Coach No. 6

For several years from 1993, construction of this coach was a private project, during which time it was numbered '4'. The intention was to rebuild a Royal Navy (RNAD) box van as a four-wheel coach, humourously nicknamed ‘Operating Managers Observation Saloon’ and ‘The Gin Palace’. Suggestions for its purpose included fitting as a brake coach, or specialisation for access by people with disabilities. Sadly, the original project lost momentum.

Recently, this coach was adopted by the WHR Company to augment its small fleet. After an energetic effort this Spring (2005), the coach has now been restored to running order. The coach is popular with visitors, especially family groups and in wet weather.

As originally numbered, this was Coach 4 in the WHR Ltd stocklist. There was at the time a different Coach 6, which was a semi-open toast rack, part-glazed, with 3 compartments; this was sold to another railway (Amerton Railway). After the semi-open toast rack was sold, the four-wheeled coach 4 was renumbered as coach 6. The number 4 was then reserved for future use on a replica of the quarryman's brake conversion that was used on the WHR from 1922 onwards.