FUNERAL TRAIN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 38, 24 January 1936, Page 5

FUNERAL TRAIN.

Black and Purple Saloon For King’s Coffin. ARRANGEMENTS AT LONDON. Press Association —Copyright. London, Jan. 23. The funeral train that will hear the body of King George from Wolverton today will consist of a saloon full of flowers, a black and purple saloon containing the coffin with its bodyguard, and then six coaches. The train will be drawn by the same engines and manned by the same crew as in King George’s lifetime. The route from Euston station to Westminster Hall, where King George’s body will lie in state, will necessitate the closing of 30 roads. The procession will traverse Kingsway, the Strand, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall, affording the crowds ample space to pay reverence. The gun carriage on which the coffin lies will be preceded and followed from Euston station by mounted police. The weather is expected to be fine, but whatever the weather, the male members of the Royal Family and the household will all wear plain clothes, silk hats and black overcoats and will follow on foot. The ladies of the Royal Familywill follow by cm. The Navy, Army and Air Force will furnish guards of honour. Six thousand police will line the route and direct traffic arrangements. The gun carriage that will be used in the earlier stage from Sandringham to Wolverton station for the entrainment will be drawn by six bay horses escorted by Grenadier Guards each more than six feel three inches in height. The tenants on the estate will attend. The gun carriage is an army one, despite the-fact that i. belongs to the Whale Island Naval Gunnery School. It was first used for Queen Victoria’s funeral, when a restive gun team was replaced by bluejackets manning drag ropes. After this it was decided that it should be used for all future funerals of sovereigns and be drawn by sailors from H.M.S. Excellent. The Imperial Crown will be placed on the coffin on its arrival at London. It is estimated that at least 1,000,000 mourners will form queues to file past the catafalque in Westminster Hall'. The catafalque will be draped with purple and the stone floor, in order to ensure silence, will be carpeted in grey and p u-ple. It is expected -ussday will be proclaimed as a day of general mourning throughout the country. The French Co ;ncil of Ministers today, as its las ao* before handing in its resignation, appointed representatives to attend the funeral of King George. They will be headed by the President of the French Republic. M. Albert Lebrun.