Grounded coach bodies near Bluebell.

Back in the mid to late 1960's there were 1 or 2 ? grounded bodies in the woodland just to the north of the junction of Station Approach and Cinder Hill lane at Horsted Keynes. I vaguely remember being told at the time that they had been used as accomodation for agricultural workers, and, IIRC they were painted grey/white and blue ( definately no double arrows then). Have asked around but can find no information on what happened to them.
Anybody out there have any info?

Thanks
Chris

 

You are correct about agricultural workers. My understanding is that the coach bodies were moved there to provide accommodation for 'land girls' working on local farms to replace farm labourers who had gone to war in the 1940's. I also remember being told that they were of LSWR origin. They were picked over for spares by the early Bluebell Railway C&W in the 1960-70s. Inspections concluded that they were too far gone (ie disintegrating) to be viable restoration projects in any form. What happened to them? I kinda remember somebody saying in the 1980s (it might also be a footnote in Bluebell News) that they had been cleared presumably by the landowner and/or the remains 'returned to nature'. Not sure if anything remains in the field now to indicate where they were.

All the above is subject to confirmation.
Tony Harris

 

Thank you for that Tony.
Blimey, I wonder if my Mum was ever accomodated there, as she joined the Land Army after demob and ended up in or near Horsted Keynes.... hmmm