1Z83 1218 London Paddington-Swansea via Newbury line/Berks&Hants 8/3/24

[317362]

Hello

Stood out as a bit odd, formed a 5-car 80x, had people (unsure if passengers or staff) on board, just wondered what/why?

Any info welcome

Realtime Trains | 1Z83 1218 London Paddington to Swansea | 08/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 1Z83 1218 departure from London Paddington to Swansea on 08/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[BJames]

It may be this:

Coupling: Rail-crazy pair get married on moving train

Leah Anderson and Vince Smith became husband and wife between London and Reading.

www.bbc.co.uk

A couple who met on a train are due to marry on a London rail service later on Friday.
Leah Anderson and Vince Smith approached Great Western Railway (GWR) to ask if the company could provide a centrepiece for their wedding, after the pair realised the significance of rail in their romance.
They commuted by train when dating and even had their first kiss on one.
GWR instead offered them the chance to have the ceremony on board.
Ms Anderson's father, who will give her away, was a railway signalman for 51 years.
A railway chaplain will conduct the marriage ceremony leaving a London station.
The service will be followed by a three-course meal in a Pullman dining car.

GWR also says on twitter that this is taking place today on board an IET. As the service noted in the OP is an unadvertised express it's probably that one, perhaps someone could confirm for certain?

 

[317362]

I suspect so then...that wasn't an answer I was expecting...Congratulations to them!

 

[ainsworth74]

It may be this:

Coupling: Rail-crazy pair get married on moving train

Leah Anderson and Vince Smith became husband and wife between London and Reading.

www.bbc.co.uk

GWR also says on twitter that this is taking place today on board an IET. As the service noted in the OP is an unadvertised express it's probably that one, perhaps someone could confirm for certain?

Not my first choice of traction for a wedding ceremony (I think that would be the inspection saloon Caroline being hauled by a 37!) but still what an amusing way of getting married! That's a real story compared to just getting married in a church or registry office.

 

[Melancholia]

Nice to see GWR having enough sets to cover this without shortforming existing services.

Congratulations to the couple I suppose.

 

[greatkingrat]

Looks like they'll have to slum it back to London on a regular train though!

 

[richard17smith]

WHAT WAS THE COST and can l hire one?

 

[AlterEgo]

I wasn't aware it was legal to be married on a moving vehicle, and thought you had to be married in or on a premises. I assume this was a "show" ceremony with the legal part being conducted in a register office!

 

[Gloster]

I thought there was a wedding a year or so ago on an Avanti service.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I hope they didn’t join the 125 Club .(Similar to the Mile High Club)

 

[D6130]

I hope they didn’t join the 125 Club

Might have been difficult after a three course Pullman lunch!

 

[Towers]

I hope they didn’t join the 125 Club .(Similar to the Mile High Club)

Now the 124 Club, of course

 

[Brissle Girl]

I’m surprised it left on time. I would expected it to have had to wait for a few minutes given the bride’s prerogative to be late.

 

[duffield]

I didn't actually get married on the train, but we had to leave the reception early to get to Birmingham International (for a flight to Dublin). So we sort of continued the reception (with Champagne and tuna rolls) on the train to Birmingham. It was 1991, so it would have been a Regional Railways sprinter, don't remember the exact class but I expect it would be possible to work out was was likely to be running Nottingham to Birmingham services in that year. We got a cheer from some other passengers when we popped the fizz open.

 

[D6975]

I wasn't aware it was legal to be married on a moving vehicle, and thought you had to be married in or on a premises. I assume this was a "show" ceremony with the legal part being conducted in a register office!

I used to know someone who got married on a railtour. Somewhere on humberside IIRC.

 

[Deepgreen]

I wasn't aware it was legal to be married on a moving vehicle, and thought you had to be married in or on a premises. I assume this was a "show" ceremony with the legal part being conducted in a register office!

I believe many have been married on ships by the captains. I think it is dependent on who conducts the ceremony rather than where, but I could be wrong and all those ship weddings were for show only.

