British Railways Mark 1 Carriages

The Association is the custodian of five ex-British Railways Mk1 carriages. Four of which are frequently used on the railway. Their regular use transporting the ever-increasing visitor numbers requires constant upkeep to maintain them in a safe and working condition for our visitor's delight.

There is a further carriage which is currently under restoration and we are looking to bring it into traffic in the future.

British Railway Crest

Photo Credit: Nathan Cooke

Comfortable seating with great views

Photo Credit: Nathan Cooke

Make sure the handbrake is on!

Photo Credit: Nathan Cooke

British Railway Crest

Photo Credit: Nathan Cooke

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Second Corridor (SK) 24918

SK 24918 first entered preservation in 1981. It resided on the Dean Forest Railway until 1990. It then moved to Cholsey on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway and stayed there until Summer 2000. E24918 moved into storage at the Former Ministry of Defense base at Long Marston in 2008.

24918 arrived at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway on the 31st January 2013. The vehicle is similar to the other Second Corridor on the railway, containing 48 second class seats in compartments.

The coach suffered from being out of use for several years prior to EVRA acquiring it in 2013. The bodywork had severe corrosion at the outer ends and behind a missing panel in the toilet. However, this vehicle has since been returned to traffic by EVRA volunteers and is in frequent use on Steam and Diesel services between Wirksworth on Duffield.

Second Open (SO) 3727

SO 3727 entered preservation in 1990 and was stored out of use in Winchcombe on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. At some time before May 2010 it moved to the Stratford & Broadway Railway who are based on the former MOD site at Long Marston. The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway received the coach from Long Marston on 31st January 2013.

The vehicle is similar to a TSO (Tourist Second Open) except it has seating in a 2+1 configuration, i.e two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other. This seating configuration allowed for a wider aisle to make the service of food and drink easier because these vehicles were often next to restaurant cars in the train. 3727 is an early example of a Mark 1 coach and retains the older style B1 bogies. EVRA volunteers restored this vehicle which is now outfitted with an on-train bar providing teas, coffees, snacks and alcoholic beverages to our visitors.

Composite Corridor (CK) 15849

CK 15849 entered preservation in 1981 on the Dean Forest Railway. In the summer of 2000 it moved to the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. By November 2008 15849 had moved to the Stratford & Broadway Railway at Long Marston.

The coach arrived on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway on 31st January 2013 from Long Marston. The vehicle contains both first and second class accommodation in compartments.

Brake Second Corridor (BSK) 35006

35006 is a Brake Second Corridor which was built for the Southern Region of British Railways. The vehicle was purchased by the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association from the Mid-Norfolk Railway and has been fully restored throughout. The restoration included converting the coach from air brakes to vacuum brakes and also the creation of a special wheelchair-accessible area.

Tourist Second Open (TSO) 4682

4682 is a British Railways Mark 1 built at York. Outshopped in 1957 it is a Tourist Second Open, featuring 2+2 seating in an open style.

Little is known at present about its operational history but it is known that it passed to the Fire Services Training College at Moreton-in-Marsh, before being purchased for restoration by the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association.