Bideford and Appledore railway. coaches.

[darren01]

I was wondering how i could find out if any preservation  society would be interested in this. 

i have been told that four coaches from this line are sitting in a field down in Devon, two being used as a chicken shed and two others as storage.

I include a photo of the coaches that are in this field, these where used on the Bideford and Appledore railway that closed in 1913.

Edited November 6, 2017 by darren01

[brack]

Dare anyone admit to being in a "perversion society"

 

 

(Aside from the presumed autocorrect fun, genuine pregrouping coaches do give a preserved line more atmosphere, and I'd hope something of them can be recovered).

[darren01]

Dare anyone admit to being in a "perversion society"

 

 

(Aside from the presumed autocorrect fun, genuine pregrouping coaches do give a preserved line more atmosphere, and I'd hope something of them can be recovered).

Post now amended  

[dibber25]

The BWHAR closed in 1917 when it was requisitioned for the war effort. If true, this would be an incredible find. The BWHAR only had six coaches and it is generally thought at least one of them ended up as beach huts. Though the rails were destined for the Western Front, with two of the locos, the third loco served out its time at a munitions depot in the UK. Two locos were said to have been aboard a freighter that was torpedoed off Padstow but I researched this story at the PRO in Kew. There was no sinking of a ship off Padstow that fits with the alleged date and port of departure, nor anything that might fit the bill. More recent claims in the railway press that divers have found the wreck have not provided any photographic evidence and are unlikely to be the locos in question. I'd like to see pictures of these chicken huts to confirm if, indeed, they are BWHAR vehicles. Many grounded bodies are incorrectly identified and the GWR in particular supplied lots to west country farmers. (CJL)

Edited November 6, 2017 by dibber25

[darren01]

The BWHAR closed in 1917 when it was requisitioned for the war effort. If true, this would be an incredible find. The BWHAR only had six coaches and it is generally thought at least one of them ended up as beach huts. Though the rails were destined for the Western Front, with two of the locos, the third loco served out its time at a munitions depot in the UK. Two locos were said to have been aboard a freighter that was torpedoed off Padstow but I researched this story at the PRO in Kew. There was no sinking of a ship off Padstow that fits with the alleged date and port of departure, nor anything that might fit the bill. More recent claims in the railway press that divers have found the wreck have not provided any photographic evidence and are unlikely to be the locos in question. I'd like to see pictures of these chicken huts to confirm if, indeed, they are BWHAR vehicles. Many grounded bodies are incorrectly identified and the GWR in particular supplied lots to west country farmers. (CJL)

As they sit on private land, I need to speak to the owner first, once i have arranged this i get some photos of them,lots.

[Christopher125]

Can they be seen on google maps?

[Nearholmer]

Significant find if it is confirmed. Verandah coaches were quite common on British minor railways, but very few survive.

[dibber25]

In the MRC 2/85 there is drawings of the three engines which were built for the line and photos showing two different design coaches and the one is the same design as in your photo is of the 40' composite which 4 were built and the other photo is off the 60' brake/all third which 2 was built. it looks like the underframe was part of the body due to how far the sides came down.   

 

If the solebars are made of wood I think there will be less use to preserved railways due to less strength of them if they were involved in an bump against steel but a good home must be found for some of them if not all. 

 

Also Wikipedia have listed part of one of them was used as a grain store which was a composite and the photo looks like the underframe has been removed but the photo says it is part of a beach hut and the other 5 were taken up to the midlands and scrapped.  

 

I remember them well. I was Editor of MRC at the time. Don Townsley, who was Hunslet's Chief Draughtsman, drew the loco drawing. If you look later on (I've long forgotten the date) he also drew the Hunslet steam rail motor which the BWHAR considered but never bought. I nice 'might have been' for a layout. (CJL)

[dibber25]

You mean 6/1985 for these drawings of the steam rail motor. Took out the drawings before getting rid of the mags.

 

Probably. I don't have file copies of any of the mags I've edited. I think I probably have the original drawing, though! (CJL)

[009 micro modeller]

Did anything more come of this?