'Queen Mary' carriage shortlisted for major award in railway Oscars

A restoration project in Skegness has been shortlisted for a major award in the railway Oscars.
Mick Allen, who is doing much of the work on the carriage, with the ‘Queen Mary’ nameplates made by traditional signwriter Tim Fry . They t will be fitted for the 2023
season. (Photo © Chris Bates/LCLR).Mick Allen, who is doing much of the work on the carriage, with the ‘Queen Mary’ nameplates made by traditional signwriter Tim Fry . They t will be fitted for the 2023
season. (Photo © Chris Bates/LCLR).
Mick Allen, who is doing much of the work on the carriage, with the ‘Queen Mary’ nameplates made by traditional signwriter Tim Fry . They t will be fitted for the 2023 season. (Photo © Chris Bates/LCLR).

Lincolnshire Coast Light Raiilway’s ‘Queen Mary’ carriage was built and operated nearly a century ago by the Nocton Estates Railway, the largest of Lincolnshire’s famed ‘Potato Railways.

It has been shortlisted by the Heritage Railway Association for the Morgan Award for Rolling Stock Preservation after volunteers at the railway at the Skegness Water Leisure Park worked through the winter and spring closed season of 2021/22 to restore it and adapting it to carry fare paying passengers.

The carriage was the only one ever to run on the Nocton Estates Railway in the Bardney – Sleaford area of the Lincolnshire Fens, where potatoes were grown, to be turned into Smiths potato crisps.

The carriage in its unrestored condition at the original Humberston site of the LCLR (Photo: 
Eddie Draper/LCLR)The carriage in its unrestored condition at the original Humberston site of the LCLR (Photo: 
Eddie Draper/LCLR)
The carriage in its unrestored condition at the original Humberston site of the LCLR (Photo: Eddie Draper/LCLR)

The owners of the 23-mile narrow gauge system built it with surplus equipment from the railways which transported troops, munitions and the wounded in the battlefields of World War One.

They converted one of the “Class D” bogie freight wagons from the conflict to a passenger saloon, to be able to transport non-paying shooting party guests around the estate.

Comfortable armchairs were equipped with holders for drinks and a box van – a former World War One rail ambulance – carried trophies from the day’s shooting.

The system mostly closed towards the end of the 1950s and the old carriage was stripped of its wheels and bogies and became a taxi company’s waiting room and later the office of a scrap dealer

A magnificent sight at the South Loop terminus of the LCLR: steam locomotive “Jurassic” coupled to the “Queen Mary'.carriiage. (Photo:: Dave Enefer/LCLR)A magnificent sight at the South Loop terminus of the LCLR: steam locomotive “Jurassic” coupled to the “Queen Mary'.carriiage. (Photo:: Dave Enefer/LCLR)
A magnificent sight at the South Loop terminus of the LCLR: steam locomotive “Jurassic” coupled to the “Queen Mary'.carriiage. (Photo:: Dave Enefer/LCLR)

It was rescued by the LCLR more than 40 years ago – but initially, never restored.

The carriage had never carried a fare paying passenger in nearly a century’s existence until it began to do that to help the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway transport crowds celebrating Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee last year.

The LCLR’s entry is shortlisted with others from the doyen of heritage lines, the Bluebell Railway and the Chasewater Railway.

Heritage Railway Association Chief Executive, Steve Oates, said: “Despite all of the challenges thrown at the sector, some of the work demonstrated by entrants to the awards this year is literally staggering.

"The amount of effort put in by staff and volunteers at railways and tramways up and down the country over the past 12 months never ceases to

impress – and these awards are all about celebrating their success”.

Chairman of the LCLR’s charitable trust, Richard Shepherd said: “This is a truly extraordinary accolade for our volunteers’ work to be honoured alongside that from such notable railways as the Bluebell and the Chasewater.

"It’s not the first time our restoration work has been shortlisted.

"After reopening at Skegness, in 2009, we shared a winning award with our neighbours, the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, who are based at Ludborough.

“This short-listing demonstrates the significance of our unique collection of locomotives, carriages and wagons from Lincolnshire’s narrow gauge railways – priceless relics transformed Lincolnshire’s ability to feed the British Isles and which would have been lost, were it not for the foresight of the pioneers who built the LCLR in 1960 and collected so many items before they could be destroyed”.

The winner will be announced at the HRA’s Dinner and Awards ceremony in Birmingham on Saturday, March 11.