Mr Bulleid’s Tavern Cars
A Southern Times ‘Extra’
Compiled by Kevin Robertson1.
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A very brief Preface
It would be all too easy in this book to attempt to draw parallels with other work by Mr O V S Bulleid.
The author has singularly attempted not to do this although in the course of research it is clear that this has not always been the case in some other publications.
Mr Bulleid, in his design of the Tavern and its associated Restaurant, was attempting to produce vehicles both fit for the purposes of the travelling public and the railway’s need. In the case of the Restaurant car it was a desire to accede to the wishes
of the Southern and achieve a high-turnaround of diners. For the Tavern this was intended to be a tranquil oasis where drinks might be enjoyed. Contrary to some press and public opinion it was not intended to encourage excess alcohol consumption.
Sadly both were probably ahead of their time. ‘Themed’ restaurants and bars are now a staple feature of 21st century life.
As author I can only regret that whilst I lived through most of the era of the Taverns I failed to identify what they were if (and I probably did) and when I saw them; certainly in rebuilt form.
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Entrée (or a very brief honeymoon) 9
Hors d’oeuvres
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A denigrated design 31
Eight pairs of Carriages 49
A climbdown - of sorts 63
Modernisation (or indigestion?) 71 Appendix A: Materials and equipment supplied by contractors 90 Appendix B: Official description of the cars 92 Appendix C: Tavern car names and signs 94 Appendix D: Chronology of dates 96 7. A contradiction in terms 97 Acknowledgements / Bibliography 100 Contents
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Tavern Car No S7899, ‘At the Sign of the George & Dragon’ which was attached to Restaurant (sometimes referred to as ‘Trailing Car’) No S7840 just visible on the extreme right. Dependent upon source, the vehicle numbers are also on occasions referred to as having the ‘S’ prefix either side of the running number. No 7899 is seen here at Clapham Junction as part of an empty stock working for the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ on 30 July 1949; note the ‘Torrington’ destination board on coach S4371 to the left and the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ roof boards made up of four separate boards. The pseudo brickwork shows up well but was not necessarily easy on the eye where the change to conventional crimson and cream occurred halfway along the coach. It was only the Tavern vehicles that were painted with the mock brickwork, the remainder of the train likely in standard green livery. Joe Kent / Bluebell Railway Archive
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Regretfully very few original colour views showing the livery have survived – austerity, the availability and cost of colour film and as it transpired the short life of the vehicles in their original condition combine to make such photographs a rarity.
Considering the original order for these vehicles had been placed back in 1945/6, Bulleid had plenty of time to consider fully his design. We might even ask the questions, in 1949 did he genuinely believe they would be accepted, what livery / design might have emerged had they appeared in independent SR days, or was it the ‘impish’ Bulleid having what was almost his last vestige of independence?
Seemingly without any pre-conceived idea of what they were to be exposed to, a ‘press’ day was arranged at Waterloo for 25 May 1949 where the hierarchy from Marylebone together with the aforementioned representatives from the press might attend.
Exactly why a press day was considered necessary / appropriate is not totally clear. Was this in fact part of the new BR policy –to promote their latest innovations at every opportunity? Perhaps
Opposite page - The literal ‘Tavern’ portion or more accurately perhaps, the bar area. From here drinks as well as snacks might be served, a second ‘pub sign’ also displayed; as seen partly at the top. Whilst obviously posed it is still interesting to contemplate exactly what expression the lady nearest the camera is attempting to portray. It is also just possible to make out the tiling on the floor.
This page, top left - From slightly further back we see the wooden settles and ‘leader’ windows. Did the brain play tricks when one of the cars swayed over a junction or two meaning the ceiling lamps moved as wellpseudo pub mimicking pseudo earthquake perhaps. It cannot be denied, the attention to detail in attempting to reproduce and so capture the essence of ‘Ye Olde Inn’ was considerable. (See also rear cover view.)
This page, top right - Kitchen which was located along the same side but at the end of the bar serving area. The railway, not just the SR, had always been adept at squeezing the maximum equipment into the smallest space. Cooking was by means of gas, the tank for which, together with a cooler were placed below the underframe. Beyond the kitchen was the crew rest area.
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Two views by the late Les Elsey. Top, we have S7899 ‘At the sign of the George & Dragon’ and bottom almost certainly its accompanying restaurant, No S7840. Both were taken as the train in which they were formed (not the ‘Royal Wessex’ as this was only introduced in 1951) was leaving Southampton Central westbound so indicating use other than on the ‘ACE’. Unfortunately they are undated. Note the passenger holding the baby almost sat on the droplight....and the Maunsell stock to either side.
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Rebuilt restaurant. Courtesy Mark Arscott, ‘Markits’.
There would be two more changes visible to the vehicles during their lifespan.
The first commenced in 1956 and was completed in 1957 when both the Taverns and Restaurant vehicles were repainted in standard Southern Region loco hauled stock green.
Whilst livery preferences are indeed subjective, in the opinion of the writer having the same colour overall
did little for the overall appearance, made slightly strange perhaps as the names remained in place.
Meanwhile behind the scenes a far more radical change was being planned which was for the conversion of the Taverns into something resembling more of a conventional buffet.
This had first been discussed at some point in 1955 with a then estimated cost of £2,238 per vehicle.
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Left - S7893 ‘At the sign of the Three Plovers’ photographed at Exeter Central, 15 August 1957. Note the footboards on the leading bogie to allow staff access from ground level. J Robertson / Colour Rail 103742
Above - S7895 ‘At the sign of the Bull’. All the Tavern and Restaurant vehicles were fitted with Pullman style gangways. Mike King
More books have probably been written on the life and work of OVS Bulleid than likely any other CME from the steam age. His locomotives probably having received more than their fair share of criticism - and praise. Similarly it must not be forgotten that he also designed a considerable amount of passenger rolling stock the most controversial of which were the Tavern / Restaurant sets dating from 1949. Styled internally and to an extent externally in the form of ‘Ye Olde Inn’ and with the Restaurant cars having no windows to discourage diners from lingering after their meal, they courted controversy right from the first day they were presented to an unsuspecting public at Waterloo in May 1949. So were they really as bad as we have been led to believe? This is the first book devoted solely to just ‘eight pairs of carriages’ attempts to find out.
£18.95
ISBN 978-1-913251-66-6
