HISTORIC ‘FLYING SCOTSMAN’ PULLMAN OBSERVATION CAR RESCUED FROM THE USA MAKES ITS FIRST RUN AT SWANAGE - 16th July 2008

Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 20th July 2008
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Pullman Observation Car 14 in service at Harman's Cross on 16th July 2008

Andrew P.M. Wright has supplied nearly 130 great photos of the unveiling ceremony of Swanage Railway's restored historic Pullman observation coach To see the full set of photos, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

An historic Pullman observation coach rescued from the west coast of the USA - and once hauled by the world famous ‘Flying Scotsman’ steam locomotive - has made its first run on the Swanage Railway, thanks to an ambitious £100,000 project by the Purbeck Line volunteers.

The newly restored luxurious railway carriage built at Brighton in 1947 - converted for use on the prestigious ‘Devon Belle’ express train between London and north Devon during the days of steam - was officially unveiled by Alan Moore CBE, former deputy chairman of Lloyd’s TSB, at Swanage station on Wednesday, 16 July 2008.

Car 14 Project Leader and Swanage Railway Deputy Chairman Steve Doughty (left) addresses the guests and Alan Moore CBE cuts a special ribbon to officially open Observation Car 14 at Swanage station on 16th July 2008

A special unveiling ceremony to mark the occasion took place at Swanage at 10.30am with the observation car - called Car 14 - leaving as part of the 11.10am train bound for Herston, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden park and ride.

Steve Doughty addresses the guests on board Pullman Observation Car 14 on 16th July 2008

On board were some 20 special guests - including the observation car project’s benefactors. Also riding on Car 14’s first trip were the Mayor and Mayoress of Swanage, Mr and Mrs Mike Pratt, and the chairman of Purbeck District Council, Gloria Marsh. They were joined by three early stalwart Swanage Railway campaigners from the late 1960s and 1970s - Moyra Cross, Pete Ashton and Bob Noble.

Early stalwart Swanage Railway campaigners from the late 1960s and 1970s - Moyra Cross (centre), with Pete Ashton (left) and Bob Noble in front of Pullman Observation Car 14 on 16th July 2008

Among the 20 special guests that boarded Car 14 for its first run to Herston, Harman's Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden park and ride were three stalwart campaigners who tirelessly helped to bring about the Swanage Railway that we enjoy today.

The involvement of Pete Ashton, Moyra Cross and Bob Noble dates back to the late 1960s and mid-1970s. Without determined and committed people like them, there would be no relaid Purbeck Line for Car 14 to run on.

After significant project benefactor Alan Moore officially cut a ceremonial ribbon across Car 14's corridor connection to officially welcome the carriage on to the Purbeck Line, Swanage Railway deputy chairman Steve Doughty presented Alan with a large framed montage of Car 14 photographs.

Steve Doughty presents Alan Moore's wife Margaret with a bouquet of flowers, and Alan with a framed montage of Car 14 photographs by Andrew P.M. Wright on 16th July 2008

The picture features the observation saloon during its Devon Belle days through to its Flying Scotsman days in the USA; from its days attached to a San Francisco office block as a static store room and conference room to its long 8,000 mile trip home - and its triumphant arrival at Southampton docks in February, 2007.

With the montage of small photographs surrounding it, the main picture is a shot by Andrew P.M. Wright of Car 14 running through Corfe Castle station behind Class 33 diesel locomotive D6515 'Stan Symes' bound for Swanage on the day that it arrived by road at the Norden park and ride interchange earlier this year.

A copy of the framed picture has also been proudly mounted on the wall of car 14 - opposite its bar area. Steve also presented Alan's wife Margaret with a bouquet of flowers.

Resplendent in its post-war ‘Devon Belle’ Pullman livery, the observation car officially entered traffic when well known heritage railway benefactor Alan Moore CBE cut a special ribbon across the carriage’s corridor connection. He was accompanied by his wife Margaret who was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Swanage Railway deputy chairman Steve Doughty who has spearheaded the ambitious project.

Steve Doughty (left) with Alan Moore CBE outside Pullman Observation Car 14 on 16th July 2008

Mr Moore, who lives in Bedfordshire, is a long-standing Swanage Railway Trust member. The former deputy chairman of Lloyd’s TSB is also chairman of the Bodmin and Wenford Railway and the finance director of the North Norfolk Railway.

The prestigious craftsman-built wooden observation coach with large picture windows - known as Car 14 - was transported the 500 miles from San Francisco in California to Long Beach, near Los Angeles, in January, 2007.

Swanage Railway deputy chairman, Steve Doughty, said: “It was a great day - a culmination of two years work by a team of people from both sides of the Atlantic. I am grateful to those people who supported the project financially and practically plus those who have worked on the restoration - Ramparts and the Swanage Railway’s carriage & wagon team.

“Everybody was thrilled by the panoramic views from the observation car. It rides very well despite not having carried passengers since 1972 - some 36 years ago. It’s a wonderful new way to see the stunning Purbeck countryside.

“It’s great to see Car 14 full of passengers again and doing the job for which it was designed after 36 years as conference room and static store in San Francisco. It’s a magnificent restoration and looks absolutely superb,” explained Mr Doughty.

Car 14 was loaded on to the 66,532 tonne roll-on, roll-off ship ‘MV Taiko’ of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and departed the port of Long Beach in late January, 2007, for its month-long 8,000 nautical mile journey to the UK via the Panama Canal. It arrived at Southampton Docks in late February, 2007.

First conceived eight years ago, the £100,000 project has been achieved thanks to Alan Moore and to members of the Swanage Railway Trust, with some £35,000 being spent on the return from the USA and the balance on restoration. Some £38,000 is still needed to repay costs underwritten by the Trust's general fund.

After a year-long restoration at Ramparts in Derby, the observation coach arrived on the award-winning Swanage Railway for an active working life being hauled by steam locomotives on the relaid Purbeck Line.

Before being repatriated back to the UK, the Pullman observation coach fronted an office building in San Francisco, California, after being left on the quayside at the end of the ill-fated ‘Flying Scotsman’ tour of the USA and Canada back in 1971.

Car 14 is one of two vehicles converted by the Pullman Company at its Preston Park works in Brighton during 1947 with seating for 27 passengers and a bar for a drinks service. Rebuilt from earlier Pullman cars constructed on ex-London and North Western Railway underframes, they were converted for the ‘Devon Belle’ service from Waterloo to Ilfracombe.

After the 'Devon Belle' service ended in 1954, the observation cars were used on charter services, ending up on the Scottish Region in 1961 on the lines between Inverness and the Kyle of Lochalsh and from Glasgow to Oban.

After withdrawal in 1967 with the end of steam, Car 14 went to North America as part of the 'Flying Scotsman’ tour train of 1969. Traveling extensively around the USA and Canada, the car was exhibited with the train at the 1970 Toronto exhibition before ending up in San Francisco during 1972.

Donations to the Pullman restoration project can be made to the Swanage Railway Trust (Devon Belle Fund), Station House, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1HB or on-line by debit or credit card via the Trust’s website at ‘www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk’ by following this link.

The Swanage Railway Trust website now has an Appeals section with the ability to make online donations to the Devon Belle Fund, the Churchill Project, the Heritage Coach Fund and to the General Fund.

Donations are processed via PayPal and the payment process includes an electronic Gift Aid form that conforms to HMR&C requirements. Donors do not need a PayPal account.

Please click here to visit the Swanage Railway Trust Appeals section at http://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk/appeals/index.htm

The following photos showing are courtesy of Swanage Railway press officer and official photographer Andrew P.M. Wright.