 

[AY1975]

I wasn't aware it was legal to be married on a moving vehicle, and thought you had to be married in or on a premises. I assume this was a "show" ceremony with the legal part being conducted in a register office!

My thoughts too, unless the law has recently changed. AIUI in England and Wales a wedding ceremony has to take place in a registered place of worship, a registry office or any other venue that's licensed to conduct weddings such as a hotel, castle or stately home.

In Scotland, however, I believe that a wedding can be held just about anywhere within reason, for example in a park or on a beach, provided that it is conducted by an authorised registrar. Presumably on that basis it would be possible for the actual ceremony to take place on board a train or any other vehicle in Scotland.

 

[Class 317]

My thoughts too, unless the law has recently changed. AIUI in England and Wales a wedding ceremony has to take place in a registered place of worship, a registry office or any other venue that's licensed to conduct weddings such as a hotel, castle or stately home.

In Scotland, however, I believe that a wedding can be held just about anywhere within reason, for example in a park or on a beach, provided that it is conducted by an authorised registrar. Presumably on that basis it would be possible for the actual ceremony to take place on board a train or any other vehicle in Scotland.

Changed in 2022 so that the person conducting the service rather than the venue is licensed.

 

[AlterEgo]

Changed in 2022 so that the person conducting the service rather than the venue is licensed.

Doesn’t the premises still need to be an Approved Premises? You still can’t get married just anywhere, IIRC.

 

[Class 317]

Doesn’t the premises still need to be an Approved Premises? You still can’t get married just anywhere, IIRC.

Yes, but these can now be applied for any location as long a a licensed person is conducting the service.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes, but these can now be applied for any location as long a a licensed person is conducting the service.

Well that seems like a very positive step, a long overdue reform.

 

[30907]

I believe many have been married on ships by the captains. I think it is dependent on who conducts the ceremony rather than where, but I could be wrong and all those ship weddings were for show only.

No, that was a long-standing practical provision in the days of long sea voyages.

Doesn’t the premises still need to be an Approved Premises?

Yes. I'm not clear whether a moving vehicle can be such, but Google says they were beaten to it by some 3 years:
https://news.sky.com/story/railly-r...d-on-train-after-winning-competition-12378428.

A local (Methodist) colleague conducted a blessing of a marriage on a biplane some 15 years ago, before the law changed, but the formalities must have happened elsewhere (not least the registration...).

 

[DLyle44004]

Considering what usually happens on GWR IETs, this makes a pleasant change. Wonder what kind of honeymoon they're planning?

 

[Deepgreen]

Considering what usually happens on GWR IETs, this makes a pleasant change. Wonder what kind of honeymoon they're planning?

Honeymoon cancelled; replacement bus service...

 

[eastwestdivide]

As my partner once said on the sleeper out of Paddington "we're a long way past Maidenhead"

 

[55002]

The bride is going to be on radio 2 on the Jeremy Vine show starting now for anyone interested, probably be on after 1

 

[contrex]

I hope they didn’t join the 125 Club .(Similar to the Mile High Club)

I'm in the SUB club (1969)

 

[D6130]

I'm in the SUB club (1969)

Kingston Loop or Hounslow Loop?

 

[contrex]

Kingston Loop or Hounslow Loop?

Wrong Section Division! Wall of Death.

 

[AY1975]

Yes, but these can now be applied for any location as long a a licensed person is conducting the service.

Do you know which specific Act of Parliament made this possible? I've come across this press release from 2022 on the Law Society website about proposed changes to marriage laws including making it possible to get married in a wider variety of venues:

New legislation will bring marriage laws into the 21st century

A landmark report by the Law Commission has set out how decades-old marriage laws need to be updated to reflect our modern society, meaning couples will have more choice on how and where they wed.

www.lawsociety.org.uk

According to this article:

"The Commission has now unveiled what proposals it will take forward:

• regulation is focused on the officiant, not the location – allowing weddings to take place outdoors and in a wider variety of buildings – such as gardens, beaches, village halls, cruise ships and parks."