THE ‘QUEEN MARY’ WINS 2023 HRA award!
The LCLR's restoration of the "Queen Mary" carriage was awarded the Morgan Award for Rolling Stock Preservation at the HRA's Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner in Birmingham on Saturday 11th March. Well done to all connected with the restoration this historic Lincolnshire railway vehicle!
LCLRHVT trustee Geoff Hankin receives the award at the HRA ceremony.
Restoration of the "Queen Mary" coach
Restoration work on the Queen Mary Coach began in December 2021. The B&W photo above shows the coach at Nocton on a NGRS visit in 1959. Note the end door which precluded its use at LCLR. This has now been relocated to the side.
The coach was built on the Nocton Estate Light Railway to transport the “guns” for day’s shooting on the estate where much of the stock of the LCLR came from. The nickname “Queen Mary” came from the estate workers as the coach was for the landowner and friends. Our Simplex loco “Paul” was used to take the shooting party in the Queen Mary coach out onto the estate with an ambulance van for the beaters, dogs and the shot game. It was also used to transport the NGRS on their visit to the line in 1959 when the idea of the LCLR at Humberston was first discussed.
The coach was built onto a steel framed Class “D” bogie wagon. After the Nocton line closed it was used as a taxi office in a garage in Boston which preserved the wooden body. It was presented to the LCLR at Humberston but was never used to carry passengers.
Replacing decayed woodwork and preparing new entrance. (Photos Jim Smith)
(L) New seating fitted. (R) Dean Walker, a narrow gauge enthusiast, travelled from Nottingham to be the first paying passenger in our "Queen Mary" coach on 2nd June 2022. (Photos Jim Smith)
Looking resplendent in its new livery the "Queen Mary" coach looks good at the rear of a steam hauled train in June 2022. (Photo Dave Enefer)
LCLR driver Mick Allen proudly displays the new nameplate for "Queen Mary". (Photo Chris Bates).