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Southern Railway
Maunsell Open Third No. 1309

1309 in Bluebell service in August 2008 (Richard Salmon)

This coach shows the later Maunsell design, with flush-glazed windows. Its interior is an open saloon arrangement, divided by internal partitions into three sections.

On withdrawal much of its interior was removed, and it served on British Railways as a mobile office. On arrival on the Bluebell it was used as the C&W Dept. mess coach, but in 1981 restoration commenced. Components from similar vehicles (such as the identical No. 1306 and contemporary electric stock which had gone for scrap in the 1970s) were used, as well as some parts produced from scratch. The restoration is described in detail in the Spring 1985 edition of Bluebell News, reproduced here.

 
With restoration completed in 1984 No. 1309 won the first-ever national "Coach of the Year" Award. Initially it was reserved for use on the "Bluebell Cutler" dining trains, and subsequently it was used on the "extension shuttle" service when the first phase of the railway's Northern Extension was opened. It then took its place as one of our general fleet of service vehicles, usually running as part of the "Maunsell set".

The photo to the right (taken in December 2003) shows the seating in No. 1309, as trimmed in BR-era "chain link" moquette when first restored. 1930's Southern Railway blue jazz pattern moquette has now been reproduced, and was installed in around 2019, as seen in the photo to the left.

After over 41 years in service, with only the most minor of repairs required in that time, in March 2026 the carriage was withdrawn for overhaul, which is principally of the brakes and bogies, the replacement of the floors, a small amount of structural repair due to a little rot in one corner, and a revarnish/repaint of the interior. It's not yet known when this can be fitted into our overhaul schedule.

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Type: Open Third
Built: 1935; underframe at Lancing, body at Eastleigh
Original No: 1309
Other Nos: S1309S, 081642
Seating: 56 3rd class
Length: 59'
Restriction: 4
Weight: 32 tons
Withdrawn: 1962
Preserved: 1973
To Bluebell: 1 March 1973
Restored to service: 2 December 1984
Last operational: 22 March 2026

Right: 1309 at Horsted Keynes on 28 June 1992 (Richard Salmon)
Below: 1309 soon after restoration, in March 1985 (Richard Salmon)

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