ROYALS IN SOMERSET: Queen's visit puts Taunton's 500-year-old Royal myth to bed...

THE driver was called Thomas, but it was another famous engine that pulled in to Taunton Station at 10am on Friday, May 8 1987.

It was the Royal train, containing the Queen and Prince Phillip, pulling in to the County Town for the visit - which drew crowds of an estimated 30,000 who lined the streets for the event.

The visit was said to be the first by a Monarch to Taunton in almost 500 years after the Monmouth Rebellion.

But that seemed unimportant to the crowds who greeted the couple at the station and they set about a busy day of visits and ceremony.

A walkabout in Castle Square - complete with accompanying performances from the likes of the Taunton Deane Morris Men - saw more subjects given the chance to set eyes on Her Majesty.

Visits included taking in the Museum of Somerset and the Military Museum - opened by the Queen Mother 13 years before - before a tour of the Municipal Buildings, in Corporation Street after a sun-drenched walkabout across the square.

They also visited Musgrove Park Hospital, where they were shown around the facility's new building, after arriving in a glass-topped Rolls Royce.

During the visit, Her Majesty and the Prince also stopped off at the County Hotel, in East Street, for a luncheon with officials from various groups, including the county and borough councils, health authorities and more.

As she made her way in to the hotel, the Queen was presented with a posy by five-year-old Nicola Quinn, the granddaughter of Mr and Mrs Cyril Bond, mayor and mayoress of Taunton Deane.

The mayor proposed a toast during the luncheon, saying: "The people of Taunton Deane will remember your visit for a very long time.

"This hotel has stood here at the centre of Taunton, both geographically and socially, for 500 years.

"It has never had more distinguished or welcome visitors.

"On behalf of the borough of Taunton Deane, I offer our most loyal and heartfelt thanks for your visit."

The Royal gusts signed the hotel visitors' book, as well as the Taunton Deane visitors' book.

After spending four-and-a-half hours in the County Town, almost 500 years of conspiracy theories were laid to rest, and the Queen and Prince Phillip made their way to Bridgwater...

ON THE MENU DURING THE COUNTY HOTEL LUNCHEON WAS:

Smoked salmon with avocado mousse
Roast fillet of British beef with mushroom-stuffed tomato, spring carrots, mange touts and minted new potatoes
Whortleberry and apple sponge pancakes
Coffee and chocolates
Wines were Muscadet Cuvee Nadelaine Sevre et Maine 1985/6
Chateau Val Joanais Cotes du Luberon 1985