Changes

The LMS generally referred to open carriages as 'vestibiule vestibule carriages'. The made a proportionately greater use of these than the other railway companies, possibly as a weight saving measure resulting from the 'small engine' policy of the MR and early LMS. For the first 10 years or more after the 1923 grouping, the LMS continued to build many more open carriages than corridor stock. After that time the trend changed, with around 4,000 Stanier-style corridor coaches eventually being completed. Nevertheless, they also continued to build open stock, with more than 1,000 examples of Period III open stock resulting.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other References|Jenkinson & Essery (1977)]] p. 113.</ref>

The earliest Period III open stock, dating from 1933, had a length of 57ft (shorter than a BR Mark 1) and seated 56 passengers at seven pairs of tables either side of a central aisle with one toilet in each vestibule. In 1935 this changed to an 'excursion stock' version seating 60 passengers in 7&frac12; bays, with both toilets in one vestibule. The SVR's three examples are all of the final Diagram 1999 version, which reverted to seating 56 passengers but retained the layout of both toilets in one vestibule, giving more space per passenger as a result. Although open stock, the layout included two saloons with the larger (4 bays) being a smoking compartment and the smaller (3 bays) at the toilet end being non-smoking. The first 83 were built between 1938 and 1939, after which the Second Word War delayed the production of later batches. Construction of a further 250 resumed in 1945 with the last examples being completed by BR in 1948<ref name=JE131>[[Bibliography#Other References|Jenkinson & Essery (1977)]] pp. 130-131.</ref>.

The 'intensive care' required a major rebuild which was carried out at Bridgnorth. During 1982 and 1983 the work mostly used contract labour,<ref>SVR News 63, 70</ref> continuing through 1984 and early 1985 with C&W staff and volunteers.<ref>SVR News 72 – 76</ref> 27218 eventually returned to service in May 1985, although unfortunately after just three weeks in traffic it had been vandalised, with light switch covers being stolen, table legs smashed and carriage seat number blocks wrenched out of seat fittings. The local Police were informed.<ref>SVR News 77</ref>

In autumn 1992 the connected gangways on 27218 and [[BR 4545 Tourist Standard Open |BR TSO 4545]] were damaged in a shunting accident. A replacement gangway for 27218 was made at [[Bewdley ]] using a combination of salvaged parts and new parts from DMUs. At the same time this was fitted, 27218 was also swapped onto a newly overhauled set of bogies.<ref>SVR News 104</ref>

In late 1997 an overhaul was carried out at [[Kidderminster ]] during which the coach was lifted, the bolster pins and bushes replaced, wheels were changed and buffer heights re-set. New toilet and sink/tank drain pipes were also fitted to direct water away from bogies. One corner post was also rebuilt. The completed coach was outshopped on 7 October 1997.<ref>SVR News 124, 125</ref>

In late 2022 27218 suffered damage to a gangway as the result of a shunting accident for a second time; [[LNER 7960 Kitchen Composite|LNER Kitchen Composite7960Composite 7960]] being the other vehicle involved. The three-week repair involved the blacksmithing of bent rods to straighten them, the re-forming of buckled knuckle joints and stitching repairs to the canvas bellows.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bldec22 Branch Lines, December 2022]</ref>