Category:Coronation Scot nine-car train (Exley for Bassett-Lowke)

Exhibit
Coronation Scot nine-car train (Exley for Bassett-Lowke) (i)
location:
Arch Three , Area 61 1930s Layout, station side 1937

Gilbert Thomas inspects a somewhat shorter version of the train! This photo was regularly used in contemporary B-L advertising [image info]

Bassett-Lowke "gauge 0" model railways catalogue from around 1937/38 [image info]

Coronation Scot Exhibition
the locomotives
trains: 1937 - 1939 - 1940
greatest? - streamlining - advertising - trivia - models and kits

A full nine-car Coronation Scot train, in gauge 0, around fourteen feet long, in blue with silver streamlining-stripes along the full length, with carriages built by Exley for Bassett-Lowke.

The train was unveiled to the public (and run on the Museum track) on Saturday 10th November 2012's "Coronation Scot"-themed Train Running Day.

The Bassett-Lowke locomotive (already on display) was built in the late 1930's making it very much contemporary with the actual train.

The full nine-car ~1937 Bassett-Lowke Coronation Scot train, with "Exley for Bassett-Lowke" coaches

Original Coronation Scot train, specifications

• Coronation-Class streamlined locomotive and tender

• Corridor First Class, Brake

57 feet - brake compartment, 18 seats, lavatory

• Corridor First Class

57 feet - lavatory, 22 seats, lavatory

• Vestibule First Class, Diner

65 feet - lavatory, 22 seats, lavatory

• Kitchen Car

50 feet - lavatory, staff compartment, pantry, kitchen, pantry

• Vestibule Third Class

57 feet - lavatory, 42 seats, lavatory

• Vestibule Third Class

57 feet - lavatory, 42 seats, lavatory

• Kitchen Car

50 feet - lavatory, staff compartment, pantry, kitchen, pantry

• Vestibule Third Class

57 feet - lavatory, 42 seats, lavatory

• Corridor Third Class, Brake

57 feet – 24 seats, lavatory, brake compartment

The mythical Ninth Carriage

The usual Bassett-Lowke version of the Coronation Scot only had only eight carriages, missing out the longer First Class Diner car that was present on the real train. Our version is the full train, complete with the missing ninth carriage.

It might even be the only one of its kind. If any other examples of the ninth car were built, and survived, then we expected to hear about it during our Coronation Scot exhibition. However, eight years after the full train model set went on display, we still don't know the actual story behind the ninth carriage. Was this a limited batch of carriages? Was it produced as a one-off special order for a customer? Was it a one-off produced just for Bassett-Lowke Ltd. for display purposes, so that they could show off the full train, even though the complete set wasn't available for sale? Was it produced purely for exhibition purposes?

Display

The full train first went on display in the museum between between November 2012 and early 2013, and was launched with a special Coronation Scot Train Running Day, and a Coronation Scot at Brighton Toy and Model Museum exhibition. After this, the loco remained on display and the carriages were rotated into storage.

The full train was rotated back on display in January 2020.