If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Dawlish Camping Coaches

Discussion in 'Heritage Rolling Stock' started by LesterBrown, Jan 29, 2016.

  1. LesterBrown

    LesterBrown Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2009
    Messages:
    995
    Likes Received:
    761
    Location:
    Devon
    On the radio today Brunel Camping Coach Park is to close at the end of this summer. I think there are eight Mk 1s there, drastically modified inside.
     
  2. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,440
    Likes Received:
    17,941
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Are they grounded bodies or on bogies?
     
  3. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    2,895
    Likes Received:
    6,172
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Escapee from the corporate bear-pit
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  4. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,440
    Likes Received:
    17,941
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Cheers, was just wondering how much use they'd be if they are to be sold.
     
  5. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,222
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    There was another post on here somewhere about the coaches, they are i am lead to believe in poor condition.
     
  6. GWR Man.

    GWR Man. Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    2,197
    Likes Received:
    2,413
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Taunton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Something to do with the WSRA been offered some of the coaches but decided they are in a too poor a condition, and the cost of getting them out as a crane will have to be used. Also at the same time the WSRA said it was going to cost £25,000 to repair the outside of the camping coach at Blue Anchor. So must be on the now removed forum about the WSRA.
     
  7. LesterBrown

    LesterBrown Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2009
    Messages:
    995
    Likes Received:
    761
    Location:
    Devon
    They were on the TV news tonight, the end panel of one of them was quite perforated.
     
  8. Brunswick Green 2

    Brunswick Green 2 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2013
    Messages:
    214
    Likes Received:
    89
    A possible source of spare parts if they become available?
     
  9. 6024KEI

    6024KEI Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    860
    Likes Received:
    472
    Location:
    Bath
    Had a few days in the LMS one about 5 years ago. They are still on bogies and probably relatively complete if the one we had was anything to go by - obviously some conversion has taken place but ours seemed to be relatively original in terms of retaining the corridor, having the saloons at either end and then 3 smaller compartments (one bedroom, one kitchen and one bathroom). Have to say that apart from the novelty value they probably aren't that appealing as holiday venues these days - the suffer from the same problems as older caravans - boiling hot when the sun is out and freezing cold first thing in the morning (we were there over Easter). Didn't help that some joker had managed to align an expansion joint in the up line right alongside the main bedroom. Every morning we were woken up by the first up train bouncing over the joint!

    To be fair that site has a history in its own right as I think it was set up as a holiday venue for GWR staff and remains in the ownership of the GWR staff association - albeit long after it became Western Region etc. Cant't imagine being right on a salty exposed coastline does the bodywork much good.
     
  10. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2008
    Messages:
    3,906
    Likes Received:
    3,704
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    South Hams
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The links provided by jsm8b record poor condition of body and underframes, being affected by salt, and a date of 1999 for repainting. One can only assume, that some sixteen years later they are, most likely, in an even worse state.
     
  11. TonyMay

    TonyMay Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2010
    Messages:
    559
    Likes Received:
    76
    They may be in poor condition but there is a recognised shortage of Mk1s and spares, does that mean that they might yet have some use?
     
  12. Maunsell man

    Maunsell man Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2006
    Messages:
    1,593
    Likes Received:
    505
    Occupation:
    Senior Finance Auditor
    Location:
    Kent
    I doubt there is a shortage of Mk1 spares at all as they have been used in their hundreds on preserved railways since the early 70s. A lot have been broken for spares over the years and the scrap yards like Snailwell and Booths have been raided on numerous occasions for bits (done it myself plenty of times back in the day). There is a lack of sound bodies to bolt the bits too and a lack of skilled labour to repair the corrosion of the last six decades. Also for many years there has been a merry-go-round of bogies as it has been easier to source a replacement pair rather than overhaul a set. Now there are few BR1as, Commonwealths and the like left in good condition so its crunch time and time to start the repairing and overhauling process.

    That's the real problem. The Dawlish coaches are knackered and fit for razor blades. I went and had a good look at the Pullman camping coaches at Marizon before they were disposed off and the underframes and bogies were paper-thin and beyond repair. THe Mk1 bodywork would I imagine be absolutely ruined. With the exception of the aluminium window frames, door locks and handles and maybe some surviving internal fittings I cannot envisage anything being of use
     
  13. stuartreeder

    stuartreeder Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    Messages:
    227
    Likes Received:
    14
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    any think left of any of these
     
  14. nick813

    nick813 Well-Known Member Loco Owner

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2010
    Messages:
    1,503
    Likes Received:
    1,503
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    poole dorset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
  15. LesterBrown

    LesterBrown Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2009
    Messages:
    995
    Likes Received:
    761
    Location:
    Devon
  16. Captain Fantastic

    Captain Fantastic Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2016
    Messages:
    461
    Likes Received:
    184
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Guido Killer Pimp
    Location:
    47603
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    It looks like the days are numbered as the site has got planning permission from part camping to static homes, although the planning permission was granted before the sale of the site
     
  17. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2006
    Messages:
    5,294
    Likes Received:
    3,596
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    As others have said, I don't think there's much to be had in the way of spares from these coaches, and with hundreds of Mk 1s in the fleets of heritage railways there is a present and growing cottage industry in the provision of brand new spares, albeit at substantial cost in the case of (for example) wheel tyres. This is a particular area where railways really need to get together to get bulk discounts.
     
  18. VIA6407

    VIA6407 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2006
    Messages:
    43
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Bus driver
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    I can remember staying in some old Pullmans that were parked along the beach just east of Penzance, at a place called Marazion. Recently looking online I see that site was redeveloped so I don't know what happened to old Pullmans that had been there. I am guessing they were all scrapped but it would be nice to hear if any were saved.
     
  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2006
    Messages:
    16,510
    Likes Received:
    7,753
    Location:
    1012 / 60158
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Two were saved and became part of a hotel in Sussex, the remainder were scrapped.
    http://old-station.co.uk
     
    VIA6407 likes this.
  20. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Messages:
    2,439
    Likes Received:
    855
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wessex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    My wife took me there for my 60th birthday, we stayed overnight in Flora Pullman car which was very nice, the station is well worth a visit lots of old memorabilia you can just have a tea or coffee and a look around but you cant go inside any of the Pullmans, only if you have booked an overnight stay can you do that.
     
    Martin Perry likes this.

Share This Page