NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 28
Queen Victoria's Funeral
Michael L. Roach
The second of February marks the 124th anniversary of the funeral of Queen Victoria.
Part 27 outlined the life of Sir Winston Churchill with particular reference to his funeral and last journey by train from London to Oxfordshire in January 1965. Sixty four years earlier and also in the month of January Queen Victoria died and this is a little about her funeral and funeral train; but first a bit about the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. The LBSCR existed as a corporate entity from 1846 to 1922 when it became part of the Southern Railway Group. The LBSCR brought 457 route miles to the Southern; for comparison the LSWR brought 1,020 route miles, including many miles in Devon and Cornwall. The LBSCR extended from Portsmouth and Cosham in the west to Hastings in the east, and northwards to London where it had three major stations at Kensington, Victoria and London Bridge.
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight was built between 1845 and 1851 as the summer home and rural retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Queen died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901 at the age of 81 years after reigning for more than 63 years. The state funeral took place on Saturday 2 February 1901 at Windsor Castle; having been 64 years since the previous funeral of a monarch. Queen Victoria's coffin was conveyed by boat from Cowes to Gosport where it was taken to a railway station. Gosport Station was built by the LSWR in 1841 at the end of a 4½ branch from Fareham. It closed to passengers in 1953 and to goods in 1969. However the coffin was taken to Victoria's private station at the end of an extension to the branch within Royal Navy property.
The funeral train was hauled from Gosport to Fareham by an LSWR engine where the train reversed. The engine was then provided by the London, Brighton and South Coast and it was at Fareham that one of Billinton's new 4-4-0 B4-class engines no. 54 “Empress” came on to the train to haul it to London via Havant Junction (scheduled time 9.15am), Ford Junction (9.36), Horsham (10.05), Dorking (10.23), Mitcham Junction (10.43), Clapham Junction (10.54), Grosvenor Road (10.58) and arriving at Victoria (11.00am). In fact the funeral train departed Gosport 8L and Fareham 10L but by dint of some fast running reached Victoria two minutes early. The train was reputed to have reached 80 mph on the level between Havant and Ford Junction. The first of the B4-class class had come out of Brighton Works in December 1899 and they had a good reputation. OS Nock described the class as among the finest passenger locomotives of their day. Several of the class passed to BR on nationalisation but none were preserved. “Empress” was withdrawn in May 1951. Although there are many LBSCR engines in preservation there appears to be only one Billinton engine which is E4 0-6-2T “Birch Grove.”
Many crowned heads had travelled to Gosport to travel on the train and because of this someone in authority had decided that no photographers would be allowed anywhere near the line which was patrolled by an army of railwaymen to enforce it. The result was very few photographs of the funeral train taken by members of the public. The trip to London was only the first leg of the trip to Windsor. At Victoria the coffin was put on a gun-carriage to be taken across London by road the 2½ miles to Paddington Station. Seven of the eight coaches on the first leg belonged to the LBSCR but the coffin travelled in a GWR coach from that Company's Royal Train no. 229 which was taken around London by way of Battersea, Addison Road, Uxbridge Road and Westborne Park to Paddington to be available for the second leg of the journey. The GWR stationed a railwayman on both sides of the line every 25 yards all the way from Paddington to Windsor. The train was hauled by a 4-4-0 named “Royal Sovereign” although it was actually 3373 “Atbara” in disguise, temporarily carrying the nameplates of 3050. From the GWR station in Windsor the coffin was taken to St. George's Chapel within Windsor Castle for the funeral service. It was the first royal funeral for which a printed Order of Service was produced.
Now Windsor has a second railway station at Riverside which pre-1923 was owned by the LSWR. You may ask why Queen Victoria's funeral train did not go direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside. I think there are a couple of reasons. Firstly it would have denied Londoners the chance to see the funeral procession from Victoria to Paddington. Secondly Victoria had made her first train journey from Slough to Paddington on 13 June 1842 some seven years before the branch to Windsor & Eton Central opened, and normally used the Great Western route to Windsor; and thirdly, and most importantly, Queen Victoria would pass through the London Station named after herself.
The information used in this article has been sourced from Wikipedia and The Railway Magazine for March 1940. My thanks go to both organisations.
