Information on Loughborough

NOTTINGHAM CLASSIC CAR SPECIALIST BUILDS COACHES FOR WELSH NARROW GAUGE RAILWAY

Posted on 29/08/2008

Railway

It was twenty years ago, in 1988, that Nottingham resident Andy Cooper started his "Bughaus business in Carlton, specialising in the repair, maintenance and restoration of classic Volkswagen vehicles including the iconic Beetle saloons and Type 2 camper vans, plus more exotic products from the marque such as the Karmann Ghia of the 1960s. "I started virtually at the same time as the Phones4U began trading, Andy grins, "but the businesses have progressed in rather different ways since.

But an unusual way of making a living is not enough for Andy. In his spare time he builds railway carriages for a narrow gauge railway revival in Mid-Wales.

The Railway in question is the Corris which first opened in 1859 and closed in 1948. To date the revivalists have re-opened just under a mile of track, had a new steam engine built (a replica of one of the originals) and constructed a large new carriage shed. The railway is five miles north of Machynlleth and as its return to life progresses so does the need grow for carriages to carry its passengers.

Which is where Andy comes in. "Like most volunteers on heritage lines around the country I joined thinking that I could help out in some small way he said. "Then as carriage building needs arose I mentioned that I had the workshop and, I thought, the skills to do the job. And having built one I, and a team of other volunteers, now have three on the go.

The first coach Andy built was Corris Railway Number 21. "It would be nice to think we have twenty passenger vehicles already in service he explained, "but in fact we have continued the numbering system where the old Railway left off. For 21 we had something of a flier as some parts had already been made by our friends at the Talyllyn Railway but as of now we are building from scratch. Fortunately narrow gauge coaches arent massive by the standards of the mainline stuff you can see at Nottingham station but it is still large scale construction work by small workshop standards.

The coaches are replicas of original stock dating from the late 19th Century. "The Corris was one of the first railways to go in for bogie carriages Andy said, "and the enterprising manager of the line Mr Dix had them fitted with longitudinal seating rather than the usual transverse style so that passengers could appreciate the scenery of the Dulas Valley as they made their way up from Machynlleth to Corris and Aberllefenni. The originals were made in one place but the new trio are having parts made here in Nottingham by me, in Sussex by John Morton and by John Reynard and Graham Farley who are in the workshop at Maespoeth Junction on the Corris itself. So I suppose to engineering can be added jigsaw puzzle skills before we have a coach ready to carry our passengers.

There is an historic East Midlands link between the Corris Railway and the East Midlands. "The first trio of steam engines used were built at Loughborough, said Andy, "and we have just launched an appeal to build a new replica of one of these which is estimated to cost a quarter of a million pounds. Fortunately carriages are a bit cheaper.