HORNBY R4451 PULLMAN SR LUGGAGE VAN ‘S 2464 S’ WINSTON CHURCHILL’S FUNERAL VAN.

The van had been painted in its special Pullman livery in 1962 and then stored in anticipation of its eventual role to bear Sir Winston Churchill's coffin on its final journey to Bladon after his state funeral.

On the 30th January 1965, this Southern Railway parcels and luggage van S2464S (specially repainted in Pullman livery) formed part of Sir Winston Churchill's funeral train that carried the great wartime leader and former British Prime Minister's coffin to its final resting place at Bladon on the Duke of Marlborough's Blenheim Palace estate. The special funeral train was hauled by the SR Bullied 'Battle of Britain' class steam locomotive 34051 Winston Churchill.

The funeral train was formed of the SR luggage & parcels van S2464S, and 5 Pullman carriages. Behind the locomotive was Pullman brake car No 208, followed by the bogie luggage van S2464S and then Pullman cars Carina, Lydia, Perseus and finally Pullman brake car Isle of Thanet.

Later in 1965, the historic van was exported to California in the USA where it was put on display in a mock English railway station on a golf course in Los Angeles. Ever since that time the historic luggage van has remained there but now the van has been declared surplus to requirements by its current owners, the Los Angeles City of Industry, and its Mayor has offered it as a gift to the British people. However it can only return to the UK if £40,000 can be raised to fund its repatriation and restoration. Hence this urgent appeal by the Swanage Railway to save this very historic railway vehicle and unique part of Britain's railway history.

The historic Churchill Van arrived back in Southampton on board the "Tamerlane" on the 24th September 2007 and was handed over to the Swanage Railway on the 3rd October 2007



For further information about the Swanage Railway's Churchill Project to repatriate this historic railway carriage and how to make a donation please click the following link:

Swanage Railway's Churchill Project Appeal