Part 27 outlined the life of Sir Winston Churchill with particular reference to his funeral and last journey by train from London to Oxfordshire in January 1965. Sixty four years earlier and also in the month of January Queen Victoria died and this is a little about her funeral and funeral train; but first a bit about the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. The LBSCR existed as a corporate entity from 1846 to 1922 when it became part of the Southern Railway Group. The LBSCR brought 457 route miles to the Southern; for comparison the LSWR brought 1,020 route miles, including many miles in Devon and Cornwall. The LBSCR extended from Portsmouth and Cosham in the west to Hastings in the east, and northwards to London where it had three major stations at Kensington, Victoria and London Bridge.
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight was built between 1845 and 1851 as the summer home and rural retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Queen died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901 at the age of 81 years after reigning for more than 63 years. The state funeral took place on Saturday 2 February 1901 at Windsor Castle; having been 64 years since the previous funeral of a monarch. Queen Victoria's coffin was conveyed by boat from Cowes to Gosport where it was taken to a railway station. Gosport Station was built by the LSWR in 1841 at the end of a 4½ branch from Fareham. It closed to passengers in 1953 and to goods in 1969. However the coffin was taken to Victoria's private station at the end of an extension to the branch within Royal Navy property.
The funeral train was hauled from Gosport to Fareham by an LSWR engine where the train reversed. The engine was then provided by the London, Brighton and South Coast and it was at Fareham that one of Billinton's new 4-4-0 B4-class engines no. 54 “Empress” came on to the train to haul it to London via Havant Junction (scheduled time 9.15am), Ford Junction (9.36), Horsham (10.05), Dorking (10.23), Mitcham Junction (10.43), Clapham Junction (10.54), Grosvenor Road (10.58) and arriving at Victoria (11.00am). In fact the funeral train departed Gosport 8L and Fareham 10L but by dint of some fast running reached Victoria two minutes early. The train was reputed to have reached 80 mph on the level between Havant and Ford Junction. The first of the B4-class class had come out of Brighton Works in December 1899 and they had a good reputation. OS Nock described the class as among the finest passenger locomotives of their day. Several of the class passed to BR on nationalisation but none were preserved. “Empress” was withdrawn in May 1951. Although there are many LBSCR engines in preservation there appears to be only one Billinton engine which is E4 0-6-2T “Birch Grove.”
Many crowned heads had travelled to Gosport to travel on the train and because of this someone in authority had decided that no photographers would be allowed anywhere near the line which was patrolled by an army of railwaymen to enforce it. The result was very few photographs of the funeral train taken by members of the public. The trip to London was only the first leg of the trip to Windsor. At Victoria the coffin was put on a gun-carriage to be taken across London by road the 2½ miles to Paddington Station. Seven of the eight coaches on the first leg belonged to the LBSCR but the coffin travelled in a GWR coach from that Company's Royal Train no. 229 which was taken around London by way of Battersea, Addison Road, Uxbridge Road and Westborne Park to Paddington to be available for the second leg of the journey. The GWR stationed a railwayman on both sides of the line every 25 yards all the way from Paddington to Windsor. The train was hauled by a 4-4-0 named “Royal Sovereign” although it was actually 3373 “Atbara” in disguise, temporarily carrying the nameplates of 3050. From the GWR station in Windsor the coffin was taken to St. George's Chapel within Windsor Castle for the funeral service. It was the first royal funeral for which a printed Order of Service was produced.
Now Windsor has a second railway station at Riverside which pre-1923 was owned by the LSWR. You may ask why Queen Victoria's funeral train did not go direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside. I think there are a couple of reasons. Firstly it would have denied Londoners the chance to see the funeral procession from Victoria to Paddington. Secondly Victoria had made her first train journey from Slough to Paddington on 13 June 1842 some seven years before the branch to Windsor & Eton Central opened, and normally used the Great Western route to Windsor; and thirdly, and most importantly, Queen Victoria would pass through the London Station named after herself.
The information used in this article has been sourced from Wikipedia and The Railway Magazine for March 1940. My thanks go to both organisations.
Queen Victoria's funeral train passes Carshalton on 2 February 1901
The funeral train was hauled from Fareham to Victoria by LBSCR's 4-4-0 no. 54 “Empress”
Many thanks as always Michael.
For more of Michaels articles, including the Winston Churchill Funeral Train, click here.
For more of Michaels articles, including the Winston Churchill Funeral Train, click here.
Mid Cornwall Variety
Part 1
Roger Winnen
29.12.1976 - The 08.00 Bristol to Penzance with a Peak approaching Grampound Road. Copyright Roger Winnen
Roger Geach writes:
The peak on the 0800 Bristol - Penzance was 46021.
I was also out to capture 1023 (below) in the winter sun that day.
