Theodora was built in 1926 to
restriction ‘0’ dimensions for use on London-Tunbridge
Wells - Hastings services. The car was constructed by the
Metropolitan Carriage and Wagon Company and the Pullman Company’s
schedule number was 184. There was originally accommodation
for 20 but this was changed in February 1932 to twelve first
and eleven third class passengers.
Post-war c1946 the car was again remodelled
to first class, and was used on the Ocean Liner expresses
between London and Southampton. In July 1958 the car lost
its name became a non-supplement buffet car No. 184 . It was
sold to BR in 1960, became S7874S and was withdrawn in 1963.
The car was purchased by the K&ESR in 1964 and delivered
to the line via Robertsbridge. Theodora was used as a static
buffet car till 1986 but then fell out of use. Following
a bequest from the late Alan Merrills and a grant from the
Millennium Commission Theadora returned to service in March
2005.She has been restored for use in the Pullman dining train
with an enlarged bar and pending the necessary funding through
donations is running without much of her fine marquetry.
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Barbara has a basically similar history to Theodora, and
was No. 185 in the Pullman Company’s lists.
The vehicle was
converted to a buffet car in January 1946 as Pullman No. 185
labelled 'Refreshment Car'. As No. 185, it worked on the London
- Hastings services until dieselisation in 1958. Renumbered
S7877S following sale to BR, withdrawal from the Southampton
service occurred in December 1963. The car accompanied No.
184 to the K&ESR in September 1964. Restored to Pullman
livery, and again carrying the name, Barbara it has given
many years of service on the ‘ Wealden Pullman’.
Barbara was withdrawn from traffic in August 1997 and was
returned to traffic in 2001 following extensive restoration.
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