Families living in railway carriages.

Fri 26 Apr, 20:59

In the '80s/90s I spent extended periods in a railway carriage overlooking Whitsand Bay, Cornwall.

No running water or electricity, but gas lamps and a stand-pipe for the water. Fabulous. Until there was a heath fire which was rather scary as there was no easy access from the cliff-top road for the fire-fighters. Most were privately owned. Quite a few were permanent homes. 

Fri 26 Apr, 19:53

There used to be a house with a railway carriage extension by the B3400 at Andover Down, not far from where I used to live. I had a quick search on Google Maps, but the foliage seems to have grown somewhat since I was in those parts! 

When the railways were nationalised in 1948 I seem to remember reading that it precipitated a big sell-off of old and obsolete rolling stock.

Fri 26 Apr, 18:19

It's a great idea, a good way to recycle old carriages or containers as seen on Grand designs, they can end up as lovely living spaces.

Fri 26 Apr, 14:50

Thanks John!

I'm carrying out some research so this sort of information is valuable to me.

Hannen.

Fri 26 Apr, 11:09

Hannen  .There were a family living in what looked like a carriage, it was to the left just before the entrance to Baywell. This would have been in the 50's. JohnHarrison 

Fri 26 Apr, 08:50

Were there any families living in railway carriages in this area after the Second World War?

Apparently there were quite a few dotted around West Oxfordshire.