TRIP 539

My Home on the South Coast

19/05/18

Three Bridges Depot (VIEW) :
EMU's ; 700003, 700049, 700102, 700137, 700140, 700150.
 
Three Bridges Station (VIEW) :
EMU's ; 377421, 377450, 700105.
Internal User ; BR GUV 94494 (083602) – Located in disused bay platform, the party were unable to determine whether this was body only or a full vehicle on its bogies.
 
Tates Garden Centre, South Downs Heritage Centre, Hassocks (VISIT) :
Gauge 2ft 8.5 inches : Southend Pier Car 9, 4wRER built by Brush Electrical Engineering in 1898 – This is located in the corner of a yard (adjacent to the staff car park), it is completely covered with a tarpaulin, however we were granted permission to view & photograph it, on the condition that we help re-cover the tarpaulin afterwards. The tarpaulin was removed about halfway down the vehicle to facilitate photographs to be taken.
 
Thanks go to the owner Jonathan for granting permission for our visit, Susie for tracking him down on the site and to Simon Jones who hosted and removed the tarpaulin(with help from the party).
 
Old Fort Road, Shoreham-by-Sea (VIEW) :
Two properties were viewed which contained carriage bodies.
 
No.97 ; UI LBSCR Five Compartment 3rd (x 2) – bodies only.
No.49 ['Cinderella'] ; LBSCR 304, Five Compartment 3rd built 1890 – body only.
No.49 ['Cinderella'] ; LBSCR 364, Four Compartment 1st/3rd Composite built 1881 (was originally a 1st/2nd) – body only.
 
These were the only remaining properties out of 90 that were built using railway carriages, where the carriages are still in situ, the area was known as 'bungalow town'.
 
Thanks go to the one of the owners' who was home and allowed us to take photographs from the outside.
 
Great Barn Farm, Wiston (VISIT) :
Trams ; Brighton Corporation Open Top Electric 53 built 1937 – body only undergoing complete restoration.
             Graz (Austria) Enclosed Single Decker 225 built 1950 – stored outside (Ex-Summerlee Heritage Centre, Coatbridge), will possibly go for scrap.
 
The Brighton car is being fully restored and Brighton Council are keen to get an operational tourist attraction running in the town and are fully behind the project.
Also on site were two sets of trucks both awaiting restoration, to go beneath 53.
Thanks go to Guy Hall (Chairman of the Brighton 53 Project), for hosting our ad-hoc inpromptu visit, the party were lucky to find him on site on the day and he made us feel very welcome. The party gave a donation towards restoration.
 
The Gardeners Arms Public House, Sompting (VISIT) :
Carriage ; BR MkII 13514 built 1968 – located at the rear of the pub, being used as a storage shed. Again the party were unable to determine whether this was body only or a full vehicle on its bogies, however the visual evidence seems to point to it being body only.
 
Anction Close, Middleton-on-Sea (VISIT) :
The party were expecting to find one (possibly two) LNWR bodies at this location, however upon arrival at the address a brand new house was being built on site (but sadly there was nobody around) enquiries made with a neighbour were sketchy, so it is hoped that enquiries will be made to the owners, to try and find out what the fate of the body/bodies was.
 
Sea Road, Felpham (VIEW) :
Three/Four properties were viewed which contained carriage bodies.
 
'Myshanti' ; LNWR 2023A,  Four Wheel Invalid Saloon built 1907 – body only.
'Vilhoet' ; LNWR 5068, Cove Roof Club Car built 1905 – body only split into two at right angles to each other.
'Vilhoet' ; LNWR 5028, Invalid Saloon built 1907 – body only split into two at right angles to each other.
'Vilhoet' ; UI LBSCR Three Compartment Lavatory {assumed} – body only.
'Rocklands' ; LNWR 2004A, Family Saloon built 1896 – body only.
'Limpet' ; LSWR 815, Five Compartment 3rd built 1886 – body only, this is fully enclosed within the first floor of a building, and nothing can be seen of it from the outside.
 
Pagham, West Susex (VISIT) :
Many numerous properties were viewed (and a fair number were visited) which contained or were made up carriage bodies.
Note : All the following are body only, and are listed in numerical order by road in the order that the party did them in. The majority of these are believed to be of LBSCR origin (with a couple of exceptions which are noted accordingly).
The party spent 5 and a half hours covering this very extensive spread out area, and it is probably fair to say that this is the most comprehensive list of grounded bodies of this area (certainly more so than VCT), and it also updates the listings on Preserved Railway Stocklist.
Thanks go to the numerous owners/holiday letters who invited us inside the properties or gave us information regarding the carriage bodies.
 
