Pre-Grouping Carriages in Normal Service

I know lots of our heritage railways have "heritage" carriages (normally taken to be non-Mark 1!) which are operational. Many of these heritage carriages or takes appear to be for occasional use only, i.e. galas and the like, and not used on normal service trains (for various good reasons).
My question is: At which railways could I turn up on a "normal" service day and be pretty sure I could ride in a pre-grouping carriage? I would be interested to hear for pre-Nationalisation as well, although my personal interest is in older vehicles.
I realise that on the Welsh NG lines, e.g. the Ffestiniog and the Talyllyn their older vehicles are in operation either most days or on specific days throughout the summer.

 

I'll start with the obvious

The IoWSR it is absolutely guaranteed, as there is nothing that is not pre-grouping. (One of the carriages is 1924 built, but to pre-grouping design).

On the Bluebell on a Service 2 day (basically any weekend, bank holidays and or midweek school holidays), one of the two rakes will highly likely have some, possibly all, pre-grouping carriages. We tend to alternate between the Mets / Victorian 4 wheelers; or the Maunsells and Edwardian bogie carriages. Things do change around a bit on account of maintenance, but that is a typical pattern. In addition, the non-vintage rake quite frequently has the 1913 LNWR Obo as one carriage in the consist. The Victorian GNR Directors' Saloon tends to be out on Bank Holiday weekends.

Tom

 

Hello,
The Severn Valley Railway GWR & LNER.

Didcot has a few in use on running days all GWR.



Nick

 

Nick,
You forgot the LMS rake all pre nationalisation bar one which was built for BR to the LMS design

On most days the LNER teaks will include a Great Northern Railway composite

The KESR has a number of pre grouping coaches as well as SR examples but not guaranteed to be in service

 

Are these in service on "normal" days? And the LMS?

 

GWR set isn't, but LNER and LMS sets both run regularly on normal days.

 

The KESR regularly has a Maunsell CK on its main service set. The second set can quite often include the SECR Birdcage.

 

The NYMR uses The LNERCA's carriages in general service, including former GNR invalid saloon 43087. Although 43087 is less likely to be used in general service in the future.

Sawdust.

 

At Didcot both the SRM and it's trailer are often in use, both pre -grouping.

 

At Mangapps we have a 1910 GNR coach which is in regular service, in fact it has been working today. Although it is very obviously a Gresley, it has undergone changes over its long life- started out as a BFK, converted to a breakdown tool and riding van in 1955, withdrawn and "preserved" in 1973, though no actual work was done on it until we acquired it in 1990. It is now a brake/driving trailer standard open with wheelchair compartment (what's the code for that?) and an extremely useful vehicle.

 

DBSO?
Ray.

 

As if by magic, the Bluebell e-Newsletter has given the public running dates for the GN Saloon this year:

"The Great Northern Director's Saloon No. 706E will be out for public service--serving homemade sponge cake, cream tea, morning coffee, and sparkling wine--on the following dates:

12/13 March
23/24 April
21/22 May
18/19 June
23/24 July
20/21 Aug
24/25 Sep
15/16 Oct"

Normal 1st class fares, plus the (very reasonable) cost of tea and cakes!

Also, latest photo updates (not mine!) of the next Victorian carriage due to enter service, the LCDR 5 compartment 3rd 3188: https://www.flickr.com/photos/extension3363/albums/72157626960166136

Livery, incidentally, is the Edwardian SE&CR livery, to better match the locos - long term all the LCDR / SER 4 wheelers will have that livery, though for the time being the brake coach is in its original LCDR varnished teak.

Tom

 

DBSOD?

 

Actually, it's more than one. The CK and both BSKs are porthole stock (post nationalisation) and one other is 1949 to an earlier LMS design.
http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=720
http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=718
http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=715
http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=696

 

If you go go the L&B you WILL get a pre-grouping coach as they are all pre-grouping!

 

Hello,
Sorry for the omission......not in a very good place at present!

the South Devon also has some pre Nat coach stock in regular use.


Nick

 

Went on the Swanage Railway in August last year while there on holiday and a Bulleid coach was in a rake of Mark 1s

 

Hello,
Could be lots more coaches when people put there hands in their wallets and help restore vintage coaches.
Looking at £100K plus per coach!
Plenty to chose from!

Nick

 

I'm waiting for one of @andrewshimmin's multi-coloured spreadsheets

Amongst major companies, the SECR has done pretty well, with about half a dozen bogie carriages in operation and a number of LCDR 4-wheelers. By contrast, the LSWR has done pretty badly, with only one carriage operational and one other in the NRM.

Who else has done well / badly?

Tom

 

I'm sure I made some tables about carriages a while ago last time that question was asked! Pre-grouping GWR has done the best, but GER and GNR have both done quite well, and LNWR reasonably so too. All of the Scottish companies predictably have come off badly, along with GCR and NSR spring mostly to mind.