Carriage or other suitable waggon required for accommodation conversion

[johnr57]

My apologies if I'm in the wrong place!
A building project I am involved with requires an old Railway Carriage (or other suitable waggon) to convert into accommodation at a property that is actually an old railway station. The station has existing platforms and the station buildings have been elegantly and sympathetically converted into living space. This isn't a holiday accommodation project. The original idea was a MK1 or MK2 Carriage which are quite easy to locate but sadly are too long to fit in the space available. Does anyone have a) any suggestions as to what we might be able to use, a couple of mahogany LNER or similar, a couple of old cattle waggons maybe and b) some suggestion as to where we might find suitable examples. We are expecting to fully restore them to be in keeping with the environment so condition is not critical.

many thanks for your help

John

 

[30907]

Depends on the available length - not much post WW1 passenger stock less than 57ft and what there is will either be beautifully restored or (being wooden bodied) present a major restoration problem.
Former parcels vans might be a possibility - or "grounded" coach bodies which were turned into bungalows? Some preserved lines have acquired these, possibly more than they can use?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

After the recent upheaval, the Llangollen Railway may be releasing some vehicles.

 

[Taunton]

Bear in mind it would need planning permission. Saying it is not needed "because it has wheels" is a myth. Some local authority policies are absolutely against former rail vehicles being turned into accommodation, after experiences, particularly in the 1930s-50s, with old railway carriage bodies being turned into messy cheap housing, particularly as summertime coastal cottages, or farmers using old wagon bodies as storage sheds. There are still a surprising number of these around, often with further jerry-built extensions (a few heritage restoration projects have recovered such coaches etc).

 

[johnr57]

After the site visit , max length 30foot or so , currently considering parcels vans, toads and the like . we are expecting a substantial restoration project!
many thanks for your contributions

 

[WAO]

A Mark 3 SLE would give you instant modern sleeping accommodation in a genuine railway environment. Add a Mark 3 T/RFK for cooking/meals and you have a complete railway hotel. The fact that the Mark 3's are 70's means that anyone below 50 now sees them as "historic" (slam doors, IC livery etc).

You would need 46m of course but very good luck to you!

WAO

 

[johnr57]

A Mark 3 SLE would give you instant modern sleeping accommodation in a genuine railway environment. Add a Mark 3 T/RFK for cooking/meals and you have a complete railway hotel. The fact that the Mark 3's are 70's means that anyone below 50 now sees them as "historic" (slam doors, IC livery etc).

You would need 46m of course but very good luck to you!

WAO

46m is a very long carriage! sadly just wont fit in and probably wont be able to get them up the tight country lane either!
many thanks for your suggestion

 

[hst43102]

46m is a very long carriage! sadly just wont fit in and probably wont be able to get them up the tight country lane either!
many thanks for your suggestion

46m is two Mk3 coaches - a SLE (sleeper coach) and a T/RFK (buffet coach). Of course if there is only 30ft of space even one mk3 won't fit. However - if there is major work to the site - would it be possible to "cut and shut" a Mk2/mk3 to size?

 

[trainmania100]

I dont have any better pictures but the attached were used as accomodation on the Dartmoor Railway many years ago. You can see the green one has curtains in the window. There was a small staff platform on the other side.
I know Lavender Line was selling some stock recently, albeit bit poor inside, maybe someone else can share the link

 

[johnr57]

I dont have any better pictures but the attached were used as accomodation on the Dartmoor Railway many years ago. You can see the green one has curtains in the window. There was a small staff platform on the other side.
I know Lavender Line was selling some stock recently, albeit bit poor inside, maybe someone else can share the link

thank you for those
yes ive seen the Lavender stuff but nothing really suitable
the client is moving towards alot of work and 20T Toad

 

[Alfonso]

thank you for those
yes ive seen the Lavender stuff but nothing really suitable
the client is moving towards alot of work and 20T Toad

Might the cct advertised at the top of http://www.carriage-exchange.org.uk/stock.htm do the job?

 

[Rutland23]

http://www.tractionads.co.uk/ has listings of various items of rolling stock for sale.

Regards

Ian

 

[johnr57]

Might the cct advertised at the top of http://www.carriage-exchange.org.uk/stock.htm do the job?

Thank you for that - I’ve just checked the dimensions and passed it to the client.

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http://www.tractionads.co.uk/ has listings of various items of rolling stock for sale.

Regards

Ian

Thank you Ian

 

[mike57]

Not going to help with your search, but a mini me in 1959 at my Grandparent house in Norfolk, based around an old railway carriage. I suspect that the @Taunton comments regarding planning are the sort of thing that had happened here. It had been added to, and as far as I can remember it was fairly comfortable, but memories are hazy at best. Pictures show it was a hodge potch, and would give current council planners an apoplectic fit. Grandad did most of the work making a home for himself and his wife when they moved away from London in the 50s. Unfortunately now lost to some boring 70s housing development.

 

[vectra33]

Have you considered an ex Blackpool tram, mostly built 1930s, shorter than a rail carrage, also avaliable as double deckers, Theres a few beyond restoration, but cosmetically intact currently avaliable for conversion to other uses,

 

[johnr57]

Not going to help with your search, but a mini me in 1959 at my Grandparent house in Norfolk, based around an old railway carriage. I suspect that the @Taunton comments regarding planning are the sort of thing that had happened here. It had been added to, and as far as I can remember it was fairly comfortable, but memories are hazy at best. Pictures show it was a hodge potch, and would give current council planners an apoplectic fit. Grandad did most of the work making a home for himself and his wife when they moved away from London in the 50s. Unfortunately now lost to some boring 70s housing development.
View attachment 105124

that looks as though it would have been ideal !

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Have you considered an ex Blackpool tram, mostly built 1930s, shorter than a rail carrage, also avaliable as double deckers, Theres a few beyond restoration, but cosmetically intact currently avaliable for conversion to other uses,

Yes we did but the client thought it would be far too out of place on what was a small Devon railway station and now a farm!

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Looks like the best option so far is the BR CCT.

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and while I'm here I'd like to thank you all for your help with this - its much appreciated