Train lovers are in mourning

The mythical British royal train, in service for 156 years, is about to permanently leave the tracks.

The retirement of this venerable and revered train is a historic decision made by King Charles III, as part of a clear desire to streamline the monarchy’s expenses and adapt the institution to contemporary realities.

Inaugurated during the reign of Queen Victoria in 1869, this train was not just a means of transport, but a true symbol of pomp and tradition. Comprising nine carriages and having seen all generations of locomotives, it has hosted the greatest sovereigns and leaders of the realm, embodying both British elegance and the connection between the monarchy and the people, particularly during travels across the United Kingdom.

But the axe has fallen. Its operation is too expensive, and a complete modernization would have been necessary to adapt to the current technical standards of the railway network. Buckingham Palace has therefore decided to emphasize the need to allocate resources more disciplinedly.

The Royal Train bids farewell with composure

The train will be taken out of service before the expiration of the current maintenance contract, by 2027. This is a new signal of King Charles’s desire to modernize a monarchy often criticized for its cost. The public funding of the royal family, estimated at nearly 90 million euros per year, remains a subject of debate in the United Kingdom. Supporters of the institution remind us of the diplomatic and economic benefits linked to its prominence, but the young republican wave is increasingly struggling to identify with the Royals.

For train enthusiasts, it is a painful loss. This unique convoy, laden with history and prestige, will take its leave without a flashy ceremony. It leaves behind the memory of a golden age of the royal rail, but also the trace of an era that is gently fading away in the name of modernity and sobriety. A reasonable decision, perhaps. But for rail lovers, like Sheldon Cooper, it is with a heavy heart that we await the last whistle of the Royal Train.

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