Track
Track 13-15
All the saloon carriages represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship at the time of construction. They were built with clear flair for craftsmanship, detail and design, for members of the Royal Family, from Frederik VII onwards, travelled in style when they travelled by train.
Since the infancy of the railway in Denmark, the Royal Family has traditionally travelled by train. For the first few years, the Royals travelled in a First Class carriage, but later they got their own saloon carriage.
The oldest is from 1854 and it was built for Frederik VII to travel on the Schleswig line from Flensburg to Husum. For its time, it was extraordinarily magnificent.
The second oldest is from 1871 and was built for Europe’s father-in-law, Christian IX. Notice the ceiling and walls of the carriage. They are covered in light silk coteline, while the furniture is upholstered in red silk brocade. The carriage was in use till 1900, when it was replaced by the S 8.
The Danish Royal Coat of Arms from 1972
Prior to relinquishing the royal carriage to the Danish Railway Museum in 2001, HM Queen Margrethe II scratched her name on the window in her sleeping compartment
Interior of the royal carriage S 8 from 1900
Detail photograph from the royal carriage S 8 from 1900
Detail photograph from the royal carriage S 8 from 1900
Detail photograph from the royal carriage S 8 from 1900
Interior of the royal carriage S 1 from 1937
The Museum’s oldest royal carriage, which was used as a summer cottage in Thy, in the north of Jutland. It has been preserved in the condition that it had when it was given to the Museum
The S 8, as it is called, was a very large carriage when it was built, measuring 16.75 metres in length. All the woodwork is dark polished mahogany. All metal furnishings, door handles, etc. are produced in gilt chased bronze. It could not get any more opulent. Come and see its wonderful saloons, of which the middle one could be converted into a sleeping compartment – modern lavatories and luxury furniture of its time, here in green silk brocade.
The fourth carriage, referred to as S 1, is a modern steel carriage from 1937. Its interior is attributed to a sketch by the then Crown Prince Frederik (Frederik IX), but externally it resembled the new passenger coaches at the time. It has sleeping compartments for the King and Queen as well as their staff. The S 1 was comprehensively renovated in 1983/84, where also the interior was modernised following instructions from HM Queen Margrethe II. Notice, for instance, the inlaid wooden coffee table, featuring an unusual yet characteristic pattern. The carriage was used until 2000.
The exhibition provides you with the opportunity to look into the royal saloons and admire the many beautiful details. The carriages are exhibited more or less in the condition that they were in when they were decommissioned. The oldest carriage, however, is entirely unchanged. Having served as a royal carriage, it was used for other purposes and ended its days as a summer cottage in Thy, in the north of Jutland. This royal carriage has been preserved in the condition that it had when it was given to the Museum.