Many thanks, Roger
The peak on the 0800 Bristol - Penzance was 46021.
I was also out to capture 1023 (below) in the winter sun that day.
Many thanks, Roger
29.12.1976 - D1023 Western Fusilier passes Grampound Road on 29th December 1976. Copyright Roger Winnen
29.12.1976 - D1023 Going away passing the loading banks at Grampound Eoad. Copyright Roger Winnen
29.12.1976 - A Penzance to Paddington working behind an unrefurbished class 50 at Grampound Road on 29th December 1976. Copyright Roger Winnen
East Cornwall
Jon Hird
802008 heads west from Menheniot with the 0800 Cardiff - Penzance. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
800022 working the 1050 Penzance - Cardiff crosses the viaduct. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
158950 heads the 1220 Plymouth - Penzance over Coldrennick viaduct. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
43093/004 cross Coldrennick viaduct, Menheniot, whilst working the 1113 Penzance - Plymouth. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
43189 and 43156 head west over Coldrennick Viaduct with the 1243 Plymouth - Penzance. The second pillar from the right has been 'bricked up' solid where the other pillars have an opening. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
Menheniot station, the former down goods yard and the quarry (now flooded and in use as a watersports venue). 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
Next to Saltash where we see the third 'Castle Class' HST set out, 43188/092 cross the border with the 1315 Penzance - Plymouth. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
Now on Devon soil, 43188 continues on to Plymouth. 01.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
Long Rock & Marazion
Andrew Triggs
Hi Roger
Ventured out this morning as it was reported that 57603 was booked to tow 57605 and GWR SLEP no.10616 to Laira as 5Z79 10.45 Longrock T&RSMD- Laira T&RSMD, which eventually was cancelled due to a 'delay not investigated' (as shown on RTT) However the enclosed shots of the morning's activity otherwise was captured, the promised Sunny conditions also failing to materialise.
All the Best
Andrew
Ventured out this morning as it was reported that 57603 was booked to tow 57605 and GWR SLEP no.10616 to Laira as 5Z79 10.45 Longrock T&RSMD- Laira T&RSMD, which eventually was cancelled due to a 'delay not investigated' (as shown on RTT) However the enclosed shots of the morning's activity otherwise was captured, the promised Sunny conditions also failing to materialise.
All the Best
Andrew
57603 propelling GWR SLEP no.10616 and 57605 towards Longrock Depot from the Yard. 01.02.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
One ECS that did run featured 43156 with 43189 working 5Z79 10.30 Penzance-Par passing Marazion. 01.02.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
A different angle shot with 43093 leading 2P86 11.13 Penzance-Plymouth (with 43004) passing the former Marazion station. 01.02.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
57605 'Totnes Castle' stabled at Longrock T&RSD with SLEP no.10616 and 08836, viewed from the adjacent Industrial Estate. 01.02.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
Many thanks, Andrew - we'll hope to see the 57 move another day!
Swindon Scenes
Ken Mumford
1L18 - again awaiting departure alongside platform 3 for Paddington - with 1B14 [to Cardiff according to RTT with units 387149 and 387165] running 3 late alongside platform 4. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
A little bit of confusion - can confused.com sort it out? RTT says that this train [1C14 with unit 800014 with minor artistry on its nose - see this unit later] is going to Cheltenham Spa BUT other information on RTT about that train says that it's going as far as Gloucester.!!!!! 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
6G74 [Hinksey Sidings to Thingley Junction] with a Civil Engineers train top 'n' tail by 66708 and 66787 coming out of Swindon East Loop then alongside platform 4. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
6G74 [Hinksey Sidings to Thingley Junction] with a Civil Engineers train top 'n' tail by 66708 and 66787 coming out of Swindon East Loop then alongside platform 4. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
Back from Gloucester [or was it Cheltenham Spa according to the confused RTT?] was unit 800014 [Megan Lloyd George] awaiting departure up the Gloucester branch via Kemble with minor artistry on its nose BUT major 'unwanted' artistry on the first carriage! The driver was very friendly and I appreciated having a chat with him. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
More vandalism on 800014. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
Alongside platform 4 was ANOTHER example of 'unwanted' artistry even spoiling the PROPER artistry advertising Paddington Bear!! IET unit 802106 with 1C20 Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare. 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
These pieces of equipment have been at the eastern end of platforms 1 and 3 for a while!! 01.02.2025, copyright Ken Mumford.
Many thanks Ken - looks like the security needs tightening up where ever GWR are stabling their units!