GWR 80969 Inspection Saloon

80969 Inspection Saloon

80969 is one of six 52ft inspection saloons (INSP) built at Swindon as lot number 1701 to diagram Q13. It was ordered under FW Hawksworth’s tenure as GWR CME, although it has little visual similarity to his other carriage designs. It entered service in January 1948 in what had by then become the BR Western Region.

80969’s service ended at Cowlairs in Scotland in 1973, from where it arrived on the SVR in April of that year having been privately purchased. It was initially used as the General Manager’s office. As of 2016^[update], 80969 is used as an Observation Car, normally being attached to the end of a rake of carriages for private hire or ‘cream tea’ specials. It seats up to 23 people and is furnished with armchairs, settees and tables in the two saloons, which are separated by a corridor off which are found a toilet, small kitchen and guard’s office. It is finished in GWR 1942-47 livery, with the coat of arms insignia flanked by 'GREAT' and 'WESTERN'.