To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, called STEAM, is putting on an exhibition devoted to royal rail travel.
‘The Royal Road’ exhibition shows the original clock from Queen Victoria’s Royal Waiting Room at Windsor Station and original fittings from Queen Victoria’s Royal Saloon, as well as documents, notices and artworks relating to royal travel.
The original notes of Queen Elizabeth II to the Royal Train inspector are among the selection of royal pieces.
Says Felicity Jones, Curator at STEAM, ‘Queen Victoria’s first journey on a train of any kind was on the Great Western Railway line, from Slough to Paddington in 1842. It is fascinating to think that STEAM has links with Queen Victoria’s first rail experience.
‘As well as the many royal items on display, our new exhibition tracks royal rail journeys and also royal visits to railway stations. These include those made to Swindon Works by King George V and Queen Mary in 1924 and by Princess Elizabeth in 1950.’
