To celebrate their tenth anniversary, the GCR coach group have purchased TDE 320603, which is reported as having been the last non-corridor GCR coach in service in departmental stock on BR.

TDE 320603 was formerly GCR 652 and was a ten compartment third, 60ft long, built at Dukinfield in 1912. It was one of a series known as matchboard stock, because they had vertical panels to the waist line. They replaced carriages like our own No. 957 on main line suburban traffic and were used on the Marylebone and Aylesbury services well into LNER days.

Permission has been given by the QRS to store the coach at Quainton, where the group will mothball it for some time until other projects are finished. It is hoped to move No. 652 to Banbury, where some work could be done on it before it comes to Quainton.

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 1981 and so does not reflect events in the 33+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
Great Central Railway Coach Group - John Parsons - Quainton News No. 44 - Spring / Summer 1981