Winston Churchill's funeral train

摘要

When Sir Winston Churchill, national hero and wartime leader, died on January 24 1965, long-devised plans for his State funeral were quickly enacted. His wish to be buried beside his parents in the little churchyard at Bladon, in Oxfordshire, necessitated a rail journey for his coffin. The funeral was to be held at St Paul's Cathedral and then the body was to be taken along the Thames to Waterloo. However, a destination on the Western Region was going to involve operating complications, so detailed plans had been drawn up several years before under the top secret codename of 'Operation Hope-Not'! The fortuitous fact (or had it been planned?) was that Bulleid Pacific No. 34051 Winston Churchill survived in good working order. Entrusted with driving the air-smoothed engine on this 'special of all specials' was experienced Nine Elms man Alf Hurley - but on the shovel was to be a young man, 22-year-old Jim Lester, who had been mad about Southern steam since childhood spotting days.