GWR 9581 Wheelchair accessible Buffet Car

GWR 9581 Wheelchair accessible Buffet Car
GWR Full Third 5043 in Bewdley Down Yard in 2015
Built By	GWR Swindon
Status	Static use
Number	5043
History
Built	1928
Designed By	Collett
Diagram	C54
Lot	1383
Type	TK
Seats	64 third (as built)
1981	Arrived on SVR
Carriages

Wheelchair accessible area

GWR Collett Bow-Ended Coach No 5043 is a standard 57ft full third coach, completed in June 1928 to diagram C54, lot 1383. The internal layout as built seated 64 passengers in eight compartments, with a side corridor and a toilet cubicle at each end.

The coach was originally bought by the 2857 Society and arrived on the SVR by rail in October 1981. It had been adapted for use as a mess coach in a breakdown train, including stripping out compartments and removing most of the internal partitions, fitting a stove and workbenches and blanking off of some of the doors and windows. On arrival, it served as the 2857 Society’s workshop, store and mess vehicle.
Ownership passed to the Great Western (SVR) Assoc. in 2014 in a deal that saw the 2857 Society’s spares transferred to GWR 143 Tool & Packing Van, allowing the LNER Carriage Group, who are based in Bewdley Down Yard to use 5043 as their stores.

It is eventually intended to convert this vehicle to a wheelchair accessible Buffet Car, which will have an open style for overflow dining if needed. The kitchen will not be there and instead it will hold wheelchairs. The pantry will have a buffet counter. In due course there will be an appeal for funds to make the conversion.

See also

List of carriages

References

Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey
SVR Stock Book Eighth Edition
2857 Society
Great Western (SVR) Assoc.

Links

5043 on vintagecarriagestrust.org
5043 on 2857.org.uk
5043 on gw-svr-a.org.uk