Southern Railway Coach Group

About the Group

The Bluebell Railway has a long and successful track record in the restoration of Southern Railway designed rolling stock, from Bulleid coach restorations in the 1970s through to more comprehensive restoration of Maunsell and Bulleid stock from the 1980s onwards. However, with a number of vehicles that have been in traffic now stopped for comprehensive overhaul, there is work to be done to deliver the Railway's long term plan of operating full sets of Maunsell and Bulleid carriages.

Left: 80151 with three Bulleid coaches departing from Horsted Keynes, at the launch of Brake 2526 into service, 29 August 2009 (Richard Salmon).

Vision

To restore, maintain and promote awareness of the Bluebell Railway's rolling stock designed and/or operated by the Southern Railway.

Objectives

The current objectives of the Group:

Increase the number of Southern Railway built and designed vehicles in use at the Bluebell Railway, with the initial focus of completing sets of Maunsell and Bulleid carriages
External promotion activities and raising awareness in the Bluebell Membership and a wider audience through published articles and social media
Subscriptions, and fundraising for restorations
Leadership of campaigns for specific vehicle restoration
Working with the Carriage and Wagon Trustee, Director and staff to identify the most effective approaches and timescales for restoration and to support maintenance programmes
Working with the Bluebell Railway Trust to help secure external funding for vehicles along with other fund-raising activities
Providing a focus for volunteer coordination for those with an interest of this type of vehicle

The Southern Railway Coach Group is an internal group under the umbrella of the BRPS in a similar way to the Bluebell Railway Goods Division. Money raised will be directed into Trust restricted funds. The Maunsell 7864 Restaurant Car fund and the Bulleid Coach restricted fund are already in existence. A similar fund will be established for Maunsell vehicles on completion of 7864.

Above right: Maunsell U-class 1638 with Maunsell carriages, 16 March 2009 (Dave Clarke).

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