The late Prince Bernhard loved to travel in the cockpit of a jet fighter. Or behind the wheel of a flashy sports car. But the Dutch Prince Consort, who died in 2004, was rarely seen in an upholstered train compartment. Yet Bernhard had access to exactly that on board Dutch Railways coach no. Sr8.

The carriage was part of the Royal Train of Queen Juliana and her husband, which is now in the Dutch Railway Museum's collection. An exhibition entitled "Royal Class, Regal Journeys" was opened in the Utrecht-based museum on Wednesday 14 April by Queen Beatrix. She arrived in style, by Royal Train, which will remain in the museum for the duration of the exhibition.

European royalty
The late Queen Juliana's Prussian Blue train dating back to 1948 is on display and open to the public, amid rail vehicles once used by crowned heads from all over Europe. One of the highlights is Saloon Coach no. 2, built in 1842 for British Queen Adelaide. Austria's legendary Empress "Sissi" Elizabeth owned a court train, of which an exterior panel was preserved. Compared to the pomp of most of these cars, the modest furnishings of the Dutch royal trains are striking.

The royals travelled in comfortable saloons, but they were able to continue their work while on the road. In the mid-20th century their trains began to sport modern on-board facilities like telephone, radio and central heating. (story continues below)

Class
Trains are best suited to mass transit. Thousands of labourers used to ride the train to their work in the mines and harbours, while today commuting civil servants and health workers check in with their electronic tickets every day. For the royal head of state, not belonging to the masses, another means of transport would appear more fitting. But even in the early days, the railway companies felt that transporting royal passengers constituted good advertising, and proof of the enviable status of train travel, so they were quick to build royal trains.

The rulers themselves were ardent advocates of the railways. Russia's Tsar Nicholas II personally designed the dead straight railway line between Moscow and St Petersburg. Contrary to the apocryphal story, the only bend in the line was built to circumvent an unnegotiable slope, rather than being the result of the Tsar's pencil accidentally hitting his fingertip. In 1836 Dutch King William I ordered a committee to investigate whether building an "iron road" would be profitable for the Netherlands. The first train ran in 1839. Railways provided the rulers with an easy means of visiting the outposts of their realms, strengthening the bond with their people.

Train buffs
The Utrecht exhibition is not only pleasing for royalty watchers. Train buffs, too, will have a field day. Seen from the railway fan's perspective, one of the top exhibits is the Portuguese steam engine no. CFM 1, dating from 1858. Four road lorries carried the engine, together with its coal tender and the two coaches of Queen Maria Pia's royal train, all the way from the Santarèm, Portugal museum to the Netherlands. Being built for broad gauge, the vehicles could not be transported via Europe's standard gauge rail network.

After the complicated move to Utrecht, which took no less than 16 days, the train is safely on display in the Dutch museum. The side view of the engine is dominated by the huge central driving wheel. While the Portuguese queen travelled in luxury, her driver and fireman were doing their work in less enviable circumstances, standing in the open air behind a windscreen, with no cab roof or sides to protect them from sun or rain.

Economy
One train cannot be shown in the Dutch Railway Museum, because it does not exist yet: the Royal Train of the next king, William IV, who is expected to accede to the throne in the next few years. Will the future, environmentally-aware ruler of the Netherlands be as fervent a supporter of the railways as his ancestor William I? One thing is certain: in the true Dutch tradition, his train too will be based on existing first-class carriages, because that is considered far more economical than a purpose-built train for the king.

Photos: Fred Vloo/RNW