The King asleep in the Canadian Royal Carriage 1939

My late mother was an avid and passionate Royal watcher, as were many Australians on that era. Many of the newspaper clipping in the family archive and colour magazines featured the Royal family. I recently found one such article from the Sydney Morning Herald, dated June 16th, with the headline "Last Day of Tour – King to spend it in Halifax – Great crowds gathered."

The article referred to a tour of Canada which King George VI and Queen Anne were, at that time, undertaking; a tour which proved to be a huge success.

The King and Queen had enjoyed their final night of their Canadian tour on the Royal Canadian Train parked in a Halifax railway siding, rather than in a luxury hotel as one might have expected.

The article reads: "While the King and Queen passed their last night in Canada sleeping in the Royal Train on a siding 60 miles from here (Halifax) near the town of Truro (Nova Scotia), nearly 100,000 Nova Scotians gathered here to farewell their Majesties today."

As the Footplate Padre, I am interested in this on a number of counts.

Initially, the idea of a Royal Train was common around Commonwealth Nations. In that era, it was not as easy to travel large distances in countries such as Canada, South Africa and Australia. The train systems provided the best coverage of much of country areas.

Each State of Australia had their own Royal Train. In Western Australia the bath for the Royal Carriage had to be fitted before the carriage was built as it was too large to fit though the doors.

The 1954 New South Wales Royal Train was hauled by two of the new 40 Class Diesels which were painted blue for the occasion. I have photographs of this train and I have videos made from old film clips, with the Queen and Prince Philip on the rear carriage landing, waving to the crowds.

The South African Royal Train likewise sported the latest in refinery and gadgetry and the footage I have of this Royal Train shows it being hauled by two magnificent steam engines.

The King and Queen no doubt were well accustomed to Royal Train travel. Being away from the constancy of public attention, parked in a siding overnight 60 miles from Halifax, may have been considered a blessing, by the historical Royal Couple.

This situation brings to my mind the precedent of another King, who sometimes found it necessary to seek solace in solitariness. Jesus Himself sought out secluded places to get away from the attention and the crowds.