Essex - Heritage Coaches Open Day in Photos

posted by keith vingoe on Fri, 18/05/2012 - 16:45

The Heritage Coaches of the L&BR were on view at the Great Yeldham Transport Museum Open Day, on Sunday 20th May 2012 from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm.

A steady stream of visitors came along to see the great progress that has been made restoring the coaches, and to meet new and old friends. It was a great day.

For further details and directions, see the museum website, HERE

Martyn de Young and Colin Rainsbury, both L&B members from Kent, met up at the EAST (The L&B's East Anglia Support Team) Open Day to examine at first-hand the progress made so far on coaches 7 and 17:

1. Great Yeldham Transport Museum - mainly buses ...

2. ... housed in an ex-aircraft hangar (removed from RAF Biggin Hill in 1959)

3. Inside - more buses, ...

4, ... but right at the far end, ...

5. ... the welcome sight of tea and cakes - and Coach 7!

6. On display, some of the painstakingly-prepared fixtures and fittings being made to complete the two coaches currently being rebuilt.

7. more attention to detail - even though there will be NO SMOKING on the completed coaches.

8 & 9. Displays showing what has been achieved so far were on view to visitors enjoying their refreshments.

10. In the back-stage area, a tantalising glimpse of an unrestored end-section of another coach, and several (new?) doors, waiting to be finished and fitted.

11 [CR]. Coaches 7 and 17, side by side.

COACH 7

12. Coach 7, recently mounted onto its modern underframe.

13 [CR]. Coach 7, the original central section.

14. Jones-Calthrop Coupler in repose under Coach 7

15. View through the centre observation compartment

16. Coach 7 compartment end wall - inside ...

17. ... and the same end wall from outside.

COACH 17

18. Coach 17, looking along its length from the guard's end.

19. The bottom of the duckets have recently been internally boarded. In the background, aluminium sheets are propped up on the bench, ready for use for external panels, and a row of recently painted angle brackets are hung out to dry.

20. Guards van and first compartment, seen through the end window. Using a moveable wall section, this area will be used for carrying Wheelchair passengers and their companions,

21[CR]. Another view of the future wheelchair-accessible facilities

22. Coach 17 underframe from underneath

23. Coach 17 Bogie in its rightful place

24. Coach 17s couplings, with chopper fitted at guard's end ....

25. ... and with tensioner at 1st Class observation end ...

26 [CR]. ...zoomed back to see the First Class observation compartment.

27. And did I mention, there were some buses!

Congratulations and well done to all those from EAST, and thanks for your hospitality (and a great cuppa!) Looking forward to seeing both coaches finished and at Woody Bay in the not too distant future!

Words and Photos: Martyn de Young & [CR] Colin Rainsbury