Repurposed train carriages (e.g. bars, restaurants, etc?)

[Bald Rick]

The Carriage Cafe, St Annes on Sea prom.

It is on bogies on rails, and has a funny extension at one end, and a very significant extension on one side (hence the pitched roof behind).

 

[sprinterguy]

The Carriage Cafe, St Annes on Sea prom.

It is on bogies on rails, and has a funny extension at one end, and a very significant extension on one side (hence the pitched roof behind).


View attachment 161204

That puts me in mind, actually, of 'The Rattler' on the seafront at South Shields, where three mark 1 vehicles - two corridor stock and one suburban vehicle used today as a kitchen - have been incorporated into a central bar.

The carriages have worn quite a variety of different liveries over the decades - this photo from Flickr probably best shows the setup in its early days:

The Marsden Rattler, South Shields

Publisher: E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd, Scarborough Not posted

www.flickr.com

 

[MotCO]

That puts me in mind, actually, of 'The Rattler' on the seafront at South Shields, where three mark 1 vehicles - two corridor stock and one suburban vehicle used today as a kitchen - have been incorporated into a central bar.

The carriages have worn quite a variety of different liveries over the decades - this photo from Flickr probably best shows the setup in its early days:

The Marsden Rattler, South Shields

Publisher: E.T.W. Dennis & Sons Ltd, Scarborough Not posted

www.flickr.com

There are two separate carriages at South Shields? See my post #28. Or are they one and the same?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There's this one at Dundee, which is part of a café:

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www.google.com

 

[sprinterguy]

There are two separate carriages at South Shields? See my post #28. Or are they one and the same?

Ah, sorry, I usually try not to but on this occasion I seem to have skimmed past your post: Yes, it's the same location. Hadn't realised The Rattler had changed its name.

 

[Winthorpe]

The Valley Junction 397 restaurant in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne has a railway carriage as part of the restaurant. The carriage is numbered ‘397’.

Part of the site is also an old signal box.

The Valley Junction Restaurant in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne | The Valley Restaurants

The Valley Restaurants promise a unique and pleasurable dining experience in, luxurious surroundings. Superbly presented authentic dishes from Bangladesh, and the Indian subcontinent are served with impeccable style by attentive, waiters.

new.valleyrestaurants.co.uk

 

[Rescars]

There's this one at Dundee, which is part of a café:

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View attachment 161210

At a casual glance, this carriage looks older than many. Pre-amalgamation vintage? Does anyone know from which railway it originated?

 

[greyman42]

There is a vintage carriage at the NRM in which they serve afternoon teas etc.

 

[Sun Chariot]

The Vintage Carriage Trust lists all "saved" historic carriages.
But does any forum reader know of any source for all known extant examples, regardless of location / use / condition?

My question is prompted by my discovering an old Southern 12T planked van body, in a field by a marina near Emsworth (along the road to Thorney Island military site).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

At a casual glance, this carriage looks older than many. Pre-amalgamation vintage? Does anyone know from which railway it originated?

The café's website claims it to be an original from the 1870s and that it would have been in use at the time of the Tay Bridge Disaster, so likely the North British?

 

[WesternLancer]

The Vintage Carriage Trust lists all "saved" historic carriages.
But does any forum reader know of any source for all known extant examples, regardless of location / use / condition?

My question is prompted by my discovering an old Southern 12T planked van body, in a field by a marina near Emsworth (along the road to Thorney Island military site).

Is that this? or is that what you are seeking out?

RHRP On-Line

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2024 ==

At a casual glance, this carriage looks older than many. Pre-amalgamation vintage? Does anyone know from which railway it originated?

Using the location search term only I found it here - the database is very good if you browse it:

MR 97 Six-wheel first (body: on LMS wagon underframe) built 1897

where it is pictured in earlier days in 2019 - description:

MR 97 Six-wheel first (body: on LMS wagon underframe) built 1897​

Note the 'additional notes' info:

W 1909. G as dwelling at N Hykeham (Lincs). P Battlefield 1989 in 2 halves. Interior used by MRT for 211 of 1875. Rebuilt on to LMS tube wagon chassis and on short length of track at Riverside Drive, Dundee in use as Riverside Snack Bar.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Is that this? or is that what you are seeking out?

RHRP On-Line

Oooh thanks that looks like hours of reading pleasure await me. Superb.

 

[WesternLancer]

Oooh thanks that looks like hours of reading pleasure await me. Superb.

