On 23 July 2025 we collected a former S&D carriage body from a back garden in Cannington, Somerset, which had been used as a garden shed. The carriage would likely have been built in the 1880s and withdrawn from service in about 1930.
The S&D carriages – always noted for their attractive Prussian Blue colour scheme – carried a simple carriage number and a carriage expert believes he knows which number carriage this is.
The carriage was taken to our good friends, the North Dorset Railway at Shillingstone, near Blandford. There, it joins our two other unrestored S&D carriages, Third Class carriages dating from 1890 and 1894 – one of which was built in the S&D’s own works in Highbridge. We also have a fully-restored First Class carriage, S&D Coach 4, which was built at Highbridge in 1886 and is currently at the Hornby One:One Museum in Margate, Kent.
Note that the carriage was originally a 5-compartment Third Class and was photographed in that form when in use as changing rooms for tennis courts in Mark, Somerset, in the early ’70s. However, at some time since then, two compartments have been removed.
See our Stock List which provides more information about our carriages and other rolling stock.
[Video by Mel Marshman and Sam Thomas.]
Also see the BBC’s local news report on Facebook.