Royal Trains
Our collection boasts a fantastic display of royal ‘Palaces on Wheels’, along with information about the incredible history and preservation that make these trains so popular.
From the opulent carriages of Queen Victoria to the armour-plated war transport of George VI, there’s plenty of fascinating royal stories to take in during your visit. Highlights include:
- Queen Adelaide's saloon, the oldest preserved carriage in Europe.
- Queen Victoria’s ‘Palace on Wheels’. This is the most famous and popular of the royal carriages and is one of the several saloons made for the Queen during her reign. It is the only surviving example and was her undoubted favourite. It became part of the collection in November 2003, 103 years after it was last used by Queen Victoria.
- King Edward VII’s royal carriage. Built by the London & North Western Railway in 1902. It was the principal royal train used for travel to Scotland.
- The most modern (and considerably less extravagant) royal train is the Royal Saloon built for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) in 1941. Built during the Second World War, its carriages were designed to give maximum protection to its royal inhabitants.
- The famous Black Five steam engine stands at the head of the royal collection. Built at Crewe in 1935 by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, it was the most reliable engine and was regularly used to pull royal trains.
Please note that the royal trains will be refurbished in 2011, so please check before you travel.
