Sir Winston Churchill's Funeral Train
| Although the funeral was not to take place until 30th
January 1965, the train's locomotive, Salisbury-shedded 34051 Winston
Churchill, was moved to Nine Elms on 25th January to be prepared for the
day. As a precaution, 34064 Fighter Command was also moved to Nine Elms
to be prepared as the stand-by engine. On the day in question she was sent to
Staines, though fortunately there was no need to fall back on this
precaution.
The train was formed with a bogie van to carry the coffin and five Pullman cars, brake car Nº208, cars Carina, Lydia and Perseus and brake car Isle of Thanet. The bogie van was PMV NºS2464S, which was specially painted in Pullman colours for the journey, and was marshalled as the second vehicle in the train. The driver for the journey was 61 year old AW Hurley who was a veteran of Royal Train Duties and had previously fired a war-time train carrying Winston Churchill, and the fireman was Jim Lester, who recounts the journey at length in his book, Southern Region Engineman. |
| Early on 30 January and the finishing touches are being applied
to 34051's preparations.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
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As can be seen, it was a murky January day and not at all
conducive to good photography!
The locomotive is being worked on immediately outside the engine shed. photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
| Photographed inside Nine Elms shed, and in very poor lighting,
34064 Fighter Command is ready for her role as stand-by engine.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
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At approximately 11:40am S2464S was photographed as the empty
stock, topped and tailed by two gleaming Standard 4 tanks, passed through
Clapham Junction en route for Waterloo.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
| Perseus, also photographed as the empty stock passed
through Clapham Junction.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
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Carina, with S2464S and car 208 ahead, passing through
Clapham Junction station.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
| The funeral cortege travelled by launch up the River Thames from
Tower Pier to Waterloo Pier from where the coffin proceeded to Waterloo Station
and the waiting train by motor hearse.
Leaving Waterloo at 1:28pm, the train travelled slowly by Southern metals to Reading where it joined the Western region line for the continuance to Handborough, arriving at 3:23pm. Following a job well done, 34051 returned light engine to Nine Elms and back to her regular daily tasks. |
| The funeral train, en route from Waterloo to Reading, passes
through Clapham Junction.
photograph: Mike Morant collection |
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The funeral train now seen passing between the golf courses
at Wentworth.
photograph by Mike Morant |
| The funeral train photographed as it passed Virginia Water.
photograph by Roger Merry-Price |
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A fuller account of this last journey of one of our greatest leaders can be found in the Railway Magazine Archives.
All photographs are copyright
This page was last updated 23 October 2010
