■ Cut- down Class 08 to return ' home' to Gwendraeth Valley
A Mk. 1 coach that is earmarked for a key role in the Spa Valley Railway's crowd- pulling dining trains has returned to the Tunbridge Wells Westbased heritage line after restoration at the East Somerset Railway. The carriage, a first open coach, will now undergo final work including overhaul of the bogies and refitting of the vacuum brakes and steam heating.
No. 3131 will be out shopped in BR Southern Region crimson and cream and be named Audrey, in memory of the late Audrey and Charles Harris, whose legacy to the railway enabled the £ 60,000 restoration to take place.
Spa Valley commercial manager Jonnie Pay said that the restoration of the coach, which was purchased in 2018, included two new ends, replacement of all metalwork underneath the windows, and the full rebuild of a large part of one side due to the discovery that during its service life it had been involved in a collision. "It will become a key part of our dining train operation, and will take pride of place alongside another Mk. 1 and a Mk. 2, and be joined by our future kitchen car that will enter the shed for overhaul next year:'
As an illustration of the importance of the dining operation to the railway, Jonnie revealed that more than £ 10,000 worth of tickets were sold within a week for a newly- launched programme of' gin and steam' specials that were to run monthly throughout the summer but fell victim to the lockdown.
The Spa Valley's shop at Tunbridge Wells West is another success story, thanks to a £ 10,000 volunteer- led refurbishment that provides more display space for model railway items and other products, while the shop has also been granted an alcohol licence for bottled sales.