A train fit for a queen

(Spoorwegmuseum)

An exhibition of royal trains from across Europe is to go on show at the Dutch Railway Museum next week.

The collection will be opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, who will arrive in her own royal train - which will then go on display at the museum.

For the first time ever, visitors will be able to admire the rolling stock used by Europe's royalty during the 19th and 20th century. Actors dressed as royalty and other historical figures will be on hand to make the exhibition come to life.

Carriages from British Queen Adelaide (1842), a complete train built for the Portuguese Queen Maria Pia (1858), furnishings from Bavarian King Ludwig II's royal train (1860), the interior of Czar Alexander II's carriage (1870), and carriages used by King Christiaan IX of Denmark (1871), King Edward VII of Britain (1902), Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary (1910), King Albert I of Belgium (1912), and Swedish King Carl Gustav (1930) will all be on show.

The exhibition runs from April 15 through September 5 at the Dutch Rail Museum (Spoorwegmuseum) in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Website: http://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/