It is a train which could be described as the Queen’s favourite – and it was named in her honour.
But now the Princess Elizabeth locomotive is undergoing a major overhaul in a Birmingham workshop, in desperate need of funds to help return it to the railways.
The train recently took part in the celebrations marking her namesake’s 60th anniversary of being crowned Queen.
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When the organisers of the Diamond Jubilee Flotilla needed a suitable way of getting the huge event under way, they called up the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society.
There, in London on Chelsea bridge, Princess Royal Class No 6201 gave a blast of the whistle – and the historic event started.
As part of the celebrations, the Queen also travelled on the royal train, pulled by Princess Elizabeth as she travelled from Worcester Shrub Hill to Oxford Hinksey Yard, including stopping at Hereford for an engagement.
But now Princess Elizabeth is in urgent need of repairs – the boiler certificate has expired and before it can return to the railways, around £50,000 worth of work is needed.
The society, which is entirely volunteer-run, is appealing for financial donations to help them get the locomotive back on track.
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Bob Meanley, 62, from Atherstone, chief engineer at Tyseley Locomotive Works, and also a Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society trustee said: “It needs a complete boiler overhaul and it is currently being taken apart.
“You need to take out all of the boiler tubes and internal components. It is a big job but absolutely necessary because it must operate under very high pressures, and if it goes bang then the effects can be devastating.
“It is an expensive process not least because of the rising price of metals including copper, brass and gunmetal.”
Mr Meanley said that the Princess Elizabeth was one of the first trains he ever worked on: “I had just started at Tyseley 46 years ago as a 16-year-old when I first worked on the Princess Elizabeth, and I’ve been working on her ever since on and off.”
He said that he had travelled down to London for the Jubilee for the flotilla. “It was an amazing day,” her said. “The whistle from Princess Elizabeth started the whole procession off – and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh turned around and gave us a wave.”
The Princess Elizabeth was built in 1933 in Crewe at a cost of £11,675, and was named after the young heir to the throne, then aged seven.
Known for its maroon and black paintwork, the train became famous for a record breaking run made in 1936. It still holds the record for speed and distance for a steam hauled passenger train: a non-stop run of 401 miles from Glasgow to London Euston in five hours and 44 minutes at an average speed of 70mph.
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British Rail retired the Princess Elizabeth from the rails in 1962 – and it faced being turned into scrap until Roger Bell from the society managed to raise £2,160 to buy it.
Current society chairman Clive Mojonnier, 73, said: “Of course that was a lot of money then – you could buy a house for that.
“I feel it’s important to preserve her partly because of the speed record and partly because it was named for Her Majesty. If finances can be found for maintenance I’d like to see her run as long as possible.
“It’s worth mentioning that all of our members are volunteers, and they will be able to do some work, but all of the engineering needs to be done at Tyseley, which needs to be paid for.
“The Princess Elizabeth has been continually in certificate and in use since 1976 and we are keen to keep it that way.”
The society says it costs about £16,000 to keep Princess Elizabeth on the lines for boiler and liability insurance, before running costs.
It is also keen to find new members to keep the train on the rails for future generations.
*For more information on the Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society go to . To make a donation, send a cheque made payable to Locomotive 6201 Princess Elizabeth Society Ltd to Mr K Allen, Treasurer 6201 Society, Bredon View, 47 Conningsby Drive, Pershore, Worcs, WR10 1QX