Queen at 175th anniversary of first train journey by British Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh marked the 175th anniversary of the first train journey on June 13th by a British monarch by traveling from Slough to London Paddington on a Great Western Railway train, recreating the historic journey made by Queen Victoria on 13th June 1842.

Before travelling, the Queen and Duke passed through the original waiting room at Slough Railway Station, which was also used by Queen Victoria. They viewed a historical timeline of the Great Western Railway and a related art project by local schoolchildren. Then, the couple board GWR’s new Intercity Express train, with descendants of Daniel Gooch, who drove the original locomotive (Phlegethon), and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the celebrated engineer who designed the Great Western Railway line and assisted Daniel Gooch during the 1842 journey. The new train’s two leading vehicles are to be called Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria. After arriving at London Paddington Station, the Queen took part in a short unveiling ceremony.

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The Queen wore a floral dress with a peach coat and hat, pairing her customary Three Strand Pearl Necklace with the Nizam of Hyderabad Rose Brooch. The Duke of Edinburgh wore a dark suit with a olive tie.

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