1952
One of the first duties for the Queen was on February 11, when she met a special train at King’s Cross carrying the body of her late father, King George VI, back to London from Sandringham. The nine-coach train, formed of ex-LNER teak vehicles apart from the hearse coach, ran from Wolferton to King’s Lynn behind ‘B2’ No. 61617 Ford Castle, then on to the capital via Cambridge and Hitchin behind new Standard Class 7 No. 7000 Britannia. The body of the King was taken to Westminster Hall to lie in state for three days, then on February 15 his coffin was taken to Paddington by gun carriage. From there it went by train to Windsor by ‘Castle’ No. 7013 Bristol Castle in the guise of classmate No. 4082 Windsor Castle, which had hauled the funeral train of King George V in January 1936, but was being overhauled at Swindon at this time.