Camping coach

The coaches were old passenger vehicles no longer suitable for use in trains, which were converted to provide sleeping and living space at static locations.

[1] They proved popular and their numbers were steadily increased so that 1939 there were 439 coaches in use, more than half of which were situated on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

[2] By the end of the war most of the coaches needed refurbishment before they could be put back into public use; only the Southern Railway made this effort.

Others retained the ability to be relocated to address operational requirements, which was possible because of the simplicity of the camping-style accommodation and because the running gear could be adequately maintained.

They may be adapted to a stationary configuration with e.g. mains water, electricity and sewage connections to meet modern comfort expectations and such modification renders them unfit for movement by rail.

Initially, in 1935, nine apartments were made available at Castle Howard, Clifton Moor (unusually this station still had a passenger service), Akeld, Kirknewton, Gullane, Aberlady, Gairlochy, Invergarry and Fort Augustus.

[21] All of the initial locations (number of caravans in brackets) used during 1934 were in England: Alsop en le Dale (1), Beckford (1), Bolton Abbey (1), Braithwaite (6), Coalport (1), Coniston (3), Hassop (1), Hathersage (2), Heysham (3), Ingleton (3), Knott End (4), Thorpe Cloud (1), Torver (1) and Whalley (1).

In the usual LMS way they were sited in colonies, the final disposition of the coaches is uncertain but they were planned to be at Watford North Goods Yard, Rickmansworth, Croxley Green and possibly St Albans Abbey.

[28] The camp coach locations in 1934 were: The following sites were used between 1935 and 1939, full lists are available at McRae (1997) and Fenton (1999) (who also provides much more detail of each site): Camp coaches were used during coronation week in 1937 when some eight berth vehicles were moved to Henley-on-Thames and Wargrave in the London area to provide accommodation for parties wishing to witness the coronation.

In 1938 the SR instituted a policy of moving some of the coaches in the middle of the season, presumably to offer more choice to campers, this experiment was not repeated.

The REC controlled the use of camping coaches throughout the war initially determining that they should be available for when circumstances required the provision of emergency quarters.

[37] By the end of 1940 the REC determined that camping coaches would be retained for housing railway staff made homeless by enemy action or as lodgings for those transferred away from home.

Despite this decision there were numerous demands for use of the coaches some of which were fulfilled, such as at Malmesbury land reclamation scheme in Wiltshire and the construction of the emergency port at Cairnryan Harbour.

[38] After the war the railways eventually reclaimed their camping coaches but they were mostly in very poor condition and either relegated to departmental duties or scrapped.

[33] Each region of BR effectively managed its own scheme although there was some all-region publicity during the peak years of camping coach provision.

[39] During the early 1960s a fleet of Pullman coaches became available as the Kent coast lines were electrified under the Modernisation and Re-Equipment Plan published in December 1954.

[48] After the war the NER re-used four of the former LNER apartments changing their name to Camping Cottages, they were at Castle Howard, Clifton Moor, Akeld and Kirknewton.

The NER provided additional accommodation in converted buildings at another eight stations at Allendale, Staward (both only for a few years until the branch from Hexham closed),[49] Brinkburn, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Ampleforth, Hampsthwaite, Hayburn Wyke and Scalby complementing the coaches situated there.

[51] A further 5 conversions of 54 feet (16 m) long former GER coaches were completed in time for the 1955 season, these were positioned at existing sites so that Corton now had 2, Felixstowe Pier 4, Hopton-on-Sea 2 and Oulton Broad South 2.

[52][53] A further batch of 17 similar conversions were available for the 1954 season and the 41 coaches available at this time were at (number of coaches in brackets):Aber (1), Abergele (8), Bakewell (1), Bassenthwaite Lake (1), Squires Gate (15), Brynkir (1), Coniston (2), Edale (1), Embleton (2), Glan Conwy (1), Grange-over-Sands (2), Hathersage (1), Llanberis (2), Pont-y-Pant (1), Roman Bridge (1) and Thorpe Cloud (1).

[54] Over the period 1955 to 1959 the sites and number of coaches at each site varied, some stopped being used and others started, approximately another 10 coaches were converted, and it is likely a few were withdrawn so the picture in 1959 looked like:Aber (1), Abergele (9), Bakewell (1), Bassenthwaite Lake (1), Betws-y-Coed (1), Squires Gate (15), Braithwaite (1), Darley Dale (1), Glan Conwy (1), Grange-over-Sands (2), Lakeside (2),Llanberis (1), Ravenglass (2), Rhuddlan (4), Seascale (1), and Silloth (4).

[57][58] They were all 6 berth coach conversions and were sited mainly as individual coaches as they became available, only 10 in 1952, reaching a peak of 47 in 1962 where they were located at:Aberfeldy, Aberlady, Allanfearn, Appin, Arisaig, Barnhill, Benderloch, Burghead, Callander, Carnoustie, Carr Bridge, Comrie, Corpach, Creagan, Elie, Fairlie High, Glenfinnan, Golspie, Grantown-on-Spey,[e] Gullane, Inverkip, Kentallen, Killiecrankie, Killin, Kingussie, Lochailhort, Lundin Links, Monifieth, Morar, North Berwick, Plockton, Portessie, Portsoy, Roy Bridge, St Cyrus, St. Monance, Spean Bridge, Strathyre, Strome Ferry, Tyndrum Lower and Wemyss Bay.

[59] Other sites were used including:Aberdour (1957 only), Aberlour (1954-1955), Aboyne (1954-1960), Ardlui (1964-1966), Arrochar & Tarbet (1964-1969), Cardross (1964 only), Cromdale (1954-1955), Eddleston (1952-1961), Fortrose (1953-1959), Fountainhall (1958-1960), Garelochhead (1964-1967), Kinghorn (1964 only), Loch Awe (1952-1960), Lochmaben (1956-1961), Newtonmore (1964-1967), Rhu (1954-1956), St Combs (1956-1959) and West Kilbride (1954-1957 and 1964-1967).

Apartments were provided at: Cairneyhill, Culross, Torryburn, Kilmany, Whitehouse, Old Meldrum, Lochearnhead (the only one which was a former LMS station), Macduff and Banchory (the only one which had a passenger train service!).

The early days of nationalisation, 1948–1953, saw the SR continuing to use the pre-war stock, together with the three replacements, where they were all located is unknown but there were some located at the following stations for at least one year :Corfe Castle, East Budleigh, Hinton Admiral, Newton Poppleford, Otterham, Port Isaac Road, Tipton St Johns, Umberleigh, Whitstone and Bridgerule, Woodbury Road and Wrafton.

[63] The SR converted two more coaches in 1948 and then a further batch of 10 in 1953 mainly from 56 feet (17 m) former LSWR stock, giving a maximum of 36 (plus the three lost during the war years).

[64] In addition to the early sites the SR had coaches located, for at least one year, at: Amberley, Bere Ferrers, Combpyne, Littleham, Lyndhurst Road, Martin Mill, Sandling for Hythe, Sway, Wool and Yalding.

[65] The SR made the most use of the later Pullmans holiday coaches using them to gradually replace the older stock, they did introduce them to some new sites at Birchington-on-Sea, Bosham and Walmer.

[72] The Western Region Staff Association also took control of the six Pullman coaches at Marazion which despite the station closing to passengers and goods, in 1964 and 1965 respectively, the line remains open.

[39] A national pamphlet was produced each year from the mid 1950s until 1966 by which time the service was only available on the London Midland and Scottish regions, who then made do with simple fly-sheets.