East Front Road.
House No./Name ; No of bodies ;        Other details/Id's where known ;
2                                    2                 UI unknown types.
6                                    2                 UI Four Compartment Firsts.
10                                  2                 UI Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI Four Compartment 1st/3rd Composite.
12                                  2                 UI Four Compartments Firsts.
14 'Seaspray'                   1                 UI Four Compartment First.
16 'Byfield'                     2                 UI Three Compartment Brake Third.
                                                         UI unknown type.
18                                  2                 UI Four Compartment First.
                                                          UI Five Compartment Third.
20                                  2                 UI unknown types.
26                                  2                 LBSCR 272 Four Comp't Lav Compo built                                                            1882.
                                                          UI Five Compartment Third.
36/38                             1                 UI unknown type.
42                                  2                 UI unknown types.
46                                  2                 UI Three Compartment Brake Third.
                                                          UI unknown type.
48                                  2                 UI unknown types.
50                                  2                 UI unknown types.
52                                  2                 UI Four Compartment Firsts.
54                                  2                 UI unknown types.
58 'Porpoises'                  2                 UI unknown types.
70 'Venture'                     2                 LBSCR 361 Three Comp't Third built 1886.
                                                          UI unknown type.
72                                  1                 UI 4wh Covered Carriage Truck.
78                                  1                 UI Four Compartment First.
80                                  1                 UI Four Compartment First.
 
West Front Road.
House No./Name ; No of bodies ;        Other details/Id's where known ;
1 [Yacht Club]                1                 UI 6wh Five Compartment Third.
7                                    1                 SECR 837 Three Compartment Brake/Luggage                                                      Third built .
9 'Ocean Swell'               1                 UI unknown type.
11A                                2                 UI unknown types.
17                                  1                 UI unknown type.
21                                  1                 UI Three Compartment Brake Third.
23                                  1                 UI Five Compartment Third.
25                                  1                 UI unknown type.
29                                  2                 LBSCR 176 Three Compartment Second Brake                                                      built 1892.
                                                          UI Five Compartment Third.
33                                  2                 UI unknown types.
35/37 'Seasidings'           2                 LBSCR 510 Three Comp't Royal Saloon built                                                        1877.
                                                          UI Five Compartment Third.
39                                  1                 UI unknown type.
41 'Moonshine'               1                 UI Five Compartment Third.
43                                  1                 UI Five Compartment Third.
55 'The Foremost'           2                 UI Four Compartment Firsts.
57                                  2                 UI Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI unknown type.
63 'Doric'                        2                 UI Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI unknown type.
75 ['Sleepers']                  2                 UI unknown types.
77                                  2                 UI Five Compartment Thirds.
79 'Tacet'                         2                 UI Three Compartment Brake Third.
                                                          UI unknown type.
83                                  2                 UI Six Compartment First.
                                                          UI unknown type.
85                                  2                 UI unknown types.
87 'Four Winds'               2                 UI Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI Four Compartment 1st/2nd Composite.
89                                  2                 UI Four Compartment Firsts.
93                                  2                 UI Four Compartment Firsts.
97                                  1                 UI unknown type.
101                                2                 UI Five Compartment Thirds.
105                                1                 UI unknown type.
107 'Solymar'                  1                 UI unknown type.
 
Harbour Road.
House No./Name ; No of bodies ;        Other details/Id's where known ;
10 'Pebble Ridge'            2                 UI unknown types.
26                                  1                 UI unknown type.
32                                  1                 UI unknown type.
34                                  2/3              UI unknown types.
36 'Bluebell'                    1                 UI unknown type.
38                                  1                 UI unknown type.
42                                  1                 UI unknown type.
48                                  1                 UI unknown type.
52                                  2                 UI unknown types.
53                                  1                 UI unknown type.
55 'Evergreen'                 1                 UI unknown types.
65                                  1                 UI unknown type.
66                                  1                 UI unknown type.
67                                  1                 UI unknown type.
73                                  3                 UI LBSCR Three Compartment Brake Third.
                                                          UI SECR Five Compartment Thirds (x2).
76                                  1                 UI unknown type.
78                                  2                 UI unknown types.
86 'Seagoon'                   1                  UI unknown type.
88                                  1                 UI unknown type.
90                                  1                 UI unknown type.
92 'Anchor Lights'           1                 UI unknown type.
 
Lagoon Road.
House No./Name ; No of bodies ;        Other details/Id's where known ;
7/9                                 1                 UI unknown type.
14                                  1                 UI unknown type.
15                                  2                 UI Four Compartment 1st/2nd Composites.
25                                  1                 UI unknown type.
26                                  1                 UI unknown type.
28                                  1                 UI unknown type.
29                                  1                 UI unknown type.
44                                  1                 UI unknown type.
 
Well Road.
House No./Name ; No of bodies ;        Other details/Id's where known ;
1 'Elmfield'                     2                 MR 901 Four Compartment 1st/3rd Luggage                                                            Composite built 1885.
                                                          MR 921 Four Compartment 1st/3rd Luggage                                                            Composite built 1885.
3                                    1                 UI unknown type.
10 'Pagham Junction'       3                 UI SECR Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI Five Compartment Third.
                                                          UI unknown type.
 
