End of the line for the Royal Train...

The Royal Train will be decommissioned ahead of the current contract expiring in March 2027. Buckingham Palace has said the decision has been made following a thorough review into its use and value for money. James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse, has described the move as an example of the royal household applying “fiscal discipline” in its drive to deliver “value for money”. In the Sovereign Grant and Sovereign Grant Reserve Annual Report and Accounts 2024 - 2025, it says the decision has been made due to:

- the cost associated with the storage and maintenance of the Royal Train versus the level of usage;
- the significant level of investment which would be required to keep the Royal Train in operation beyond 2027;
- the two new helicopters providing a reliable alternative.

DB Cargo UK has operated the Royal Train for more than 30 years. In a message to colleagues about the decision, Chief Executive Officer Andrea Rossi, said: “This is incredibly sad news, not just for DB Cargo UK, which has held the Royal Charter to maintain and operate the Royal Train for more than 30 years, but the broader rail family too. There is always a great sense of occasion when the Royal Train is out on the network, with many rail enthusiasts travelling vast distances and going to great lengths to capture it in all its glory. Similarly, our drivers take great pride in being asked to take the controls of what is arguably the most prestigious train in the UK and a piece of our national heritage. For now, however, it remains very much business as usual.”

What to add to that...? Is there a clearer proof of what the highest political level really means by supporting an ecological railway? Especially when we read "the two new helicopters providing a reliable alternative."