A submission to another website revealed that the railway coach (or bogie wagon) that conveyed Churchill's body from Waterloo Station (London) to his final resting place at Bladon is on permanent display in California. It is at St Andrews Station (looks like a replica) which is part of a sumptuous Golf and Conference Centre known as the Pacific Palms Conference Resort! This, in turn, is located at the City of Industry which is a modern city incorporated during the 1950s to relieve congested Los Angeles. The authenticity of the wagon is established by the number it bears on the side. My own interest was alerted as the information board mentions that the same vehicle had been used to convey the body of Edith Cavell in 1919. That's something that I'm working on but I have my doubts!
Must be honest, it doesn't appear to be in the authentic colours of a British train either post-war British Rail, or WW1. Not saying it isn't the actual train, but it kinda spoils the effect.
Originally posted by redcoat@Sep 2 2005, 08:58 PM Must be honest, it doesn't appear to be in the authentic colours of a British train either post-war British Rail, or WW1. Not saying it isn't the actual train, but it kinda spoils the effect. [post=38511]Quoted post[/post] But this colour photo of the time shows the colour scheme of the coach Train View attachment 1011
Yes, I was sceptical because of the colour. There are records which say that the wagon was painted to match the livery of the Pullman coaches that comprised the funeral train. It has obvisously had a repaint and the Americans maybe were not aware of the colour significance. However, my contact in California has had a good look round the wagon and found its ID number - 2464 - which checks with records of the wagon in the funeral train - 'PMV No 2464S'. I'm happy to accept that authentication. Apparently the Pullman coaches also went to America at some time but were returned to UK a few years ago. They are at Swanage under wraps until covered accommodation can be arranged for them. I just wish that some Cavell connection could be established as easily! Thanks for your comments.
View attachment 1012 A pullman coach of around the period of Churchills death Originally posted by morse1001@Sep 2 2005, 10:13 PM But this colour photo of the time shows the colour scheme of the coach Train View attachment 1011 [post=38514]Quoted post[/post] The maroon colour on a British train in this period would be a lot darker than the Americans have painted it, your photo seems to confirm it
I gre up in Basingstoke, on the main Southern Region line and the Pullman "Bournemouth Belle" used to come through every day. The Pullman carriages were brown and cream. There was no maroon. The brown was several shades darker than that on the coach in California. See: http://www.semg.org.uk/misc/named_02.html Colour pictures are towards the bottom.
What is shown in the picture from America is not a pullman carriage but a bogie van, which carried the body. The picture I used from the website show the actual train heading for its destination and therefore shows the colours used at the time.
Originally posted by morse1001@Sep 3 2005, 04:23 PM What is shown in the picture from America is not a pullman carriage but a bogie van, which carried the body. The picture I used from the website show the actual train heading for its destination and therefore shows the colours used at the time. [post=38546]Quoted post[/post] Yes, but the point from earlier posts on the thread is that it made up a set of Pullman cars. It would have a similar colour scheme. As we can see from the link I posted, towards the end of the Bournemouth Belle era, they used a standard green Southern Region van. I suspect, looking at the design of the one in question that it was an older van in Pullman colours taken out of retirement. That being the case, the current colour scheme is wrong in a number of respects.
