History of the Wye Valley Railway

Camping coaches

From the 1930’s railway companies started to offer holiday accommodation in converted railway coaches which had reached the end of their life as passenger vehicles. Typically, they were either six or eight berth with a kitchen and a dining/living area. Toilet facilities were available at the station. The local railway employees were expected to make the guests especially welcome and the coaches were positioned in a quiet siding in attractive seaside and country locations. They proved increasingly popular.

The first GWR camp coaches appeared in 1934. The only camp coach on the Wye Valley Railway was in a siding at Tintern and first appeared in 1935. The GWR also positioned camp coach at Kerne Bridge on the Ross-Monmouth line whilst in British Railways days there was also one at Symonds Yat.

In the early years of the Second World War camp coaches continued to be available at some locations but in 1942 they were mostly put onto war work. The Gloucester Citizen reported on 16 May 1942:

‘All 209 LMS camping coaches are now on war work. Some as Home Guard posts and guard rooms, others are naval or military posts’.

In 1952 new coaches were introduced. The number of camping coaches offered for hire declined from the mid-1960s as other forms of holidays became more popular, the condition of the vehicles deteriorated, and the number of staffed stations at which they could be sited decreased. The last coaches available to the public were withdrawn in 1971. (1)

Camping coaches were also available in Ireland and one satisfied customer wrote to the Sunday Independent (Dublin) on 23 August 1959:

‘Sir-I wish to thank C.I.E for their holiday camping coaches. We have just had a most enjoyable holiday in one at Dungarvan.

How fascinating living in a railway station., the children loved it.

A word of thanks also to the station master, Mr. Ormond and his staff for their efforts in making our stay so happy’

Pathe News made several short films about camping coaches. The following quotes are from a 1948 film:

‘Paradise in a railway siding’
‘Everything laid on for mother’s comfort’

‘Just the ticket for a first-class holiday’

A 1961 British Railways brochure lists a stay at Tintern for £12 a week during the high season from 10 June to 2 September. Calor gas was provided for cooking, heating and lighting. This is something of a surprise as the line closed to passengers in 1959.

The following reminiscence is taken from ‘The Wye Valley Railway and Coleford Branch’ with the kind permission of the author B.M Handley. It describes a holiday taken in GWR camp coach No. 9898 shown in the above photograph.

In 1937 Eleanor Fox went on holiday with her relations., she writes:

Our GWR camp coach No. 9898 (as shown in colour photograph above) was booked from August 21st-28th, but in essence ‘that holiday feeling’ got underway the previous week when my mother received a reply to her preliminary letter from the station master of Tintern station. Dated 16th August 1937 and written in a flowing hand with decided panache, came four pages of GWR memorandum pad containing the following heart warming effusion. My family were taken aback by its enthusiastic jauntiness in what were then very formal days.

‘My Dear Mrs Fox’ it began chattily, no stilted ‘Madam’ from our station master.
‘I am hastening to answer your very interesting letter, just received, and to tell you how awfully happy I shall be in carrying out your wishes expressed within.

By the time your train arrives at our little station, I shall have the coach properly prepared after the departure of the previous tenants, kettle boiling, plenty of fresh (spring) water in readiness, plus an adequate supply of paraffin and methylated spirits.

In addition to the items mentioned in your letter I shall ask the dairyman to leave six or a dozen eggs. I am so hoping that you will have suitable weather during your forthcoming visit thus enabling you to explore our beautiful and delightful valley in all its glory.

Finally I mention how particularly pleased my staff and self will be in placing ourselves at your service during your stay with us.

I wish you a cosy and comfortable journey when travelling down next Saturday, I feel sure that you and your party will especially enjoy the run between Chepstow and Tintern in our streamlined railcar. (See photograph below)

Allow me to remain

Your faithfully

Andrew Muldowney’

On arrival Mr Muldowney supplied all our female group with one essential item...the huge key to the Ladies.

There was a twin-bunked bedroom and a four- bunked compartment. I can remember the unexpected height and also the narrowness of the top bunk. I think the mattresses were stuffed with straw, they seemed to me to have a distinct camber.

The windows were the kind that lowered by straps and were meticulously cleaned every day, they were sparkling.

My mother, always one for home laundering, hung her ‘smalls’ on a string tied between the buffers and found them the next morning full of wood lice. A considerate driver of a steam engine had previously stopped his short of the station and provided us with an instant supply of boiling water for washing our clothes.

The GWR streamlined railcar, with a cheerful two-note greeting ran up and down the valley three or four times a day and took us north to look round Monmouth and to St Briavels where a pocket-sized castle awaited exploration up a steep hill.

We did a lot of walking during the week, the great loop made by the River Wye at Tintern gave us a long trek to the abbey ruins, these appeared magical on our moonlight strolls. (see engraving below). I also recall the evening scenes were lit by hundreds of glow-worms in the hedges.

My abiding memory of the holiday though was ‘Archibald’, a name we gave to a bull amongst a herd of shorthorns. On our last Saturday morning, just before departure ‘Archibald’ moved up as near as possible to the fence closest to the coach then rolled over and lay down in the grass. With what seemed like pure joie de vivre, he kicked his legs up in the air with gay abandon quite unbecoming to his dignity.

I began to wonder if such behaviour in cattle was unusual, however, I prefer to remember the incident as a friendly farewell entirely in keeping with the new found spirit of a lovely week, care of he Wye Valley Railway, and its friendly staff.

Nowadays there is a revival of camping coach holidays led by companies that are not part of the railway company network.

Citation
1. McRae, Andrew (1997), British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s and British Railways (London Midland Region) (Scenes from the Past)