LNER 643 Buffet
643 is a Gresley buffet car built at York in 1937 to diagram 167. It was one of six built for fast five coach Liverpool Street-Cambridge services, and survived in BR ownership until 1977.
643 arrived on the SVR in 1977, initially owned by Messrs. Gardner Shaw[1], a Brierley Hill soft drinks firm. Following arrival it saw service until being withdrawn to be restored to original internal condition in 1987. Just before withdrawal, it was one of the coaches used in the filming of the television series Hannay.
By 1998, ownership had been assumed by SVR(H)[2]. 643 returned to service in April 2014, following a 4 month visit to the paint shop[3]. Still owned by SVR(H), 643 regularly forms part of Set N, the LNER & GNR Teak carriages.
Sources
Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey