British Coaching Stock

John Dedman examines the coaching stock found on Britain's railways through an intriguing collection.

---

John Dedman first started to take photos of coaches in the late 1970s, mainly as references for modelling purposes. In British Coaching Stock, he delves into his superb archive of unpublished images and shares a wide variety of Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark 3 stock.

Beginning with BR Mark 1 stock, John Dedman features the regular day-to-day vehicles alongside photos of various types of restaurant, kitchen and buffet cars. Mark 1 sleeping cars are also included; so too are the XP64 prototypes that were still in service in the period covered. Also featured are Mark 2 and Mark 3 coaches, as well as the Caledonian Sleeper with its distinctive liveried Mark 3 sleeping cars and day coaches.

Pullman coaches from the traditional older vehicles to the Mark 2s, as used on the Manchester Pullman service, also appear here, as do Royal Mail Travelling Post Office sorting and stowage vans and parcels vehicles – some of which are from the pre-1948 era railway companies. In addition to this, John Dedman includes photographs of older coaches still running on the main line today, usually in private charter and excursion trains.