The end of the Weardale Coach

Helen Ashby at the NRM and her team have found a further image. It is in fact another print of the image shown previously in the blog which John Askwith had once procured from British Railways. Where the interest comes is in some notes with the print. The print has a reference number Neg. no. 8532. The print is mounted on a BR87950 form on which is written: "Old Passenger Coach before Railways. Outside Darlington Works prior to removal to York Railway Museum. Burnt circa 1964 due to being riddled with woodworm". That destruction was as late as 1964, if this is accurate, is quite interesting. Some eight years after we know it had been dropped out of the museum catalogue. Conceivably the date is a bit out. What should be born in mind is that the Rolvenden coach undertaking the same conceptual task had been fully restored by then in the BTC collection.

Additional note from my bibilography: Between the Lines: The magazine of the Weardale Railway Society - August 2010: The Weardale Coach. The saga was written up there.

Note of 25th May 2011. I learn that the Weardale Motor Services Leyland Titan KPT 909 is at the Science Museum Store Wroughton having been at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Leyland. How fascinating that the same museum institution has ended up caring for two "buses" from Weardale. The motor bus seems in good order. I hope it stays that way.

I do a talk about Weardale and its Titans. For the next outing the horse coach will be added.