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Add note on its arrival in 1973
==Preservation==
In late 1972 the [[L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund]] identified four LMS BCKs in the sidings at Chaddesdon, Derby as possible candidates for preservation. No 27043 was rejected as being in very poor condition<ref>SVR News 26</ref><ref group="note">27043 was later preserved at the Strathspey Railway in Scotland.</ref> but the other three were acquired for the SVR including 26880 which was initially mis-identified as 26680. It arrived on the SVR on 6 January 1973 from Chaddesdon, having been privately purchased by Mr DA Johnson.<ref>SVR Stock Book Sixth Edition, August 1977, pp.55, 80-81.</ref><ref group="note">Its arrival on SVR-occupied metals at [[Bewdley Down Yard]] was in a trip working from Kidderminster yard behind Sulzer Type 2 No 7655, accompanied by [[GWR 6045 Bow-end Composite]], [[GWR 9615 Kitchen Diner First]], plus locomotives [[4141]], [[5164]],[[4930]] and [[7819]] and an ex-LMS tender. The locomotives and tender had arrived earlier that day in a convoy from [[Barry Scrapyard]].</ref> The other two (26668 and 27023) were also acquired by the SVR to be [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR#Carriages scrapped while at the SVR|used as a source of spares]].
During 1981 '26680' was moved from storage at [[Highley]] to Bridgnorth where it was used as the Bridgnorth C&W stores vehicle.<ref>SVR News 59, 61, 65</ref> It was subsequently moved to [[Eardington]] and by summer 1989 had been acquired by Steve Downes.<ref>SVR News 92</ref> Later that year, some 26 years after arrival, the coach was finally earmarked for a long-term restoration by the Bridgnorth C&W team as one of three main projects at the time.<ref>SVR News 97</ref><ref group="note">The other two main Bridgnorth C&W projects in 1989 were the ongoing restoration of [[LNER 43612 Open Third|LNER 43612]] and the urgent restoration of 5 BR Mark 1 open thirds.</ref> While preparatory work for the restoration was being carried out at Eardington, the correct original number E26880M was discovered under the later DM number.<ref name=SVR93/>
