The LNER Coach Association was formed in 1980 with the objectives of obtaining, restoring and operating a collection of ex-LNER and / or constituent companies vehicles. It also provides an umbrella organisation for members with privately owned LNER and / or constituent companies vehicles for eventual use on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Working weekend dates
The next working weekend will be 19th / 20th May. If you can spare even a few hours, any help would be much appreciated. If possible, please let Murray Brown know in advance if you do plan to attend by email or phone (01733 578000).
Restoration Update
Thompson TK 1623
During the the April working weekend,the final window on the corridor side - the second oval one - was glazed and the beading which holds it in place was fitted. This means that the whole coach is now glazed with the exception of the white oval toilet windows.
The corner beading which stretches from ceiling to floor at the edges of the vestibules have been sanded - ready for staining. Paint has been specially mixed professionally to match the laminate ceiling panels in the compartments and this is to be used to paint the wooden beading at the edges of the compartments as well as the strip in the middle of the ceiling each side of the central light fitting. It is a perfect match colour wise and looks most impressive.
With all 14 Mk. 1 seat backs stripped to the springs, there are 28 armrests to be converted to the LNER looking pattern. This entails stripping off all the moquette and foam backing, then unscrewing the metal plate which also has the pivot bolt. This is then screwed onto new pieces of wood which have been shaped to the LNER pattern. Essentially the main difference between the Mk. 1 and LNER armrest is that the latter have a rounded end, the Mk. 1s have a square rectangular end. A total of 8 were completed during the weekend (2 compartment's worth.) Investigations will now be made to ascertain if we can get new foam moulding made, followed by the fitting of the correct type of moquette.
Obviously, the holes (2 per seat back) in which the armrests pivot will have to be enlarged to allow the LNER pattern armrest to slot in. This will be a lengthy job involving cutting the existing wiring and reshaping it.
A start was also made on altering the seat back framing to allow it to fit the Thompson profile. This is effected by means of new curved sections of wood replacing the existing ends of the seat back framing. The hard wood obtained from Nottingham is being used for this purpose. It is not just a question of fitting new wooden ends to match the curved profile of the Thompson body. The metal Mk. 1 seat framing itself - rectangular in shape - has to be ground at one end to match the required profile of the body.
Finally, the curved wooden end cornices at the south end - these cover the roof canvas, trapping it where it overlaps the end of the coach - have been fitted.
Website updated
The news on the website has been updated and the date for the revised AGM has been published on the Diary page.
If you would like to be notified when this website is updated, please click here .
Sponsor a luggage rack bracket
We are now in the final stages of restoring Thompson corridor third 1623 - and the final stages are where it starts to get expensive! We have most of the remaining fixtures and fittings in stock or on order, the last big item being the luggage rack brackets. We don't have any of these, so new ones will have to be cast, chrome plated and fitted with nets. In these coaches they were actually combined luggage and hat racks, with a broad upper rack for luggage and a lower, narrower rack for hats, which were of course worn by almost everyone when 1623 was built. There are eight brackets per compartment (four per rack), and at around £50 each and with seven compartments to equip that is around £3000 we have to find.
We have therefore launched a "Sponsor a Luggage Rack" scheme, seeking people to sponsor individual brackets for £50 each. Anyone who sponsors a bracket will be invited to travel in the seat nearest to "their" bracket on the official inaugural run of the coach.
Please make your cheque for £50 payable to the LNERCA and send it to the LNERCA Treasurer at 103 Bramley Garth, Appletree Village, York, YO31 0PQ, or use the Paypal purchase facility in the shop section of this website. If you are a UK taxpayer, please don't forget to fill in a Gift Aid form!
On-line fund-raising schemes
We have just launched several new schemes to help raise restoration funds on-line for the LNER Carriage Association on-line, with just few extra clicks. The new on-line fund raising schemes consist of two web shopping portals and two search engine schemes, and by using these schemes you can help raise money for us, without it costing you a penny!
Shopping Portals
The two shopping portals are buy.at and easyfundraising.co.uk. If you shop on-line, using either of these portals, then for every purchase you make, we receive commission on that purchase, whilst you pay the same amount as you would have, if you had made the purchase direct!
On-line shops available through the Buy At scheme include Amazon, Asda, CD Wow, E.on, Hertz, Ikea, More Than, National Lottery, Premier Inn, and many more. The complete list of participating stores, and what commission they offer, can be viewed on the site. This scheme doesn't even require you to register, all you have to do is go to http://buy.at/lnerca , and start shopping!!
On-line shops available through the Easyfundraising scheme include AA Travel Insurance, Argos, Blockbuster, iTunes, More Than, The Trainline, Thomas Cook, WH Smiths and Wickes. The complete list of participating stores can be viewed here . To use this scheme, you do need to register first, a process that only takes a few minutes and can be done here .
Search Engine Schemes
The two search engine schemes are www.everyclick.com and www.easysearch.org.uk . These schemes work by the web company donating some of the money they receive from advertising fees, for each search that is completed using the search portal.
Site last updated 23rd April 2012
Opinions expressed on this web site do not necessarily represent the policies of the LNERCA Committee. © 2012 L.N.E.R. Coach Association.