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[[File:BTK 26986 Severn Valley Railway{{Infobox maroon carriage|image = LMS_26986_20150807.jpg|thumb|300px|right|caption = LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor|construc = BR Wolverton|status = In service|carno = 26986|othernos = M26986M|designed = Stanier / Ivatt|diagram = 2161|lot = 1506|cartype = [[:Category:BR Carriage classification codes#LMS Codes|CH]], [[:Category: Carriage Type BTK|BTK]]|length = 57ft|weight = 30T|seats = 24 third |built = 1951|years1 = 1971|events1 = Arrived on SVR|years2 = 1975|events2 = Attended Rail 150 at Shildon|years3 = |events3 = |years4 = |events4 = |years5 = |events5 = |years6 = |events6 = }}'''LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor ''' (BTK) 26880 is an example of the port-hole stock designed by William Stanier before the Second World War but implemented by his successors C E Fairburn and H G Ivatt. It was built in 1951 by BR at Wolverton as lot number 1506 to diagram number 2161. Unlike the [[LMS 24617 Corridor Composite | Corridor Composite]] version, the Brake Third Corridor continued the use of timber framing with steel top, bottom and corner members. The livery when new in service was BR Crimson and Cream.

26986 arrived on The LMS had begun to build the SVR from Worcester in September 1971first batches of all-steel, welded construction coaches by 1938, having been privately purchasedalthough the Second World War and post-war rationing of steel interrupted this programme. After refurbishment, it Sir William Stanier was one succeeded as CME of the three SVR carriages which attended LMS by C E Fairburn in 1944 and H G Ivatt in 1945. Although neither produced any new carriage designs, they did implement some of Stanier's style changes. Among those was the Rail 150 celebrations at Shildon in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970port-1979#1975 | 1975]]hole stock, echoing that used by the 1938 streamliners. Construction of this 57ft stock continued for several years under BR, travelling there behind although unlike the all-steel [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773 24617 Corridor Composite | 8233Corridor Composite]] version, the BTK still made use of timber framing with steel top, bottom and [[LMS Ivatt Class 4 43106 | 43106]]corner members. It is the only provided seating for 24 passengers in six compartments and included one of the three carriages still based at the SVRtoilet.

==Service==26986 forms part of Set L, the LMS Maroon set, notwithstanding that it was not built in 1951 by BR at Wolverton as lot number 1506 to diagram number 2161.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Jenkinson & Essery (1977)]] p. 110.</ref> The livery when new in service was BR Crimson and Cream. It continued use in BR's London Midland region as number M26986M until after nationalisationbeing withdrawn in November 1969,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2019)]] pp.309-311.</ref> by which time it had been repainted in BR's blue and grey livery.<ref name=SVR24>SVR News 24</ref>

In 2016 its future as part ==Preservation==26986 was privately purchased by a member of the SVR's LMS carriage fleet [[L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Department Sales Coach| L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund]], together with spares from another vehicle in worse condition. It was assured through its purchase collected from Worcester on 20 September 1971 and delivered to Bewdley by the diesel hauled train bringing [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd600|SVR Charitable TrustLMR 600 Gordon]]and three [[Ex-Longmoor Saloons]] from the Longmoor Military Railway via Didcot.

Restoration, which included repainting in LMS 1946 Crimson Lake livery, was carried out at Bewdley and was completed in early 1973.<ref>SVR News 27</ref> On 11 August 1973 26986 visited the Derby Litchurch Lane Carriage Works Open Day in the company of [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773 | LMS 8233]], [[LMS 12992 Corridor Third]] and [[LMS 2886 Six-wheel Passenger Brake (later 32919)|LMS Stove R 32919]], the journey being made in steam.<ref>SVR News 29</ref> Two years later 26986 was one of the three SVR carriages which attended the Rail 150 celebrations at Shildon in [[Severn Valley Railway Timeline 1970-1979#1975 | 1975]], travelling there on 11 August behind [[LMS Stanier 8F 48773 | 8233]] and [[LMS Ivatt Class 4 43106 | 43106]]. It is the only one of the three carriages still based at the SVR.<ref>SVR News 36</ref><ref group="note">On-loan "Clapham Buffet" GWR 9361 later returned to the NRM, while LNER pigeon van 4236 was subsequently swapped for LNER 24105.</ref>  26986 was withdrawn from service in Autumn 1982 after being vandalised by an air rifle. During preparation for the repairs several rotten 3x3 timbers were found. The Coach Fund therefore decided that 26986 should take the place of [[LMS Brake Third Corridor 26880]] at their stores vehicle at Bridgnorth, allowing the latter to be rebuilt as it was thought to be in better condition despite having spent a number of years stored at [[Eardington]].<ref>SVR News 65</ref> By winter 1987-88 the LMS set was without a brake, so 26986 became the 'big winter job'.<ref>SVR News 87</ref> The renovation eventually took around a year, during which time the defective corner posts and centre rails were replaced, while the vestibule floor was also removed and replaced by a galvanized steel floor covered with tongue-and-groove boards. The external panels were all scrapped and new panels cut out and welded together to form a continuous skin. The seats were removed and sent away for reupholstering and the interior woodwork was stripped and re-varnished. 26986 was finally repainted and lined out in LMS 1947 style, returning to service in late 1988.<ref>SVR News 90</ref>  In early 1997 the decision was taken to smarten up the LMS Set. 26986 had not been repainted for ten years, resulting in an 8 week visit to the paint shop. During that time several volunteers also undertook the complete reconditioning of the Guard's area. The coach was outshopped just before the Santa services but did not return to traffic until the following January as the sets had already been formed.<ref>SVR News 122, 126</ref> In comparison, 26986 received a 5-yearly touch-up and re-varnish in September 2001 which took just 4 days work in total.<ref>SVR News 139</ref> The coach underwent another overhaul between March and June 2009,<ref>SVR News 167</ref> while the seats were reupholstered in 2013.<ref>SVR News 184</ref>  n 2016 its future as part of the SVR's LMS carriage fleet was assured through its purchase by the [[Charitable Trust|SVR Charitable Trust]].<ref>Info added by Richard Gunning.</ref> 26986 forms part of [[Carriages#Set_L|the LMS Maroon set (Set L)]], notwithstanding that it was not built until after nationalisation.  ==SourcesGallery==<gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">BTK 26986 Severn Valley Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey.jpg|26986 in used in Set LLMS_26986_20200912.jpg|26986 at Kidderminster<br/gallery>SVR Stock Book Eighth Edition==See also==[[Carriages| List of carriages]] ==Notes==<brreferences group="note"/>SVR News 37==References==

*[http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrustrhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=720 26986 on www.vintagecarriagestrust.orgRailway Heritage Register On-Line]

[[Category: Carriage Type BTK]] [[Category:Featured articles]]