34051 Winston Churchill

I presume there is no way the full brake coffin carrier could be incorporated?
Not sure how far the restoration is progressing.
I remember the day well, watched the service & the coffin being carried by boat to Waterloo & the train leaving on an old b&w tv.
Then went to Reading Station to see the train come through.

 

http://www.svsfilm.com/nineelms/wcf.htm

 

An interesting comment from this was :

No. 34051 "Winston Churchill" is seen here waiting at the top of platform 11. The special head-code, normally only used for breakdown trains, was certainly appropriately utilised on this unique occasion. Historically this was no doubt the last ever steam hauled funeral train on Britain's Railways.

Sadly this proved NOT to be the case as the KWVR paid tribute to Jack Spratt on 15/09/2003 by running a funeral train from Oxenhope to Oakworth hauled by 41241 - replete with wreath - as noted :

Have any other heritage lines run similar services , either on request or in tribute to staff / volunteers ?

 

The Bluebell had a full funeral train for Bernard Holden in 2012:


(Via: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...aped-medals-carried-tracks-ahead-funeral.html)

More recently, there was a memorial train for Jack Owen.

Tom

 

Thanks Al. Even fifty years on, that was very moving.

What happened to the regular service trains from Waterloo that day? Were they all diverted for a few hours, or terminated at Clapham Junction?

Tom

 

Must have been strange no whistles etc would be intresting to have a who's who of those on the train too. You do have to think would this happen today?

 

Has there been a state funeral followed by a train journey since Mountbatten in 1979?

 

47798/99 worked down from Euston to Long Buckby I think in '97 for Diana's funeral. Thats the only recent occasion I can think of.

 

One side and the roof almost complete, work starts on the other side next week. The Shildon boys aren't hanging around.

 

This was the view on the 24th October (from the FB page)


here is a link to the restoration album:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152645295926136.1073741858.20340411135&type=1

 

Getting back to 34051, I believe I read somewhere that it is missing some cab fittings? If so which ones and if this is the case will the MHR build new items?

 

All sorted Gearjammer. I have a number of items on my desk to go down and aid the cause.

 

Using them as paperweights?

 

One minor problem with that plan (the whizzo has burst) but having D1015 as part of the display at York would be a great idea

 

Slightly belated for this thread but to add to the list of heritage-era funeral trains, I believe GCR benefactor David Clarke's coffin was transported by GCR train as part of his final journey. (He also died while travelling on the GCR, of course.)
I also seem to recall that another GCR stalwart, David Fletcher, who was instrumental in the original restoration of 6990 'Witherslack Hall', had his ashes ceremoneously fed into the firebox and blasted out across the countryside.

 

We provided a similar send off for a Bulleid admirer.

 

D1015 had a leaking cylinder head on one engine. It has now been repaired. It worked at the SVR diesel gala five weeks ago. <BJ>