TRAINS of thought

摘要

In this issue of Steam Days magazine we take a look at the eight Great Western 'Super Saloon' coaches, constructed in 1931, initially for the Plymouth boat trains until these services ceased, and afterwards they could be found on Newbury race traffic and other prestigious trains, and were familiarly known as 'GWR Pullmans'.They were more spacious than normal coaching stock, with plush interiors, they had recessed doors.These eight vehicles originally carried names of members of the Royal family.Five were purchased for preservation, and three held by the Great Western Society were used on charter excursions in the 1970s.Over the years I have travelled over many interesting lines and in various types of coaching stock.Many of the trains that I travelled on, particularly between Worcester and Great Malvern to spend a day wandering over the Malvern Hills to go blackberry picking, or to attend big-band concerts, consisted of non-corridor coaches.I recall, as a late teenager, that on the last train out of Malvern on a Sunday night after a concert at the Winter Gardens, everyone would pile into the unlit non-corridor coaches with much hilarity!