Indeed - and remarkably it seems to include wagons too which even includes entries for wagon bodies on farms etc used as animal shelters - I would think a virtually impossible job to find, catalogue let alone establish if they are still in the same location / existing at al from one year to the next!

Like this one in a state of dereliction back in 2021

BR B 855xxx (body only) Pallet Van built 1961

 

[Ayrshire Roy]

There is this one in Ayr but I don't know if it's a modern build or a restoration.
It's owned by Blackthorns Salt.

Google Maps

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maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Rescars]

Is that this? or is that what you are seeking out?

RHRP On-Line

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2024 ==


Using the location search term only I found it here - the database is very good if you browse it:

MR 97 Six-wheel first (body: on LMS wagon underframe) built 1897

where it is pictured in earlier days in 2019 - description:

MR 97 Six-wheel first (body: on LMS wagon underframe) built 1897​

Note the 'additional notes' info:

W 1909. G as dwelling at N Hykeham (Lincs). P Battlefield 1989 in 2 halves. Interior used by MRT for 211 of 1875. Rebuilt on to LMS tube wagon chassis and on short length of track at Riverside Drive, Dundee in use as Riverside Snack Bar.

Many thanks for your research. What a survivor! And thank you for the very interesting link too.

 

[WesternLancer]

Many thanks for your research. What a survivor! And thank you for the very interesting link too.

Cheers. Seems a bit if a shame that a carriage that age is outside all year. But yes it’s a good link indeed.

 

[Whisky Papa]

There used to be a Pullman carriage, Aries, used as a dining room outside the Yew Tree pub on the A671 south of Rochdale, just south of the bridge under the M62 and visible from it westbound. It looks like it was moved to the Kent & East Sussex Railway in the mid 1990s.

I seem to remember being told there was one similar outside a pub somewhere between New Mills and Hayfield in the early 1980s, but I can't recall the name of the pub.

 

[WesternLancer]

There used to be a Pullman carriage, Aries, used as a dining room outside the Yew Tree pub on the A671 south of Rochdale, just south of the bridge under the M62 and visible from it westbound. It looks like it was moved to the Kent & East Sussex Railway in the mid 1990s.

yes you are correct - says as below. IIRC Aries was one of the cars modelled by Hornby Dublo in the early 1960s. I did not realise it had survived!

Pullman BRS 304 Aries Pullman Kitchen First built 1952

Car U. Last vehicle to be built at Pullman Car Company Preston Park Works, Brighton. One of the Festival of Britain "Golden Arrow" cars.
P 1969 at 'Yew Tree' Inn, near Royton, Lancashire, then to ELR 07/98, where asbestos-stripped.
Kineton: then by 06/07 to Portsmouth Arms Station, Devon with 136 Formosa (Exeter/Barnstaple line) for restoration. Some of interior missing.
07/12: purchased by K&ESR, moved to Barrow Hill 08/12 for contract underframe, brake & bogie overhaul (see second additional photo below).
To K&ESR 06/15 for completion of restoration - by 09/15 stored in new Rolvenden Carriage Storage Shed. 16/03/17: transferred from Rolvenden to Tenterden Carriage & Wagon works for bodywork restoration (see first additional photo below).

 

[billh]

There used to be a Pullman carriage, Aries, used as a dining room outside the Yew Tree pub on the A671 south of Rochdale, just south of the bridge under the M62 and visible from it westbound. It looks like it was moved to the Kent & East Sussex Railway in the mid 1990s.

I seem to remember being told there was one similar outside a pub somewhere between New Mills and Hayfield in the early 1980s, but I can't recall the name of the pub.

Little(?) Mill inn , Rowarth. I had dinner in it many years ago, I am sure it was a Pullman Car and quite pleasant inside. What amazed me , was how it got there! the roads all around there are narrow , hilly and winding. Similar difficulties when it was removed, did it go to be part of Brighton Belle set ? The meals were prepared in the pub and carried to the coach in the garden.

 

[sprinterguy]

Little(?) Mill inn , Rowarth. I had dinner in it many years ago, I am sure it was a Pullman Car and quite pleasant inside. What amazed me , was how it got there! the roads all around there are narrow , hilly and winding. Similar difficulties when it was removed, did it go to be part of Brighton Belle set ?

It was purchased by Carriages of Cambridge to accompany three mark 1 carriages in use as tea rooms, off the A14 at Fenstanton.

Our Carriages - Carriages Tea Room

Being a lifelong “steamie” and collector of vintage vehicles, whilst on a business trip to India Michael was inspired by a restaurant and bar in a Colonial vintage train station. Having already created the Bannold display gardens to showcase the stone and aggregate why not build a railway...

www.carriagesofcambridge.co.uk

 

[32475]

Little(?) Mill inn , Rowarth. I had dinner in it many years ago, I am sure it was a Pullman Car and quite pleasant inside. What amazed me , was how it got there! the roads all around there are narrow , hilly and winding. Similar difficulties when it was removed, did it go to be part of Brighton Belle set ? The meals were prepared in the pub and carried to the coach in the garden.

The Pullman car which spent many years at the Little Mill in Rowarth is ex Brighton Belle but was in a pretty poor state so probably never even considered for use in the reincarnated Belle.
When I lived nearby some years ago, the seats with BR ‘Bournemouth Blue’ moquette were in the pub itself.

 

[Bradford PA]

Popular carriage cafe at the site of the former Bideford station. Hired a bike and cycled there from Barnstaple a few years ago.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

A visit to Andalsnes in Norway (well worth it for the scenic ride on the Rauma line) you will find this Chapel.

Åndalsnes Train Chapel

<p>This old and venerable railway carriage was a gift from the Norwegian State Railway, and which through a long life has served busy people on travel, will now serve as a small house of God to give people silence and peace in an otherwise noisy world. The chapel was consecrated by bishop Odd...

www.visitnorway.com

 

[Ashley Hill]

A visit to Andalsnes in Norway (well worth it for the scenic ride on the Rauma line) you will find this Chapel.

Åndalsnes Train Chapel

<p>This old and venerable railway carriage was a gift from the Norwegian State Railway, and which through a long life has served busy people on travel, will now serve as a small house of God to give people silence and peace in an otherwise noisy world. The chapel was consecrated by bishop Odd...

www.visitnorway.com

There used to be a coach at Challow that served as a church. I wonder about its history and what became of it?

Photo. Adrian Vaughan

 

[Rescars]

With regard to carriages being repurposed as chapels, there was the case of the Great Northern Railway's Royal saloon, built in 1889, which became a static community hall and chapel at Gatehouse-of-Fleet station, for the use of the railway families who lived in that remote location. This historic vehicle was towed up the wilds of Galloway, shorn of its bogies and installed on a base of sleepers in 1965, three months before the line was closed. Inevitably the families then moved away and the erstwhile royal saloon was left to rot. Sadly nothing now remains of this one, as far as I am aware.

 

[John Webb]

There used to be a coach at Challow that served as a church. I wonder about its history and what became of it?
View attachment 161376
Photo. Adrian Vaughan

Adrian Vaughan's book "Signalman's Twilight" is where the above coach is mentioned. It was still in use in 1962, according to the book, and although supplied by the GWR in the 1930s, little was known about its history by the time Adrian was working at Challow. The station was closed in 1964, and I presume the coach was swept away when the station was demolished soon afterwards in 1965.

 

[WesternLancer]

With regard to carriages being repurposed as chapels, there was the case of the Great Northern Railway's Royal saloon, built in 1889, which became a static community hall and chapel at Gatehouse-of-Fleet station, for the use of the railway families who lived in that remote location. This historic vehicle was towed up the wilds of Galloway, shorn of its bogies and installed on a base of sleepers in 1965, three months before the line was closed. Inevitably the families then moved away and the erstwhile royal saloon was left to rot. Sadly nothing now remains of this one, as far as I am aware.

Yes, see posts 116 and 123 on this thread where we found more info on this location and the history of the carriage, including information from the person who eventually owned it

Worst examples of BR era "vandalism"?

I searched GNR Royal Saloon and yielded no suitable result. :) And, yes, I spend far too many hours absorbed in Steve's site. :D I just tried that and got this extra image - not sure how images on twitter are catalogued really - but if the link works it's worth a look as it's a colour image...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There's this near St Austell in Cornwall...

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[Rescars]

Yes, see posts 116 and 123 on this thread where we found more info on this location and the history of the carriage, including information from the person who eventually owned it

Worst examples of BR era "vandalism"?

I searched GNR Royal Saloon and yielded no suitable result. :) And, yes, I spend far too many hours absorbed in Steve's site. :D I just tried that and got this extra image - not sure how images on twitter are catalogued really - but if the link works it's worth a look as it's a colour image...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks for these links. I note that part of the GNR saloon's predecessor survived to provide service as a telephone kiosk. Another example of repurposing which is also no longer with us.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks for these links. I note that part of the GNR saloon's predecessor survived to provide service as a telephone kiosk. Another example of repurposing which is also no longer with us.

Good point!