THE ROYAL TRAIN

Evening Star, Issue 19407, 16 November 1926, Page 11

THE ROYAL TRAIN

PREPARATIONS FOR DUKE'S TOUR WAR MEMORIAL ENGINE TO BE USED [Special to the ‘Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH| November 15. The Railway Department is already making preparations for the visit of the Dnko and Duchess of York in March next. Steps are being taken to select suitable carriages and engines. A new Ministerial car is being built in Addington Workshops to replace the present carriage, which is now getting very old, and this will be used as a saloon car of the Royal train. It has already been decided to use the War Memorial engine “Passchendaelo” to draw the train which will carry the Duke and Duchess. This engine has seen a lot of mileage, but is still one of the best in New Zealand. It was inspected by thousands of people while on view at the Dunedin Exhibition. , , ... ' As the Duke and Duchess will probably not be sleeping on me train it will not be nwessary to include c sleeping car. Several other carnages will be necessary to carry the Royal retinue, and these will, bo selected shortly. The whole train will be painted midland red. The number of trains that will bo used for the South Island tour has not vet been decided. When the Prince of Wales paid Ins visit to the South Island in 1921 three trains were used. Ahead of the Royal train was the pilot train, which carried the extra force of police that toured with the Prince. Then came the Roval train, and this was fohuved by a light tram car ving breued iwn gear. The visip of the Duke ana Duchess will necessitate a great amount of work on the tart of the Railway Department, besides arrinaiiig for trams. Special precautions have to bo taken in, guarding the permment way. Each line has to be specially inspected before the Royal train passes over it, and nothing is left to chance.