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Royal Train

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junglejames

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Whilst travelling on the WCMLs only 'proper passenger train' today! we overtook the Royal train just North of Milton Keynes at about 1320.
Anyone know if it was doing anything important, or carrying anybody important (Like Arsene Wenger?!!)

It was heading Southbound for anybody that wants to know.

Cheers
 
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MggW

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It was returning to it's base. Important people on it as in the traincrew, but no royals.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Can't answer for Sunday, but Wednesday night it was Euston to somewhere in Cumbria. And I correctly predicted it two days in advance from looking at the Palace website!
 

matt

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Prince Charles and Camilla were in Stafford today so might have been connected with that.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Yes, they were in London on, Wednesday, Cumbria yesterday and Staffordshire and Derbyshire today. Via the train.
 

Peter Mugridge

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It's relatively easy to predict when it will be in use; the best thing to do is keep an eye on the diary on the Palace website, and cross reference with press releases. Very occasionaly they even actually say something like "HM The Queen will arrive at x station and be greeted by..." but even when they don't it is still usually pretty obvious.

If that coincides with 67 005 and 67 006 both being in the same place at the same time for a couple of days ahead, then your suspicion becomes pretty much certain.

But please don't expect me to put my actual predictions ( I generally have an 85% to 90% accuracy rate! ) on a public forum like this - that may be going a step too far for the authorities!
 

Peter Mugridge

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This page actually:

http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Royaldiary/Locationsandtimes.aspx

You only need to search two of the options given as only those two are usually allowed to use the train...

Which is one reason why the cost per journey is so high - the fixed costs are being allocated against a small number of trips; if they created an extra saloon ( "General Royal Saloon" ) and allowed use by the other senior Royals the cost per journey would show quite a decrease ( although the overall annual bill would be higher ). With a bit of careful planning of engagements, though, this could probably be made very cost effective compared to the present arrangements.
 

MggW

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Use of the train by members of the Royal Family other than the Queen and Prince Charles was stopped a few years ago when Household costs were under the spotlight and were reduced.

I believe that the helicopters used by the Royal Household will be life expired soon, so there may be greater use of the Train in the future. But that may will depend on the personal preferences of Prince William.

The Train is owned by NR and operated and maintained by DBS.

The advantage the train offers is by saving on accommodation costs and separate travel costs, together with being easier to secure.

What is the 'only proper passenger train' on the WCML? The Royal is a proper train by most definitions! As are the many charters that operate over it.
 

MCR247

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Pretendolino, the op does not like Pendolinos/Voyagers. I won't say anything else
 

Peter Mugridge

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Use of the train by members of the Royal Family other than the Queen and Prince Charles was stopped a few years ago when Household costs were under the spotlight and were reduced.

That was a purely political move designed to give an apparant reduction to the overall bill though wasn't it? The side effect of pushing the cost per trip up was a predictable consequence, but one which did not get wide coverage. On the other hand, at least it was better than abolishing it altogether.

I believe that the helicopters used by the Royal Household will be life expired soon, so there may be greater use of the Train in the future. But that may will depend on the personal preferences of Prince William.

The helicopters are civilian and leased as and when required, not owned and run by the RAF as a dedicated fleet these days, so replacement would probably be put out to tender - so I think yes it will very much depend on Prince William's own choice. He does, at least, appear to be showing a good level of environmental awareness like his father, so we can but hope...
 

Dolive22

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Font normal for me in IE 8 (don't blame me, it's a corporate computer and I don't have admin priviliges). Should someone tell them? NRE fixed their site from seeing a post on here a few days ago, but I don't think the royal household visit regularly, although special branch may be keeping an eye with all this predicting royal movements ;).
 

Dolive22

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A link that should have gone to the T&Cs of an offer from FCC went to the NRE website T&Cs.
 

9K43

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In the 1980's BR operated the Royal Train, and was crewed by the local areas traincrew.
At HM we have crewed the Royal Train on many occassions.
It has been stabled in local cuttings of now lifted railways.
The traincrews for these jobs were those who signed the road and were within the signing on time of the job.
 
