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{{Infobox maroon carriage

|caption = BR Restaurant Miniature Buffet 1856(April 2022)

}}The '''E1856''' is a '''BR Mk 1 Restaurant Miniature Buffet coach ''' (RMB) . This type of coach was designed to provide quick snacks, being staffed by only one attendant in service. The coach It seats 44 passengers at tables, and also has bench seats opposite the serving area. Some examples including 1856 were refurbished during service, the improvements including the installation of fluorescent lighting.

1856 entered service in February 1962 in BR's Eastern region, numbered E1856. The carriage later saw service in the Midland region as M1856 from June 1967, returning to the Eastern region by 1982.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2013)]] p.24</ref> 1856 It was eventually withdrawn from service on 27 September 1988, having run 75,206 miles since its last classified repair on 7 July 1987 at Wolverton where it received one replacement bogie<ref name=SVR94>SVR News 94, 96</ref>.

Having The SVR's first RMB, sequentially numbered sister coach [[BR 1855 Restaurant Miniature Buffet|1855]], had been acquired some years earlier by a member of the [[L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Department Sales Coach | L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Department]]. 1856 arrived on the SVR on 16 November 1989 from Cambridge, having been acquired by [[Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC | SVR(H)]], it arrived on the SVR on 16 November 1989 from Cambridgeafter a three year search. Despite the short period of use since its last repair it required several months of work, including some welding on one side to consolidate an earlier BR repair , and complete redecoration inside and out. Several of the doors also had to be repaired, necessitating welding the aluminium window fixings and replacing a number of wooden panels.<ref>SVR News 94,96<name=SVR94/ref>

In spring 1999 sister RMB During a snowy night in February 1996, 1856 suffered a break-in at Bridgnorth, the thieves "''…making off with lager and chocolates, leaving a trail of spilled Smarties and Kit-Cats from platform 2 to the [[BR 1853 Restaurant Miniature BuffetCleobury Road Bridge|1853Cleobury Mortimer Road bridge]] was also acquired by ''". Several days' work were required to repair the damage to the buffet's wall and hatches; at the SVR. By that same time 1856 the new boiler was looking in tired condition after nearly 10 years in SVR service. The decision was therefore taken for 1853 also 'flame-proofed' to be painted crimson and cream so stop it could replace 1856 in [[Carriages#Set_C|set C]], with 1856 then being allocated to another set after overhaulscorching the wall.<ref>SVR News 135119</ref>

In spring 1999 the SVR acquired a third RMB, [[BR 1853 Restaurant Miniature Buffet|1853]]. By that time 1856 was looking in tired condition after nearly 10 years in SVR service. The decision was therefore taken for 1853 to be painted crimson and cream so it could replace 1856 in [[Carriages#Set_C|set C]], with 1856 then being allocated to another set after overhaul.<ref>SVR News 135</ref> By 2002 it was further decided that 1856 would be outshopped in BR's GW livery as used on BR(W) Mark ls during the 1957 to 1961 period.<ref>SVR News 142</ref> It re-entered service as W1856 in [[Carriages#Set_GW2|set GWR2]], the GWR Chocolate and Cream running set, in November 2003 after having received major repairs to the ends, new battery boxes and substantial re-plumbing.

It then In 2006 1856 transferred into the [[Severn Valley Limited ]] dining set [[Carriages#Set_S|(set S)]] in 2006, replacing taking the place of [[LMS 149 Buffet Car]] which had been running in chocolate and cream livery since 1996and increasing the seating capacity of that set by 17.<ref>SVR News 155,156, 163</ref> Subsequently 1856 reverted to use in set GW2.

In spring 2016 1856 stood in for sister coach 1855 in set M which also included crimson and cream composite [[BR 16267 Composite Corridor|16267]]. Both vehicles were described as "''equally sunburned''" and "''some four years overdue for painting''". Later that year the worn out fluorescent lighting was removed and replaced by the original style 'bulls eye' lamps with which it was first fitted in 1961.<ref>SVR News 193,194</ref>  In summer 2018, completion of work on [[LMS 149 Buffet Car]] allowed 1856 to be withdrawn for its 'due by date' mechanical overhaul.<ref>SVR News 202</ref> This included removal of the bogies which were sent away for tyre turning, while the overhaul revealed a hidden broken coil spring which was replaced. Other work undertaken included Buckeye replacement, vacuum cylinder overhaul and gangway plunger inspection. By summer 2019 1856 was still in BR(W) livery but had returned to use in Set M, taking the place of 1855 which required attention. Shortly after it transferred to [[Carriages#Set_N|set N]], allowing [[LNER 643 Buffet|Gresley Buffet 643]] to be withdrawn for light overhaul and re-varnishing.<ref>SVR News 206, 207</ref> In 2021 SVR News was finally able to report that 1856 was receiving a full repaint, having "''...bounced from one set to another standing in for other buffet cars during overhauls, always looking the odd one out in the BR(W) colours''". In August 2021 it was repainted at Kidderminster into BR maroon livery at Kidderminster prior with black ends, as it would have been entered service in 1961, also reverting to its original number E1856.<ref>SVR News 215</ref> The repaint was in anticipation of its eventual incorporation into [[Carriages#Set_M|set M]], when sets reform were reformed and buffet services re-introduced after the [[2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic]].<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/blaug21 Branch Lines, August 2021]</ref>  Ironically, as a result of its repaint the previous year, no BR(W) liveried buffet car was then available for use in the GWR Chocolate and Cream running set during the April 2022 [[Spring Steam Gala]] so 1856 temporarily returned to that role, once again "looking the odd one out" in its smart new maroon livery.

It E1856 remains owned by SVR(H).

*[[Carriages#BR Designed Coaches | List of carriages]]

[[Category: Rolling stock owned by SVR(H)]] [[Category:Featured articles]]