain.

 

[Mordac]

Indeed, as they found out with the Flying Scotsman last year, ultimately it's pretty difficult to completely hide a very large metal object weighing several hundreds of tonnes which makes a fair bit of noise and has to run on fixed rails out in the open...!

Understandably they keep planned movement as secretive as possible - but once its out and about and on the move, it's quite literally in the pubic domain.

I think that's only when Harry's using it.

 

[LeylandLen]

Details on the movements and details of the Royal Train are hard to come by for obvious reasons.

My observations of the Royal Train were AFTER it had passed certain locations or I was able to see it on Webcam.

If you know the Headcode of the train , its not difficult to find it on a track diagram and predict where it is going.
Also , I am sure that a clever hacker can find the information if they have to.

 

[sprinterguy]

And bugger me when the train ran there were people lineside photting! God knows where they got the information from!

It depends on how long ago and how far into the journey it was: One morning at Carlisle a bit over a decade ago, news got round the gathered spotters that the Royal train was due through that afternoon: If the train was coming up from London or empty stock from Wolverton, the "main man" from which the news originated might have had a phone call from a contact down at, say, Crewe who'd seen it pass through earlier, and these days sightings of it are probably circulated on some online "gen groups".

The movements of the royal train aren't nearly as hidden to the railway enthusiast fraternity as these sorts of threads make out, as remember that bashers and platform enders have ALWAYS been adept at ferreting out rare train and loco movements since long before the digital age made this sort of information so much more accessible.

 

[TimboM]

I think that's only when Harry's using it.

 

[Dhassell]

I live adjacent to Horsforth station, and, upon hearing what I'd taken to be a 66-hauled ballast train, I looked out to see the Royal Train pull up! This was at about 22.45ish.

Charles boarded the RT at Horsforth shortly after, and the whole consist ran into Horsforth siding, before reversing and following the service train back down into Leeds.

Charles is a bit of a track scratcher is he?

 

[jopsuk]

One has to have a hobby when one's mother is determined to outlive one to prevent one becoming King.

 

[E_Reeves]

My observations of the Royal Train were AFTER it had passed certain locations or I was able to see it on Webcam.

If you know the Headcode of the train , its not difficult to find it on a track diagram and predict where it is going.
Also , I am sure that a clever hacker can find the information if they have to.

Would it actually show up on a track diagram, and if so, what as?

 

[najaB]

Would it actually show up on a track diagram, and if so, what as?

Yes. As a train.

 

[Freightmaster]

Would it actually show up on a track diagram,

Yes - I saw it on my own Realtime Maps several times last week,
including berthing overnight in my local station, which was nice...


MARK

 

[Alan2603]

As well as the carriages, shouldn't there be a horsebox for the Dutchess of Cornwall in 'the consist'?

 

[DerekC]

At least (unlike her GG grandmother) HMQ doesn't insist on the train not exceeding 40 mph.

 

[pompeyfan]

Yes. As a train.

In what form would it show up? Would it actually show up as 1X01 (for example) or would it show up as an occupied track circuit such as xXxx?

 

[Polarbear]

Personally, I wish the royals would make more use of the said train. It's a fixed asset that remains at their disposal, (unlike other transport modes such as aircraft). That said, it's also noted that even in the current era, where the drive to cut costs us ever present, the Royal train remains exactly that, a train.

Whilst everyone else has to be squeezed into multiple units, I somehow doubt we'll see a 'Royal Bi-mode' of any description any time soon!

 

[najaB]

Whilst everyone else has to be squeezed into multiple units...

In a given length, a multiple unit will have more passenger space than a locomotive and separate carriages.

 

[DerekC]

Whilst everyone else has to be squeezed into multiple units, I somehow doubt we'll see a 'Royal Bi-mode' of any description any time soon!

Good idea, though. It wouldn't be quite right for the Royal Family to tour in a Japanese product, so I suggest another Class 319 conversion. A lick of paint (Royal vinyls?) , take out some seats and install a few camp beds - job done! 25kV, 3rd rail and diesel in a pretty much "go-anywhere" train. No problems of running the loco round at the end of branch lines.

PS - MrsC suggests a couple of futons in lieu of camp beds, in view of the age of some of the passengers.

PPS - or if not a 319, how about a 442 - or even better two - now there's a nice design competition for somebody! Conversion of a couple of 442s into a new royal train.

 

[Polarbear]

In a given length, a multiple unit will have more passenger space than a locomotive and separate carriages.

True enough. My observations were somewhat tongue in cheek so I'd not take the above at face value.

 

[Freightmaster]

Would it actually show up as 1X01 (for example)

As far as I know, the 1X01 thing is an urban legend - perhaps it ran under
that headcode back in steam days, but I've certainly never heard of it being
used in the past 30-odd years!


MARK

 

[33056]

I'm reasonably sure that it used to run as 1X01 but not in the last 32 years since I first had dealings with it. At one stage it was possible to work out who was on board according to the headcode but it has run with a random 1Zxx headcode for some years now.

 

[rebmcr]

Whilst everyone else has to be squeezed into multiple units

HM has been known to use in-passenger-service Class 365s fairly often (booking out exclusive use of a 1st section).

 

[Polarbear]

HM has been known to use in-passenger-service Class 365s fairly often (booking out exclusive use of a 1st section).

True. Rumour has it that she's almost cleared the 365's now!