Historic coach gets back on track

* Coach E43012 back in service at Llangollen Railway.

Last weekend’s Classic Transport event at Llangollen Railway saw the reintroduction to service of a suburban compartment coach after a major restoration effort by volunteers.

The coach, No. E43012, is one of three such suburban coaches which originally provided train services at Llangollen when the heritage railway started operations back in the early 80s but which have been out of use for several years.

Unlike the other two which have separate compartments, the restored vehicle has the compartments connected by a corridor and includes the option for 1st class or 2nd second seating and centrally located toilets.

It was built at Doncaster in 1955 and used in the Eastern Region on services out of London.

Restoration of the coach has been carried out over the past 12 months at the Railway's Pentrefelin Carriage works by members of the Llangollen Suburban Restoration Group and has seen internal work carried out on each of the compartments, refurbishment of the external body work and overhaul of the running gear.

The coach has been repainted in a cheery livery described as 'Outer London Suburban Red’.

George Jones for Llangollen Railway said: "The restored coach made a grand impression with visitors to the weekend event when passengers were keen to pay a supplement to sample the luxury of first class travel.

“The work involved in returning this vehicle to traffic is a great credit to the volunteers who put in many hours of effort to complete the project.

"The coach will again be in use during the forthcoming autumn steam gala on August 31 and September 1 and 2.”