ELR transforms its ‘Dining with Distinction’ coaches
Lancashire Railway has completed the refurbishment of two coaches from its prestigious ‘Dining with Distinction’ train in an impressive 11-week timescale.
The luxury dining train forms a key part of the ELR’S business and is utilised on most Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the year, as well as operating Sunday lunch trains and other midweek services in the summer.
The ‘Dining with Distinction’ operation has proved to be extremely popular and has won several awards over the years, regularly scoring highly on Tripadvisor and other specialist dining review sites for the food and overall atmosphere of the train.
The ELR has been closed over the winter this year while a major track relaying project has got underway between Ramsbottom and Irwell Vale. The opportunity has also been taken to completely refurbish the dining train’s kitchen coach – converted from BR Mk.1 BG 80993 – and generator coach, also a former Mk.1 BG 80933. ELR Carriage and Wagon engineering manager Jonathan Valentine told Railways Illustrated that the work carried out had been extensive and was completed just in time for the start of the ELR’S 2023 operating season on March 11.
The generator coach has undergone a full programme of bodywork and gangway repairs, with all the internal wooden surfaces repainted in dark brown and cream colours. The guard’s compartment has also been fully refurbished to make it a more pleasant working environment for the ELR volunteers who operate the train. Work on the kitchen car has been more extensive, with the internal ceilings removed to allow new insulation to be fitted prior to a new plastic-coated ceiling being reinstated, which is easier to keep clean for hygiene purposes.
The water system for the vehicle has also been completely replaced, with new water tanks installed where the guard’s compartment was previously located in the coach, while the new system has been replumbed. Additional stainless steel panelling has also been fitted in the kitchen vehicle.
Externally, the two coaches have both been repainted into Pullman-style umber and cream by professional painting contractor Heritage Painting, which has been working closely with the ELR on carriage repaints in recent months. Mr Valentine praised the high standard of work carried out on the coach repaints.
He also expressed his gratitude to the ELR staff and volunteers who assisted him in completing the project in time to meet the tight deadline. In addition to the two converted Mk.1 BG coaches, the ELR’S ‘Dining with Distinction’ set also includes two Mk.1 First Open coaches 3114 and 3144 and two Mk.1 Standard Open coaches 4371 and 4784. When the dining train is in use on the railway, three of the dining coaches are generally used in service, with the fourth held back as a spare.
Visit www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk for more information about the railway and how you can book onto its dining services.