QUEEN VICTORIA'S TRAIN
QUEEN VICTORIA'S TRAIN
Victoria’s Royal Saloon at the National Railway Museum in York. It was part of a project instigated by His Majesty The King to create a replica for the visitor centre in Ballater to replace a cardboard cut out.
THE BRIEF
My brief was to take exacting measurements and create drawings and specifications before selecting contractors suitable for recreating this extraordinary interior, including specialists in weaving bespoke moire silk as the distinctive watermark pattern had shrunk over the years.
HISTORY
Built in 1869, it's believed that Queen Victoria maintained a very active role in the Royal Saloon's original historic train design – and she clearly had a very strong idea of what an travelling environment fit for a queen should look like.
Image by John Jabez Edwin Mayal - Royal Collection / Fenton and Cameron. Royal Collection RCIN 2931295, Public Domain.
OPULENT DESIGN
The carriages consist of a day salon, lavatory, bedroom and servants/ footman carriage - are truly sumptuous; the walls are hung with quilted royal blue moiré silk, contrasting with elegantly carved bird’s-eye maple. The ceiling is quilted in white silk with gold daisy buttons. There are exquisitely carved ivory rails and pulls, deep etched glass and cast brass brackets. Pelmets deeply carved, gilded and mounted with the Royal Insignia complete the backdrop for heavily carved sofas and armchairs.
