Kent & East Sussex Railway

Theodora (K&ESR No. 51)

↑ Before and After ↓

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 running number was 184. There was originally accommodation for 20 in two saloons The wall panelling was mahogany , with centres of rich amboyna,surrounded by garlands of flowers in natural colours. The carpet was in brownish grey with seating in simailiar cours. Seating was changed in February 1932 to twelve first and eleven third class passengers and the small for compartment coupe was transfered from the lavatory end to the middle of the carriage.

Stored during World War 2  and in 1946 the car was again remodelled to first class, with a remodelled seating arrangement , whilst retaining the coupe.It was used with two of its sisters  on the Ocean Liner expresses between London and Southampton , with occassional use of race trains. In July 1958 the car was repainted in Southern Region green and lost its name became a non-supplement buffet car No. 184 ,and was equiped with a larger bar . It was sold to BR in November 1960, became S7874S and was withdrawn in 1963.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 in September. 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 somwhat full livery and name but different seating and, pending the necessary funding  through donations for full restoration , is currently running without much of her fine marquetry.

Barbara ( K&ESR No. 52)

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Barbara was built as  sister to Theodora for the Hastings services and was No. 185 in the Pullman Company's lists.Her interior was  panelled in pomele pannels in peartree ,with oval centres containing baskets of flowers and plasters of peartyree with drops of flowers. The carpet was crimson with chair coverings of similar colour. She had a similar prewar history but unlike her sister was converted to a buffet car in January 1946 as Pullman No. 185 labelled 'Refreshment Car' . Her coupe was removed ; the lavatory converted to a pantry; the bar section enlarged completely restyled ;and more modest but comfortable leather seats suplemented by stand seats and stools. She worked on the London - Hastings services until dieselisation in 1958. Repainted green and numbered S7877S following sale to BR in 1960, 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, full interior restoration and comforatble original Pullman style seating  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.