Manufactured and installed in 1915 for H.M. George V; the first bath on a train in the world. The L.N.W.R. Royal Train was built in 1902 and as previous royal carriages it was luxuriously appointed, containing modern conveniences such as a W.C. and a washbasin. In 1915, during the First World War, King George V and Queen Mary began long train tours of Britain in order to boost morale. Due to war shortages and restrictions the King felt he could not expect the aristocracy to provide hospitality (as they had during previous royal ‘progresses’ of the country); instead the…

This is the ridiculous story of the eccentric upper-crust comedian and ‘jolly good egg’ Mr Tim FitzHigham, and his epic attempts to row a copper Thomas Crapper bath across the English Channel. The authorities (especially those of the French) tried to stop him. Ultimately, they forced him to change the design from a lone bath to more of a whole bathroom, but he was doing it for charity (Comic Relief), and the more obstructive these mere ‘functionaries’ were, the more he was determined. We at Crapper & Co. were proud to sponsor him in this grand but idiotic endeavour….

An eccentric prize-winning stand-up comedian, Tim FitzHigham, is to ROW across the English Channel in a copy of a Thomas Crapper bath, made of copper. He hopes to raise thousands of pounds for Sport Relief by rowing the Channel, then around the Kent coast and up the Thames to Tower Bridge. The craft is named ‘Lilibet II’ in honour of (and with permission from) H.M. the Queen. Crapper & Co. are part-sponsoring the event and of course supplied the shower, bath taps, &c.. They also provided a plug-hole, but FitzHigham thought it might compromise the sea-worthiness of the boat,…

He’s done it! Tim has crossed the English Channel! After nine hours and six minutes’ rowing, Tim Fitzhigham is the first to row the Channel in a bathroom. Please see www.timstub.com for his story in his own words, and do spare a few quid for his charity, Comic Relief. WHAT’S NEXT? Tim is now underway with the second part of his challenge – to row the bathroom around the coast of Kent, from Folkestone, past Ramsgate and the Isle of Sheppey, and up the Thames estuary to Tower Bridge! This will be done in stages, as and when the…