GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Tyseley Shed: gwrt2971

53 foot long corridor third class clerestory coach No 2836 on the bank at Tyseley in July 1947. Ten of these coaches were built at Swindon Works to diagram C8 in October 1893 under lot 692 for the Cornishman (10:15 am) express, which comprised a six coach set including two diagram C8 coaches. This followed the success of the first corridor train, which had been introduced the previous year as an experiment on the Paddington to Birmingham and Birkenhead express. The coaches were described as follows in a pamphlet (No 11) read on 9th July 1896 at the Junior Engineering Society by GJ Churchward:-

‘The Great Western carriage is divided by transverse partitions into compartments, each one of which is provided with a door to give greater facility to passengers for ingress and egress than is obtained in the American type. There is a corridor 1 foot, 10.5 inches wide running along one side, and by means of the usual flexible gangway at each end, this is continued throughout the whole length of the train. At one end of the carriage there is a lavatory for ladies, then come five compartments seating eight passengers in each, then a lavatory for gentlemen. The space from this point to the other end is occupied by a large and commodious smoking compartment, seating 24 passengers. The corridor or passage is arranged in the centre of this compartment, instead of at the side, so permitting a wide and airy room for the smokers. The coach has a raised roof, and is carried on two four wheeled bogies of the Great Western centre hung pattern. It is lighted by gas, heated by steam, and provided with electric bells to call the guard. There is a wire running the whole length of the carriage, under the cornice of the roof, by means of which, in case of emergency, the automatic vacuum brake may be applied from any compartment of the whole train.'

In the photograph the coach's open smoking saloon is on the left hand side. Note that the gangway is still offset on the corridor side and the coach is mounted on Dean 8 foot, 6 inch bogies. The running numbers of the ten coaches were Nos 2833 to 2842, but following the introduction of new stock on the Cornishman express, four of these coaches (Nos 2833, 2839, 2841 and 2842) were rebuilt in July 1905 as auto trailers (diagrams G and H) and given Nos 14 to 17. This photograph is displayed courtesy of the HMRS (Historical Model Railway Society) and copies can be ordered directly from them using the link HERE, quoting reference AEL418.

Robert Ferris

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