Royal locomotive naming celebrates Diamond wedding

The Diamond wedding anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was today, Friday 12 October 2007, celebrated by the naming of a modern high speed silver locomotive at Rugeley Trent Valley train station.

EWS Network, Britain’s largest rail freight haulier and operator of the Royal Train, invited HM The Queen to name a locomotive Royal Diamond, to mark the occasion of the forthcoming 60th wedding anniversary on 20 November 2007 of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh were greeted by local children as they arrived at the station to conduct the naming of the locomotive.

Stuart Boner, Managing Director for EWS Network, said: “EWS Network is proud to be entrusted with the operation of the Royal Train for the Royal Family. We are delighted to invite HM The Queen to formally name one of our locomotives responsible for hauling the Royal Train ‘Royal Diamond’ in honour of her 60th wedding anniversary next month. This locomotive will haul the Royal Train for many years to come and forms a fitting and permanent celebration of this delightful anniversary.”

After the naming ceremony, the newly named locomotive hauled the Royal Train out of Rugeley Trent Valley train station to its onward destination.

The first Royal Train ran on 13 June 1842, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert travelled from Slough to Paddington.

The journey from Rugeley Trent Valley train station will mark the 193 occasion that EWS Network has operated the Royal Train since the company became Royal Train Operator in 1996.

HM The Queen has named two other EWS Network locomotives responsible for hauling the Royal Train. These are named Queen’s Messenger and Royal Sovereign and are painted in Royal Claret, the official colour of the Royal Train.