 
NOTES :
The following are corrections to locations are where carriage bodies have been previously been listed elsewhere as being there, but information gained by the party on the day from residents/owners clarifys the situation.
 
14 'Seaspray' East Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
20 East Front Road = Reported as being 1 body – is in fact 2 bodies as indicated above.
22 East Front Road = 2 x UI Five Compartment Thirds – the building has re-built and the bodies have been scrapped.
28 East Front Road = 2 x UI unknown types – the building was re-built in 2009 and the bodies were scrapped.
36/38 East Front Road = Reported as being 1.5 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
42 East Front Road = Reported as being 1 body – is in fact 2 bodies as indicated above.
82 East Front Road = This number does not exist, the highest number is 80, after that there is nothing but beach.
 
7 West Front Road = Reported as being 1 body – is in fact 2 bodies as indicated above.
11 West Front Road = This is shown on Preserved Railway Stocklist – this building was demolished and re-built and heavily modified and subsequentially re-numbered to 11A, as indicated above.
13 West Front Road = This is shown on Preserved Railway Stocklist – this building was demolished and been re-built and heavily modified and subsequentially re-numbered to 11A, as indicated above.
17 West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
19 'Beach Crown' West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although the party were informed there were never any bodies there at all.
21 West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
23 West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
31 West Front Road =  Reported as being 2 bodies – although the party were informed there have never been any bodies there at all, at least not in the last five years.
33 West Front Road = This is listed on Preserved Railway Stocklist as being number 31 (with photo), the correct number is 33.
35/37 West Front Road = This was reported as being two properties (No's 35 & 37), with each containing 2 bodies, in fact it was two seperate plots that have been re-classified as one single plot and only containing 2 bodies as indicated above.
39 West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
75 West Front Road = This building was demolished and re-built as a more modern one, however the 2 bodies inside were taken away and refurbished, prior to coming back and having the new home built around them. Therefore the picture shown on Preserved Railway Stocklist requires updating to show the new building.
105 West Front Road = Reported as being 1 body – although the party were informed there was never a body there at all.
107 West Front Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – although is only 1 body as indicated above.
123 West Front Road = 2x UI unknown types – this is shown on Preserved Railway Stocklist as being 1 body however, the building has been re-built and the bodies have been scrapped.
 
3 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
29 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there..
34 Harbour Road = Reported as being 3 bodies – although it was difficult for the party to confirm this, due to the high hedgerow surrounding the property, however 2 bodies were definitely confirmed from the front of the property.
43 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
45 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
50 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
57 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although the party were informed by the owner that this body was removed and taken to the Bluebell Railway some years ago.
61 Harbour Road = Reported as being 2 bodies  – although looking at the evidence the party believe they are no longer there.
64 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
73 Harbour Road = Reported as being 2 bodies – is in fact 3 bodies as indicated above.
74 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
80 Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – although the party were informed by the owner that this body was removed and taken to the Bluebell Railway some years ago.
94 'Fairwater' Harbour Road = Reported as being 1 body – the building has been completely rebuilt and the body has been scrapped.
 
4 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – although the party were informed by the owners that there was never a body there at all.
7/9 Lagoon Road = This was only reported as being number 7, but is in fact both 7 & 9 together, sharing the 1 body, divided in half between them.
18 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
21 Lagoon Road = 2x UI unknown types – the building has been re-built and the bodies have been scrapped.
25 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
31 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
36 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – although looking at the evidence the party believe it is no longer there.
46 Lagoon Road = Reported as being 1 body – the party were informed by a neighbour that the building has been re-built and the body has been scrapped.
 
5 Well Road = Reported as being 1 body – the property has been re-built and re-numbered to 3A, and looking at the evidence the party believe the body is no longer there.
10 'Pagham Junction' Well Road = This location is not recorded on VCT or on Preserved Railway Stocklist.
 
Also worth noting is that 2 SER bodies were removed from 3 Sandy Lane/Road by the Bluebell Railway for restoration a couple of months previous to our visit. Sandy Lane/Road was not however visited by the party on this occasion, so maybe further bodies still exist there, and can be visited on another trip.
 
Northcommon Farm, Selsey (VISIT) :
Due to the time getting on, the party decided to visit this location (as it is one its own and nowhere near the main bulk of bodies in Selsey). They were expecting to find a LNWR body that was being used as a shower block on a campsite, however upon arrival no trace of it could be found. One of the residents of the farm cottages on site, informed the party that the farm owner had removed the body to his residence a couple of miles away to Sidlesham, where he was going to restore it and use it as a summer house. The party went past Sidlesham on their way home, but it was not visited as there was no positive location given to the party by the resident.