No 7965, the ‘Woolwich’
Coach Brake Third (K&ESR No. 670)
 LMS
four wheeler Brake third No. 7965 was built in 1911 at the
L&NWR’s Wolverton Works for use on the North London
line and was one of the last four wheelers built by an English
railway. The coach, originally L&NWR No.109, ran in a
fixed set in mainline service and first appeared on the Richmond – Broad
Street service. It moved to the Potters Bar – Alexandra
Palace line in late 1916 and the Broad Street Poplar service
in 1936. About 1940 the LMS sold the coach to Woolwich Arsenal
who used it on workmens’ trains – although Winston
Churchill is reputed to have also travelled in it. During
this ownership it lost its internal partitions, gained a
central table and longitudinal slatted seating.
On withdrawal from service in 1964 it was purchased by the
K&ESR Locomotive Trust and became the Railway’s
first passenger vehicle of the preservation era.. The ‘Woolwich’ coach
saw some service on departmental duties but did not run after
1976.
Unfortunately the
vehicle deteriorated in storage but, thanks to a donation
from a ‘generous benefactor’, restoration began
in 1999 with the separation of the body from the underframe.
Work on the latter was progressed as resources permitted,
but in October 2003 a grant of Lottery funding was obtained
from the Millennium Commission. Work to both body and underframe
then proceeded rapidly, with the three passenger compartments
being restored to use. The Woolwich coach was complete, in
splendid LMS maroon livery by 13th July 2004, a magnificent
achievement by the K&ESR Carriage and Wagon Department’s
volunteers and staff. It was officially launched into service
on 6th August by Meridian TV news presenter Sue Kinnear
No. 67 is 32 ft. 6 ins. long, weighs
9 tons and can potentially seat 30.
LNWR Six
Wheeled Inspection Saloon
London Midland
& Scottish Railway No. ED33
(K&ESR No. 82)
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This most unusual
vehicle was built in 1890 at Wolverton. The L&NWR's
standard 30 ft. six-wheeled, steel and timber underframe
was utilised to produce a vehicle weighing over 13 tons
10 cwt. Between the balconies were two saloons divided
by a toilet compartment. The vehicle is believed originally
to have been used by the Northampton District Engineer.
After the railway
grouping of 1923 the inspection saloon saw service as
LMS No. ED33 and later as No. 45021. In May 1940 it
was sold to the Army for use on the Melbourne Military
Railway in Derbyshire. In 1945 the coach was transferred
to the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire where
it later became Army No. 3005. At Longmoor the coach
reverted to its earlier role as an inspection saloon
as well as seeing use on public open days as one of
the 'Blue Saloons' set. When the LMR closed in 1969
No. 3005, together with its ex-SE&CR and ex-L&SWR
companions, was presented to the Transport Trust. Following
the failure of the Longmoor preservation scheme, the
'Blue Saloons' were transferred to the Seven Valley
Railway in September 1971. In 1984 all three were acquired
for the K&ESR, delivery being made in the summer
of 1985.
The ex-L&NWR
saloon , after restoration to L&NWR livery, entered
service on the Victorian Train. It entered the Carriage
& Wagon works for a light overhaul in the spring
of 1994. A rotten build rail was discovered, however,
in the Robertsbridge end balcony and this delayed its
return to traffic until August 1995, this time in LMS
maroon livery. |
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