LNER Kitchen Composite (RC) 7960 was built at Doncaster[1] in 1936. It was originally equipped with an anthracite-electric kitchen to serve meals into separate First and Third class saloons seating 12 and 18 respectively.
7960 was renumbered as 9162 in 1946. It remained in use in the former GNS area of the LNER until the 1960s. Its regular diagram was Aberdeen to Inverness, northbound serving breakfast, dinner on return. Following withdrawal it was converted to a Mess Coach for Scottish Region track workers, as departmental number DE 321021. The third class saloon was most altered to three sleeping compartments with a side corridor, and the former first class to a messroom complete with coal burning stove. Surprisingly the kitchen remained largely untouched although at some stage in its life the anthracite-electric cooker had been replaced with gas.
7960 arrived painted black and in run down condition on the SVR, from Perth in late 1980, having been purchased privately by Mr John Giles. The ownership later passed to Mr Phil James who spent the next 20 years painstakingly restoring it to original condition. Sadly he died before he was able to complete the lengthy restoration, and in January 2011 7960 was generously gifted by his widow to the SVR Rolling Stock Trust (now The SVR Charitable Trust. Final completion of the kitchen and pantry took place in 2015, and 7960 entered service in May 2015.
Sources
- ↑ (Or built at York, see sources below)
Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey (states built at York)
LNER SVR Coach Fund (states built at Doncaster)
SVR Stock Book Ninth Edition (states built at Doncaster)