Published May 2006

Restaurant Carriage No. 1675

If you happen to be on the chocolate & cream coach set and wander along the train to get a cup of coffee, you will be impressed by the restaurant/buffet carriage (RB) that you will find yourself in. Freshly turned out of Carriage & Wagon at Winchcombe, it is a fine testament to that department’s skills.

The vehicle was first pressed into service for the Mothering Sunday Elegant Excursions lunch train while that set’s own kitchen car was being refurbished – this just a few days after the gas installation had been certified! The coach went on to perform for the April diesel gala and successfully and popularly produced hot bacon rolls and toasted tea cakes, amongst other things! And that was almost exactly four years after the coach arrived for refurbishment on the GWR.

A few relatively minor teething problems led to it being returned to C&W at Winchcombe for ‘fettling’ but now it is in perfect working order!

No 1675 was built for British Railways as part of an order placed on the Rolling Stock Division of the Pressed Steel Company in 1959. On completion in 1961 it was initially used on the Eastern Region. The type identification given was ‘RB’, indicating that it was a Restaurant Buffet. By the late 1970’s it was clear that many of the Mk1 catering vehicles such as this would have to remain in service for longer than originally envisaged and several – including this one – was refurbishment, the work including modifications to the layout of the kitchen, allowing for a reduction in staffing requirements. Thus the designation of the coach changed to RBR – the second ‘R’ indicating that it had been refurbished.

Richard Summers, head of on-train catering, takes up the story. “We know that by the 1980’s it was one of fourteen RBRs used by British Rail’s Special Trains division that operated everything from football specials to VIP hospitality trains and even Royal trains.

“It was almost certainly used on the Cheltenham Gold Cup trains. These were usually full which meant that the chef was required to produce 126 fried eggs for a single Breakfast sitting! On the return, a three-course dinner would have been served. Now there’s a challenge for us!”

One of 1675’s last duties in BR service was as part of a special private train in 1994 run as a tribute to Mr David Ward on his retirement as Director of Special Trains Division following 45 years service. The train was hauled by the ex LNER A4 pacific ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ for part of the journey from London to York.

The coach was purchased from BR soon after this by the Shakerstone Railway Society and taken to the Battlefield Line in Warwickshire. It was intended that the carriage would be restored at some future date for use on their railway but after eight years it was decided that the railway’s rolling stock needs had changed and it was offered for sale. It was purchased by a group of volunteers from the GWR’s On Train Catering department in 2002.

The coach had been protected from the worst of the weather during its eight years on the Battlefield Line but it was in need of a very major restoration. Once the floors were lifted and paint removed it was realised just how much of the bodywork would need replacement.

Explains Richard: “But the point was that the vehicle was complete. In the kitchen it was clear that the last chef to leave had just turned off the lights and locked the door as the half empty bottles of sauces were still on the shelves and menu cards in the drawers. I hasten to add that the sauces have since been replaced!”

The floor supports in the kitchen had rotted away, probably due to regular soaking from washing the floors, and the carriage ends required considerable rebuilding. Interior decorations were changed from the burnt orange colours so fashionable in the 1970’s and the wooden wall panels replaced. The plastic seating was also replaced with the upholstered loose chairs originally used in these carriages. Throughout the restoration the plan was to retain the original features of the vehicle wherever possible although a few modifications and additions were made to improve its usefulness in its new life in preservation.

Although it is unlikely this carriage ever appeared in chocolate and cream livery; these colours were chosen to match the colour scheme of the coaches it runs with today. After hundreds of man-hours of work in the GWR Carriage and Wagon dept. the carriage was returned to service in 2006 and stands as a tribute to the skills and enthusiasm of those volunteers who worked on the restoration.

With thanks to Richard Summers for the information in this story.