Great Northern Railway Lavatory Composite Brake

GNR number 2856 LNER number 42856 British Railways departmental number DE 320051 Built 1898 Length 45' 0" (13.710 m) Weight 22 tons (approx) (22.5 tonnes) Seats 10 First Class, 16 Second Class

 

 

2856 was built by the Great Northern Railway at Doncaster in 1898 as one of a batch of 36 vehicles of diagram 189 to the design of E F Howlden, Carriage Superintendent. These vehicles, and the others he designed, were distinctive in that the bodyside panelling consisted of two layers, the upper layer above the waistrail being set back slightly from the lower. Teak was of course used for framing, panelling and beading, and this would have received many coats of varnish.

Four compartments are provided, two for each class, but only the First Class passengers had access to the central toilets. A composite steel and timber underframe is carried on two steel bogies with oil axleboxes and Mansell wheels with woodblock (teak) centres within a steel rim. Gas lighting was provided and two large gas storage tanks hang beneath the coach centre.

 

When the GNR amalgamated with other East Coast Railways to become the London & North Eastern Railway in 1924, 2856 was renumbered 42856 and allocated to the Great Northern area. It was withdrawn from passenger traffic in 1949 and the following year was converted for Departmental use as Riding Van DE 320051 to accompany out-of-gauge loads being carried by rail from the electrical works of Parsons, of Heaton, near Newcastle. During the conversion much of the interior was removed or remodelled, door openings were cut through the compartment partitions, and some of the doors were modified to enable them to open inwards. Longitudinal bench seating was installed, as was a heating stove, kitchenette and electric lighting.

After a number of years carrying out this service the coach eventually found itself no longer required and in 1970 it was sent for scrapping. Frantic efforts were made to rescue it and the Newcastle Coach Group was formed to preserve it. They were successful and 2856 was returned to storage in Heaton Motive Power Depot. Two years later it arrived on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and there it remained until 1995. Over the intervening years some repairs were carried out to limit the damage being caused by open storage, and a number of appropriate fittings were acquired from redundant coach bodies. However, lack of suitable facilities for restoration meant that little real progress could be made so the Vintage Carriages Trust purchased 2856 and moved it to Ingrow to await the completion of the restoration Workshop, under construction at that time.

In December 1996, only weeks before that building was completed, an arson attack on the coach caused extensive damage to the Brake compartment and smoke damage to the rest of the vehicle. Many spares and restoration items stored inside were also lost. Fortunately the damage did not put the vehicle beyond repair and soon afterwards it was safely inside the Workshop and external restoration commenced in its centenary year.

As always thanks to the VCR for notes