Secrets of the Royal Train documentary

[Peter Mugridge]

Channel 5, Friday 13th March, 19.00.
Also Channel 5+1 at 20.00, obviously.

It's billed as "new" but I can't help wondering if it's a repeat of the one that was broadcast last summer - in which case it's got quite a lot of historical interest in it but, not surprisingly, very little about the present train.

Going by the title and channel, I don't think we're going to learn anything more than what we already know anyway even if it is a new one!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Having done a bit of digging, although it's not billed - in Radio Times at least - as a repeat, I'm now 99% certain that it is indeed the one from last summer being shown again.

 

[Malcmal]

Well that got off to a great start - the very first sentence spoken by the narrator called the entire train a locomotive

 

[eastwestdivide]

Well that got off to a great start - the very first sentence spoken by the narrator called the entire train a locomotive

That'll be the repeat then - "the world's most luxurious locomotive" caused a lot of online discussion last time round.

 

[Malcmal]

That'll be the repeat then - "the world's most luxurious locomotive" caused a lot of online discussion last time round.

Yeah I cringed when I heard it. Definite "rant fodder" for enthusiast forums

I also note they keep showing shots of the royal steam special to Tweedbank which is formed of mark 1 carriages. Here comes an interesting point - does any train become the Royal Train once the queen (or one of the other three heads) are on board? Is this a bit like Air Force One being a callsign and not an actual aircraft.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That'll be the repeat then.

Yes, it turned out it was last summer's one after all, as I had suspected. Why it wasn't shown in the listings as a repeat is another debate altogether!

Here comes an interesting point - does any train become the Royal Train once the queen (or one of the other three heads) are on board? Is this a bit like Air Force One being a callsign and not an actual aircraft.

I believe that is the case, yes - the code words depend on the relevant person being on board.