LONDON. Dec 11: US company Wisconsin Central Transport Corporation has taken over running a train reserved for the British royal family, as part of controversial British rail privatisation, a rail spokesman announced Sunday, reports AFP.

The new owners will run the locomotives which pull the royal train and supply the drivers, but the coaches will remain the property of railtrack (one of British rail subsidiaries)."the British rail spokesman said.

The US company told reporters it would also be responsible for some 25 per cent of postal trains, following its acquisition of the British rail subsidiary Rail express Systems (RES).

Wisconsin Deputy Chairman Randy Henke said the cost of the acquisition would not be revealed until the New York Stock Exchange opened Monday.

The royal train comprises 15 coaches and is used about 100 times a year.

On Friday, the impending announcement of the US take-over prompted allegations and Britain's main Labour opposition party slaiii-med the deal.