35. Third class passenger coach

This is a carriage, or car on the train where the people with the cheapest tickets travelled. Rich people also travelled on the train, but in separate carriages, as we saw on the Centenary Train. Sit down, close your eyes and imagine for a few moments what is was like sitting on these wooden seats on a long journey.

The wagons were full of people!

The passengers filled the aisles with luggage, food and even animals in cages. The steam exhaust from the steam locomotive came in through the windows, especially when the train was passing through a tunnel, and the travellers ended up with black faces and very dirty clothes from the smoke and soot.

But this was before, right? Now things are very different. Trains are comfortable and safe, and quicker! And most importantly, they make less pollution than other vehicles.

I love travelling by train because I can go peacefully with my friends. We can all fit inside.

And I like it because we can move, there are no traffic jams, and you don’t have to drive around for ages looking for a place to park.

Now that you've been inside a small locomotive cabin and a wooden carriage, I expect you’re all looking forward to climbing the cabin of a big locomotive, right? You are in luck!