On the 13th of June, 1842 23- year old Queen Victoria became the first reigning British monarch to experience the ground-breaking speed of train travel. She undertook her journey from Slough to Paddington in a Royal saloon, replete with luxury fittings and bouquets of flowers. In her journal she recounted the event:

the saloon we travelled in on the train was very large & beautifully filled up. It took us exactly 30 minutes going to Paddington, & the motion was very slight, & much easier than a carriage, also no dust or great heat, - in fact, it was delightful, & so quick. We were at Buckingham Palace by 20m[inutes]. to 1

Queen Victoria's Journal, 13 June 1842

This is a novelty print which is designed to be interacted with. When the flaps depicting the carriage doors of the train are opened, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and some of their children can be seen inside. Such novelty prints, utilising flaps, tabs, or rotating wheels to create integrated movable parts were popular in the first half of the nineteenth century and were produced by a number of printmakers.