Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-06-13 11:14:30 UTC
Tomorrow, Thusday 14th, The Queen and Duchess of Sussex (Meghan Markle)
will be jointly attending events in Widnes and Chester (165 miles
northwest of London). They will be travelling overnight on the Royal
train.
One of the reports about this is on the (US) CNBC website:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/08/inside-the-royal-train-meghan-markle-will-be-riding-with-the-queen.html
It quotes from various sources including Grant Harrold, former royal
butler to Princes Charles, William and Harry.
It gives some information about the history of the rayal train:
The nine-carriage Royal Train was first used in 1840 by Queen
Consort Adelaide (the title given to the wife of King William IV),
who rode the caboose from Nottingham to Leeds, England, according to
Harrold. However, he notes that the first monarch to ride the train
was two years later, when Queen Victoria rode the locomotive from
London to Windsor.
"rode the caboose"?!
As I understand it "caboose" is as defined here:
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/caboose
North American A railway wagon with accommodation for the train
crew, typically attached to the end of the train.
I think in BrE that would be "guard's van".
What was King William IV's wife doing in the caboose/guard's van?
And "Queen Victoria rode the locomotive"?!
The locomotive would have been a steam engine pulling the train. Queen
Victoria is hardly likely to have been travelling in it.
Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding of railway terminology
and/or mistranslation from BrE to AmE.
will be jointly attending events in Widnes and Chester (165 miles
northwest of London). They will be travelling overnight on the Royal
train.
One of the reports about this is on the (US) CNBC website:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/08/inside-the-royal-train-meghan-markle-will-be-riding-with-the-queen.html
It quotes from various sources including Grant Harrold, former royal
butler to Princes Charles, William and Harry.
It gives some information about the history of the rayal train:
The nine-carriage Royal Train was first used in 1840 by Queen
Consort Adelaide (the title given to the wife of King William IV),
who rode the caboose from Nottingham to Leeds, England, according to
Harrold. However, he notes that the first monarch to ride the train
was two years later, when Queen Victoria rode the locomotive from
London to Windsor.
"rode the caboose"?!
As I understand it "caboose" is as defined here:
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/caboose
North American A railway wagon with accommodation for the train
crew, typically attached to the end of the train.
I think in BrE that would be "guard's van".
What was King William IV's wife doing in the caboose/guard's van?
And "Queen Victoria rode the locomotive"?!
The locomotive would have been a steam engine pulling the train. Queen
Victoria is hardly likely to have been travelling in it.
Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding of railway terminology
and/or mistranslation from BrE to AmE.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)