The history of Cumbria’s railways has been a colourful and extensive one reaching back to the First World War and includes visits from members of the Royal Family.

In 1998, the iconic Royal train was captured in a photograph during its visit to the county on October 13 of that year.

The train passed close by Furness Abbey as it carried her majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her royal visit.

Hundreds of people gathered for a glimpse of her majesty and of the train itself which has become well recognised across the country for taking part in the Royal family’s visits.

It was bringing the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Barrow Railway Station on February 20 in 1998 for a series of events, including a visit to The Mail in Abbey Road, Barrow, for the newspaper’s centenary.

Some of the earliest royal coaches of the diesel locomotive date back to the mid-19th century in the reign of Queen Victoria; until they were upgraded in 1977.

Most recently the train was used to transport the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge across Britain in December 2020 to thank communities and key workers for their extraordinary efforts during the Covid virus pandemic.

The Royal train had previously arrived in Furness back in 1911.

Back then it was being pulled by a steam powered locomotive and was decorated with flags.

Inside was Princess Louise, who was visiting Barrow in order to see the Vickers shipyard to launch the battle cruiser Princess Royal.

The launch date was April 29 in 1911 and at that time Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar held the title Princess Royal.

George V visited the shipyard twice during the First World War; once on his own in 1915 and again with his wife, Queen Mary, in May 1917.

Pictures were taken of the King’s Royal Train at Furness Abbey station on one of the visits. Queen Victoria was the first British monarch to travel by train on June 13 in 1842. In 1869 she commissioned a pair of coaches for £1,800 from the London and North Western Railway. The first train was built in 1897 for Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.