A1,250-MILE tour of England, Scotland and Wales by the Duke and Duchessof Cambridge wasfacilitated by the RoyalTrain between December 6-8. Their trip wastothank key workers fortheir work during the pandemic. Thenine-coach formation startedatLondonEustonon the evening of December 6.
It wastop-and-tailed by Nos.67005 Queen’s Messenger and 67006 RoyalSovereign, and ranovernightvia Northampton and Bescot,Preston and Shotts to Edinburgh. Afterstabling the train at Craigentinny, it leftfor Berwickupon-Tweed,beforebeing looped at Drem foranLNER and CrossCountryservice, after which the Duke and Duchess visited alocal school. Continuing south via Newcastle,therewas abrief stop at York to meet key workers,beforethe RoyalTrain ranvia Leeds and Huddersfield, reversing direction at Marsden, with the royalcouple visiting a communitycentreinBatley. Thetrain wasrouted via Holbeck and Healey Mills, Stalybridge and Ashtonunder-Lyme,and arrived at Manchester Victoria formore localised visits. It then headed west via Newton le Willows,Warrington BQ and Shrewsbury, before being stabled overnight. It arrived in Cardiff on the morning of December8,and wasfollowedbyavisit to Bath in the afternoon. During the movements,the train ranwith a‘1Zxx’reporting code.
The RoyalTrain behind No.67005 as it leaves Cardiff for Bath on December 8. MATTHEWPLUMPTON