Old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway train carriage body saved from being scrapped moves to East Lancs Railway

The carriage being loaded for transport to Bury

An old Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway train carriage body saved from being scrapped has found a new home at the East Lancashire Railway depot at Bury.

The carriage, which is almost 150 years old, was originally built at Miles Platting in 1881 and is in need of restoration, having no underframe or wheels. Research into the history of the vehicle seems to show a distinct connection with the Manchester United Football Club.

For the last two years, it has called Spotland Bridge Mill its home until a more permanent site could be arranged, thanks to Nick Crewe, the owner of Crewe Industrial Services Ltd.

The Shropshire-located carriage was originally saved in April 2019 by a Rochdale man, who does not wish to be identified.

One of the trustees of The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust said: “The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust would like to take this opportunity of thanking Gary Ellis and the rest of the people at Spotland Bridge Mill and Crewe Industrial, for allowing the trust's 1881 built carriage body to be kept secure in the mill yard until a more permanent site could be arranged.

“The carriage body has now gone to the East Lancashire Railway depot at Bury where the protracted and expensive restoration work can start.

“When restoration is complete, the coach is likely to be used on the East Lancashire Railway and also pay visits to other railways such as the Worth Valley Railway and the Preston Dock Railway. It is likely to be in demand by film and TV companies as coaches of this era in working order are quite rare.

“The cost of restoration will be a five-figure sum, and the precise amount will depend on the amount of volunteer input. If sponsorship were available, a figure in the region of £30,000 would not be far out. We are also pursuing the possibility of some kind of training scheme for young people.”

A representative from Crewe said: “Here at Crewe we are passionate about restoration and we were more than happy to take care of the carriage.

“We are all looking forward to seeing it restored to its former glory and following it on its next journey.

“We’d like to wish the trust good luck with the refurbishment of the carriage and hope that we can take a trip in it once restored.”

A representative for East Lancashire Railway added that they are “very excited” about the restoration of the carriage, which will “eventually be displayed in the Bury Transport Museum.”