All the bodies were made of plywood on timber framing, which was exposed on the non-platform side. On the side facing the stations the plywood was covered with thin sheet metal and painted in Indian Railways brown-red paint, with white letters and numbers. No. 66 was the only carriage with both sides complete. Although it looked similar to the others from the platform (No. 4721), on the outside it was a resplendent Maharajah's saloon in blue and stone coloured livery and a coat of arms on the centre panel. Access to the saloon was by a 'one-sided' verandah and a centre door. Inside the coach was a dark wood panelled, sumptuously furnished room, with richly upholstered chairs and couches in blue and gold, table lamps, pelmets and curtains in matching colours and expensive looking tables, desks and an escritoire. It was all most impressive.

No. 5047, alias wagon 64, was provided with a door from the platform side into a short side corridor, with a first class compartment to the right, the compartment being at the right hand end of the coach. Opposite the outer door was a toilet door, and the toilet had a small hand basin and fittings. The compartment was 'oak' panelled and had dark green leather cloth covered bench seats across the full width of the carriage, except where the side corridor joined the compartment (just like the LBSC push and pull sets!). There were luggage racks, boxes and cases - and it was a most realistic representation of a crowded compartment. The remainder of the vehicle was an empty shell.

Next in line, No. 97, was the third class coach, which was fitted out for its full length with wooden benches and seats at two levels on each side of a centre corridor - to form an open carriage with a bare floor and rather sordid. The other two coaches, Nos. 98 and 99, were mere shells, although, like all the five vehicles, the body ends and the platform side were full of realism and excellent replicas of the Indian carriages of that period when the story unfolds - the nineteen-forties.

A few days after the end of filming, the bodies were dismantled. By 26th September, Nos. 66 and 64 had already reverted to their unglamorous role as bogie bolster wagons and a mobile crane stood with its jib hanging over the next coach to be demolished. Sic Transit Gloria!

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 1982 and so does not reflect events in the 32+ 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:
The Wagon Train - Quainton News No. 46 - Autumn 1982