4449 the story

The shot is of the Sussex Coast Limited at Brighton on 13th April 1958.

4449 was converted in April/May 1959 under order No L4559... so it just might have been 4449

Here is the other end of the train (which also had had Beach Head on one part) with 80154 (the last Brighton built engine) as you can see the train had 2 Nondescripts... so maybe this one then


Railtour information and picture Source: http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/

 

for a small class of coaches they turn up a lot in photos, mainly because they were added as strengthening vehicles I guess. Originally dubbed Nondescript, they were regarded as Second Class mainly (second class lingered on boat trains I think quite late.) /They were virtually First Class in standard

 

Just seen this thread and assumed it was about this ....... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/4449idle.jpg

 

so swanage didnt scrap it after all!

 

That's why they're doing that work on Vicky Avenue bridge, make sure it fits...!

 

na its really British India line having just been outshopped and on a testing run

 

The coach was BCK 21077, one of the original seven coaches at the 1977 opening of the line.

 

I think David Vidler's first purchase was the 4 compartment Maunsell 3rd brake 3179 (broken up in 1990/91 at M&4M) , anyway the whole story of MHR coaches both vintage and Mk1 is sorry one. I remember when the line boasted the 'low mileage' blood and custard set, the green, maroon and the western region chocolate and cream sets as you describe (the C&W one which always caught my eye with the T9 and WD 2-10-0 is LMR blue for some reason)



Picture source: https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3464/4570305703_31bb0b08ce_m.jpg

I created a Wikipedia page a while ago that lists all the carriage stock (from my memory) that has departed in one way or another from the MHR for those interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Watercress_Line#Passenger_coaches

 

Interesting to see that you have 37 coaches listed on the line and 35 have gone.

 

an awful history of waste, hardly "preservation" is it!

 

It shows a total lack of interest in repairing, or restoring, any rolling stock, and hence my rather skeptical reply to the news of the MHR getting 4 LBSCR coach bodies.

All of the Mk1's I bought for the company in the early 80's were in excellent condition, which should have given the railway 10 years of easy running without any major repairs, other than normal maintenance. These 10 years, should have been used to restore the vintage stock, so a mix of coaches would be available.

Now, 30 years on, it's the Mk1's which need to be saved, as they are now 50+ years old. Just think the Mk1's are easily as old as when the LSWR coaches which arrived on the MHR in the late 70's, and look what happened to them.

Unless the railway gets a grip on the coaches, they will end up with nothing to put bums on!

 

I can never understand why building a locoshed (as opposed to a workshop), is considered a priority whilst vulnerable old (usually much older than the locos) rolling stock is left outside at the mercy of the elements. Other than paintwork, locos don't suffer much out in the elements, but coaches and wagons, particularly woodem ones do

 

A former GM of a leading narrow gauge line once asked me the rhetorical question "why are we obsessed with building covered accommodation for big, chunky steam locos but happily leave comparatively "sort" coaching stock outside?"

It is a very good question but even today, although everyone is worried about having enough carriages of an acceptable standard to ensure passengers aren't standing, some of the same people still believe that any available money should be poured into yet more loco overhaul facilities.

Steven

 

It was not always the loco shed.

 

What we see is another example of the "which comes first?" conundrum, in this case the "the steam engines that attract the visitors? or "the carriages to transport them?" The answer is that, like most things in life, a compromise needs to be reached, something the typical human seems to be very poor at! For most lines the answer has been the Mk 1, and they were so common that no-one cared much about them as they could always be scrapped and replaced, although I think the Mid Hants were by far the worst proponents of this approach. The problem is also exacerbated by the fact that several coaches are needed to form a train, but only one loco, so the shed space needed for them is much greater.

Happily, I do see a trend to getting more and more historic coaches restored and back in use, and the number of railways with carriage sheds, or active plans for one is growing, so perhaps we are on the way to a sensible balance being restored.

 

What happened to all the coach spares in the old green shed?

 

Hello,
Some historic coaches are still stored outside......they were once considered to special to leave in the open.
Stored outside with drop lights left open or windows smashed in a yard where it rains more often than not....
I will link to the NP thread in rolling stock.
Was informed back in October that an agreement was soon to be reached regarding their future......
I think there needs to be a fundamental shift of attitudes re coaches wagons and undercover storage.
Nick

 

See

Thread GWR Royal saloon.

Nick

 

That's why I think it's foolish of the BlueBell railway to loan the MidHants any coaches, let alone Three Bullieds!

As I said before the main fleet is in such a state, they, whoever looks after coaches, do not have the time to waste on vanity projects, because the main revenue earning fleet has gone to the dogs. I would not even go as far as to say they are safe to use! When did anyone check the brakes, oil the rubbing plates, or grease the centre castings? And then the vac brake system. When were any of the brake cylinders serviced? Are the even any records kept on how many miles each coach has done. Tyres turned? Just like the engines, every mile takes it's toll, and locos have a yearly exam, do the coaches? Judging by my last trip on the line, no!

 

Only one of the Bulleids is on loan from the Bluebell. 4211 and 4367 have been on the Mid Hants for years..