Photo:
Tony Lyster - GNR No. 1470 during Down Yard shunt 2020

Photo:
Robert Frise - GNR No. 1470 on passenger train in 1970s

This six-wheeled vehicle was built for the East Coast Joint Stock to a standard GNR design. Traces of the original East Coast Joint Stock livery, from an era when it was probably used for services between Kings Cross and Scotland, were found during the original restoration. With the introduction of Gresley bogie vehicles, it was demoted to secondary and branch line duties. Its detailed history is unknown until, like most other old coaches that survive today, No. 1470 was taken into departmental stock when withdrawn from passenger service. It became No. DE940482 and was sent to Boston Motive Power Depot. In 1963 the vehicle was transferred to Hitchin until 1969, when it was purchased by Mr D. Baines who donated it to the Quainton Railway Society. It arrived at Quainton on 13th January 1970. It is 34ft 10½ in long, 8 ft 10¾in wide and 12ft 4¼in high.

This coach was used at Quainton on passenger trains in the 1970s and 80s, fitted internally with plain wooden seats for 40, with the original basic layout of four third class compartments and a brake end with guards lookouts maintained.

It was withdrawn from passenger service in 1991 for a 14 year restoration period, being returned to service in April 2005. In 2001 the restoration received an award from the Transport Trust towards the completion of the restoration, for which thanks is given. Overall over 7500 manhours of volunteer´s time have been spent on this restoration since 1991. The total cost was approximately £12,200.

The carriage has recently (2013) been thoroughly cleaned and a fresh coat of varnish applied to prolong the carriages life.

On our GNR 6-compartment carriage there is a brass crescent shaped stamping on the solebar close to the centre axle with the number 5 on it. On the GNR Full Brake there is a similar one with a 6, but there is not one on this GNR Third Brake. We have always wondered what these were for, as they are on both sides of each vehicle. At a recent Shildon open day it was noticed that there is a similar one on the East Coast Joint Stock bogie third, but that one is a 12. The ECJS was a joint stock grouping of railway companies to compete with the West Coast Joint Stock from Euston. The East Coast companies were Great Northern, North Eastern and North British starting from Kings Cross, whilst the West Coast were just the London & North Western and Caledonian starting from Euston. Competition for the for the fastest run to Aberdeen was especially fierce in the 1890's Race to the North, and it is possible that some of our vintage carriages were used, certainly their type was used. Further enquiries have produced the theory that the numbers represent the optimum working pressure for the gas light system. Quite why a vehicle with 6 lamps would work at 5 units, when another with only three lamps (the full brake) would work at the slightly higher 6 units is not clear, further research is required.

References:
We made it!! We finished No. 1470 - Trevor Paice - Quainton News No. 94 - October 2005
Vintage Carriages - Trevor Paice - Quainton News No. 109 - Autumn 2013