Private Coaches/Carriages

[route:oxford]

Happened to watch one of the heritage "Simpsons" episodes recently in which Mr Burns travels to an event in his own private Rail Coach attached to a mainline service.

It got me thinking, if someone in Oxfordshire (or any other suitable county) was wealthy enough...

Could they "find" a Mk3 coach and have it refitted to their own specification and pay for FGW (or other) to haul it within a specific diagram every morning?

Perhaps fitted out as 50% private with own loo and small kitchen for his staff to prepare breakfast, the remainder being Standard Class accommodation...

It would be quite a luxury.

 

[rail-britain]

Could they "find" a Mk3 coach and have it refitted to their own specification and pay for FGW (or other) to haul it within a specific diagram every morning?

If the price was right, then yes, however it would probably need to remain within the set all day
InterCity used to offer this with two slightly modified Kitchens giving exclusive use (and it wasn't cheap either!)
Although it was more common to see these being used on the ECML, occasionally they would be moved for use on the GWML, but then returned back to Bounds Green after use

 

[BOSCH]

If the price was right, then yes, however it would probably need to remain within the set all day
InterCity used to offer this with two slightly modified Kitchens giving exclusive use (and it wasn't cheap either!)
Although it was more common to see these being used on the ECML, occasionally they would be moved for use on the GWML, but then returned back to Bounds Green after use

IIRC Intercity used to have a coach X which was an executive MKIII fitted out like a boardroom,I only ever saw it once in use on the ECML in an HST rake attached between the last 1st class coach and the powercar and it was being used by a certain Margaret Thatcher and co who IIRC hated the railways with a passion !!

 

[bnm]

East Coast and Virgin offer the facility to hire an entire train or a single carriage, with catering etc provided.

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/train-hire/

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/travel-information/ticket-options1/Group-Travel1/

Not sure about every day though!

 

[TEW]

FGW have added extra First Class coaches before, specially reserved for one group of people.

 

[rail-britain]

IIRC Intercity used to have a coach X which was an executive MKIII fitted out like a boardroom

TRFK 40513 based at NL
24 First Class seats removed and replaced with 16 Loungers
Conferencing equipment was also fitted
On rare occasions would deputise for a TRFB (ultra luxurious First Class!)

TRFK 40505 was also modified but due to lack of demand was put back to original layout

 

[NightatLaira]

 

[Drsatan]

Speaking of private carriages, I read somewhere that Dugald Drummond, when he was the chief locomotive designer at the London & South Western Railway (LSWR) commissioned for himself what could loosely be called a 'steam railmotor', although it was effectively a 0-4-0 tank locomotive with a small passenger compartment attached, completely different from the GWR's steam railmotors. It was built to take him to and from Surbiton to the LSWR's locomotive works at Nine Elms before it was moved to Eastleigh.

Of course, I doubt even Tim Shoveller could get his own private coach or train - pathing would be a big issue.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

That is awesome.

I have seen Preston North End, Burnley and Blackburn Rovers football clubs all exclusively occupy Coaches J and K on Virgin services before (to and from London).

Liverpool FC travelled on Virgin from Runcorn-Euston last year when the ash cloud gave air travel trouble, and they needed to get to France.

Manchester United got a Virgin service again to Euston from Macclesfield last week for the Chelsea Champions League tie.

 

[Flamingo]

FGW have added extra First Class coaches before, specially reserved for one group of people.

I've heard of it on specials to Newbury Racecourse, where a company has hired out all of first class. Also, with certain VIP's and their entourage (heads of state, etc) then a whole 1st class carriage may be allocated.

Going back to the OP, I would guess the cost of doing it on a daily basis, though, would be eye-watering. Cheaper and quicker to just have a dedicated helicopter!

 

[Class172]

If you were really, really rich then you could get your own train custom built (say a 1 car turbostar etc.) then you could run on your own - or you could 'pimp up a bubblecar!'

 

[jopsuk]

The DBS (former EWS) "managemenet train" is available for hire isn't it?

 

[GodAtum]

if I could I would buy on Orient-Express Pullman coach and attach it to the Southern service to London Bridge

 

[Oracle]

Sir William McAlpine had/has his own coach and has been on private tours up to Scotland.

Doesn't Bill Gates have his own car which is tacked on to rail servies in the States? I gather that there are quite a few privately-owned cars in the US. They just get added-on and taken-off as appropriate.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Amtrak continue to welcome private cars to be added to their trains, although it's mostly limited to long distance trips.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241267371750

If you don't already have your own private carriage, you could turn to:

The American Association of Private Rail Car Owners

or

Railroad Passenger Car Alliance

 

[b0b]

There is a private car attached to a rake used by Chicago's Metra commuter service

Info and video here!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/20/ticket-to-ride-exclusive_n_241002.html

 

[Nym]

What you recon the chances of Virgin hiring out 221 144 out to an individual or group would be?

 

[ainsworth74]

What you recon the chances of Virgin hiring out 221 144 out to an individual or group would be?

Well Virgin do have a train hire service (see here) but I'm not sure if you get to pick the exact unit.

 

[Nym]

The point being that it's the ONLY 2 carrage 125mph EPS Unit in the country...

 

[jopsuk]

It can't actually run- I forget which essential equipment the driving cars lack, but it is unable to even trundle as I understand it.

 

[ainsworth74]

The point being that it's the ONLY 2 carrage 125mph EPS Unit in the country...

Ahh that would explain why I recognise that unit number (Bearing in mind I don't keep track of unit numbers that's quite something for me!).