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London, Brighton & South Coast Railway Coach No. 676
Stroudley 4w Brake Third

Richard Salmon

Type: 4-wheeled Brake Third
Built: 1875 (or 6/76 ?) at Brighton
Number: 676
Seating: 30 3rd class
Length: 26'
Withdrawn: 30/6/1911
Preserved: 1998
To Bluebell: 17/5/1998

This coach body, together with that of its companion No.949, is owned by the Bluebell Railway Trust. Together with their Stroudley First, No.661 and Third No.328, they will form a complete LBSCR train dating from the same period as our two Terriers, also designed by William Stroudley.

It was rescued from a farm near Cranleigh where it had been used as a storage shed since soon after the World War I. Originally oil lit, one lamp illuminated all three passenger compartments, which didn't have partitions above the tops of the seat backs.

A suitable Southern Railway van underframe has been obtained, and will be shortened to carry this body. Restoration work on the body could commence after completion of No.661 but it could be at least a decade before we see a complete Stroudley train with a Stroudley engine, which will then form the oldest standard-gauge train in the country.

The coach is stored on a temporary underframe under an overall tarpaulin.

The above information on this page came from the Bluebell Railway website.

Update:

This further information came from The Southern Railway E-mail Group's website.

John A Arkell

This is often how they arrive for preservation! Stroudley 26 ft 4 wheeled brake third number 676 of 1875 or 6 is owned by the Bluebell Railway Trust and was rescued from a farm near Cranleigh. One day it will be mounted on a shortened Southern Railway van underframe to form a part of the oldest standard gauge train in the country when coupled with fellow LBSCR coaches 328, 661 and 949.

Colin Duff

Brighton Bogie First number 661 when it was undergoing restoration in the Bluebell Railway's Horsted Keynes Carriage works, pictured here on 20 June 2003. Designed by William Stroudley and built in 1880 by Brown Marshall as a six wheeled, four compartment, first class coach, it was rebuilt as a brake second in June 1909 and downgraded to a brake third in 1912. After withdrawal in 1924 it was incorporated into a bungalow at Bracklesham Bay. When this was demolished the remains were acquired by the Bluebell Railway where it is being rebuilt on a modified four wheel SR PLV underframe.

Tony Pearce

This magnificent restoration came to its moment of glory when the coach was released to traffic on 24 July 2004. On that day it was in service for the enjoyment of those who had worked on the restoration and who had previously lived in the vehicle whilst it was used for housing. The coach is seen here in the Carriage & Wagon sidings at Horsted Keynes on 24 July.