Carriage restoration is boosted by glass donation
THE restoration of an Ashover Light Railway carriage has been boosted thanks to a window manufacturer donating the safety glass necessary to reglaze the vehicle’s windows.
The carriage, one of four built in 1925 by the Gloucester Rail, Carriage and Wagon Company for the Derbyshire line, is now the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway’s No. 1.
Being restored to working order in the Skegness Water Leisure Park after 37 years out of use, thanks to the generosity of Piper Windows in nearby Church Lane, Winthorpe, Skegness, that work will be speeded up, enabling the original drop lights to be reinstated and saving the volunteers a substantial sum.
During the Second World War, after passenger traffic had ceased on the line between Clay Cross and Ashover, the coaches were used as restroom and changing facilities for female workers recruited by the Clay Cross Company’s factory to help with wartime production.
Afterwards they became cricket pavilions at the company’s sports ground in Clay Cross. Two were sold to the LCLR in 1961 and were repaired, placed on bogies with strengthened underframes, and used to carry holidaymakers from the line’s original terminus, close to the Humberston bus terminus near Cleethorpes, to the beach and Humberston Fitties Holiday Camp. The other carriage was restored nearly 20 years ago in readiness for the reopening of the line in 2009 following its relocation to Ingoldmells.
No. 1, however, required far more work. Seats were fitted from former Leeds tramcars, reupholstered with genuine moquette, and new drop light frames were made by a volunteer during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
The LCR’s John Chappell said: “Piper Windows’ generosity will help our volunteers complete the restoration and save money which can now be used to repair rotted timbers, seal the roof, install seating, and renovate the bogies and air brake systems, ready for repainting and a return to service.”
One of the other Ashover carriages collapsed at Clay Cross before it could be rescued. The fourth stayed at the sports ground from where it was purchased by the Golden Valley Railway at the Midland Railway – Butterley and has been fully restored for use on its services.