MORE than 5,000 Armed Forces personnel playing an active role in the Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort travelled by train to London Waterloo this morning, thanks to a partnership between South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail.

Members of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Commonwealth forces were transported by a total of nine trains to London Waterloo station. This is the biggest movement of military personnel by the rail industry since Winston Churchill’s funeral in 1965.

Members of the Royal Navy, Army and Commonwealth forces – some of who were parading at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright yesterday, in rehearsal for the coronation procession – travelled on a total of seven SWR trains while the Royal Air Force travelled on two privately chartered West Coast Railways trains.

The 5,000 Armed Forces personnel travelled by train to the capital from their bases in the UK.

The trains arrived at Platforms 13 to 19 at London Waterloo between 06:12 and 07.31. The soldiers, sailors and aviators departed the station and marched over Westminster Bridge to assemble in designated areas before setting off to join the coronation procession.

The troops arrived to the sound of a special station PA announcement recorded by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which is being played in stations across the country over the coronation weekend.

To mark the celebrations, London Waterloo and other stations have been decorated with commemorative banners and bunting and members of the station teams will be welcoming passengers and giving out a range of complimentary memorabilia including handheld flags, children’s activity books, cakes and pin badges.