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It was stabled etruria sidings in stoke on the 18th I saw it at 0830 and it departed around 1000 I managed to get the coaching stock if anyone needs. It was something to do with charles and camilla
 

MggW

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In the 1980's BR operated the Royal Train, and was crewed by the local areas traincrew.
At HM we have crewed the Royal Train on many occassions.
It has been stabled in local cuttings of now lifted railways.
The traincrews for these jobs were those who signed the road and were within the signing on time of the job.

The traincrew have always been hand picked from those with the route knowledge. You don't get any Tom, Dick or Harry on it - usually the same 2 or 3 drivers from a depot who have an impeccable record.
 

nedchester

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It's relatively easy to predict when it will be in use; the best thing to do is keep an eye on the diary on the Palace website, and cross reference with press releases. Very occasionaly they even actually say something like "HM The Queen will arrive at x station and be greeted by..." but even when they don't it is still usually pretty obvious.

If that coincides with 67 005 and 67 006 both being in the same place at the same time for a couple of days ahead, then your suspicion becomes pretty much certain.

But please don't expect me to put my actual predictions ( I generally have an 85% to 90% accuracy rate! ) on a public forum like this - that may be going a step too far for the authorities!

Why? Think you are paranoid!

Quite often when their is a Royal visit in the north west the Royal Train will be stabled in Hooton long siding. The day before Hooton station is crawling with police checking the grids etc. I posted to a news group earlier this year that the Royal train was at Hooton and that it was going to Welshpool the next day (all info available from newspaper websites).

Someone privately emailed me to say I shouldn't say what I said. Told them to get lost as I was reporting that I had seen the Royal Rain with my own eyes and had got the info from the internet.

Some gen groups also called it the 'claret train' or 'RT'. I just say it's the 'Royal Train' - not had a call from M15 yet and why should I?!
 

Peter Mugridge

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Reporting it when you see it then and there is one thing, posting that it will likely be running from X to Y a few days in advance ( unless specifically already stated by official sources ) would be another thing altogether... Remember, it may not be only those with a legitimate interest in the railways reading it...

My usual way of discretely giving a heads up on it is to describe it as "67 005 and 67 006 with matching coaching stock";)
 

DarloRich

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Not convinced that discussing the operation and stabling of the royal train in advance is a good idea. It is a security risk. The Police are not happy about people approaching the train even when you come across it quite by chance
 

ralphchadkirk

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Not convinced that discussing the operation and stabling of the royal train in advance is a good idea. It is a security risk. The Police are not happy about people approaching the train even when you come across it quite by chance

There is a big difference between people discussing when it's going to run (it's not the best kept secret) and walking right up to it - which is a far bigger security risk! :roll:
 

DarloRich

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I disagree - if you know in advance a route and timings or stabling location it is very easy for Mr Terrorist to casue trouble. Simply mine the line, sit back and wait ( i would hope the line would be checked before hand!)

However if you come accross the RT stabled somewhere, by chance, you would need Mr Terrorist to be armed and looking for tourble at all times.
 

ralphchadkirk

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I disagree - if you know in advance a route and timings or stabling location it is very easy for Mr Terrorist to casue trouble. Simply mine the line, sit back and wait ( i would hope the line would be checked before hand!)

However if you come accross the RT stabled somewhere, by chance, you would need Mr Terrorist to be armed and looking for tourble at all times.
I think it's easier for terrorists to be armed than mine a railway line ;)

People are getting a little too paranoid here - you're not going to be chucked in Belmarsh for posting the times of the royal train!
 

Chester025

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Not convinced that discussing the operation and stabling of the royal train in advance is a good idea. It is a security risk. The Police are not happy about people approaching the train even when you come across it quite by chance

Oh yeah! I'm sure there are plenty of terriosts signed up on here! Stop being so paranoid, if there was an issue with the train being reported it wouldn't be on their website would it?
 
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