HORNBY OO BR KITCHEN AND BUTTERY CAR & COMPOSITE RESTAURANT - JOLLY TAR 7834 TWIN P

In 1949, two pairs of carriages were put into service on BR Southern Region to provide catering facilities with a difference. The idea came from Oliver Bulleid, the former Southern Railways Chief Mechanical Engineer, who had a track record of thinking outside the box with his unusual air-smoothed Pacifics, double-deck carriages and cabbed Leader locomotives.

Each pair consisted of a Composite Dining Car and a Tavern Coach. These were allocated to the Atlantic Coast Express and provided thirsty commuters with a pub-on-wheels for their homeward journey. Internally, each tavern was decorated to mimic an olde English pub, with tiled floor, whitewashed walls, oak beams and high-backed settles, all illuminated by lanterns. Externally, the paintwork was divided horizontally, in carmine and cream, but the lower section was lined out to represent brickwork. The upper section had half-timber relief and a painted pub sign, while the small windows had old-style leaded panes.

The dining cars were unpopular and were quickly re-fitted in 1950, at which point the mock brickwork on the taverns was repainted in plain carmine. They lasted in service in their pairs until late 1959 but were repainted in unlined BR(SR) green in 1957. Similar pairs of Tavern Cars operated on other BR regions.

What's in the box?

• 2x Coach