Heritage railways with pre-BR rolling stock that public can regularly ride?

[renegademaster]

Mark 1s all the time can get a little boring.

 

[Vespa]

The Isle of Wight steam railway do have them I believe

 

[Titfield]

Swanage Railway has a Maunsell and Bulleids which they use occasionally but they prefer to operate the MK1s for capacity.

 

[StephenHunter]

Bluebell has some 1890s Metropolitan Railway compartment stock.

 

[AJM580]

North Norfolk has the LNER Quadarts in service as well as several pre-grouping coaches

 

[stu]

Severn Valley Railway have got a nice variety of pre BR stock.

 

[John Webb]

Severn Valley Railway and North Yorkshire Moors Railway both have sets of Gresley coaches - NYMR also has a Thompson coach or two.

Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway has vintage trains using stock owned by Steve Middleton.
Not far away the Keithley and Worth Valley railway also has the occasional vintage train using pre-BR stock.

 

[xotGD]

Vintage Trains on the KWVR for the next few weekends. Indeed, running right now.

 

[paul1609]

Kent & East Sussex Railway has a selection https://kesr.org.uk/our-heritage/carriages/

 

[4SubAsociation]

East Kent Railway has the 4COR which is currently running at present - link to a vdieo about it

Come to think about the above. It is possibly the only Non BR Emu carriage in operation

North Yorkshire Moors have the teak set but i don't know when that is running.
Bluebell have - the Metropolitans, the 4 wheelers (ex LCDR/LBSCR), SECR/LBSCR Bogie coaches and the Manusell/Bulleid set. It was annouced recently they are looknig to get more pre BR Carriages in Service.
Foxfield have the Knotty coaches - quite an achieve more recently as one of the carraiges was pretty much a total rebuild (the brake coach recovered from Rudyard lake)

 

[brick60000]

Severn Valley Railway have got a nice variety of pre BR stock.

Great Western (full set, top lights & dining set), LMS & LNER. A fantastic range ! And a lot see fairly regular use in one form or another as the various sets cycle through for maintenance.

 

[Enthusiast]

Bluebell has some 1890s Metropolitan Railway compartment stock.

As well as that they have a fair number of pre-grouping stock from the component companies which formed the Southern Railway in 1923. Here's their carriage stock list:

Carriage Stock List - Bluebell Railway in Sussex

List of all carriage stock on the Bluebell railway, with links to detailed information on every carriage and van.

www.bluebell-railway.com

 

[cav1975]

The Isle of Wight steam railway do have them I believe

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway's newest carriage was built in 1924 and the oldest in 1864. No BR carriages on the railway at all.

Historic Carriages - Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Travel in style, in a carriage of at least ninety years old

iwsteamrailway.co.uk

 

[david_g]

Vintage Trains on the KWVR for the next few weekends. Indeed, running right now.

Indeed. I’ve ridden in an ex-Metropolitan Railway coach one way and the LYR club coach the other today and the VCT have made a rather nice job of restoring both. The whole set with the Coal Tank on the front was a real treat.

 

[Deepgreen]

The Mid-Hants has a couple of Bulleids I think.

 

[341o2]

Swanage Railway has a Maunsell and Bulleids which they use occasionally but they prefer to operate the MK1s for capacity.

I've seen the Maunsell coach quite regularly, and there is also the Devon Belle observation carriage

 

[Titfield]

I've seen the Maunsell coach quite regularly, and there is also the Devon Belle observation carriage

Yes Car 14 is a lovely experience though best from Norden / Corfe Castle back to Swanage. A small supplement (£3?) is charged.

 

[Flying Phil]

The GCR has run a teak bodied Gresley buffet car (9122E) at various times over the years. There is also the Gresley Beavertail (E1719E) in use. I believe there are a couple of LNER(?) suburbans as well.

 

[m79900]

Foxfield has some old 4 wheel coaches, I don’t know what they are though.

 

[341o2]

There is the former Corris coach on the Talyllyn, the Corris Railway was briefly under GWR management before passenger services were withdrawn, but are narrow gauge lines excluded by the OP?
If this were admitted, does anything pre BR survive on the Vale of Rheidol?

 

[43055]

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway has a LMS coach which predominantly gets used for dining. Belive a second one is currently being done up as well.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Great Western (full set, top lights & dining set), LMS & LNER. A fantastic range ! And a lot see fairly regular use in one form or another as the various sets cycle through for maintenance.

Visiting on a normal day you’ve got a reasonable chance of finding the LNER Gresley set running. The LMS stock sees a fair bit of use but currently almost all of the GWR stock (both sets) are out of use due to the problem with the door handles.

 

[urpert]

Not technically a preserved line but the GWR museum at Didcot is worth a look on running days. Also the Nene Valley has some SJ and CIWL stock (though they also have a Mk1 rake so read the timetable carefully).

 

[Cowley]

The South Devon Railway has various GWR coaches that are sometimes used in service.

 

[WAB]

does anything pre BR survive on the Vale of Rheidol?

All of the Rheidol carriages are 1920s and 1930s GWR carriages and are thus pre-BR. The narrow gauge railways in general are great for quirky historic rolling stock which makes mk1s seem quite dull in comparison!

 

[John Webb]

....North Yorkshire Moors have the teak set but i don't know when that is running.....

It usually runs as one of the 'local' trains ie those not continuing on to Whitby or coming back from Whitby

 

[Falcon1200]

The Mid-Hants has a couple of Bulleids I think.

When I was there a few weeks ago Bulleid TO 1456 was in service amongst the Mark 1s (and very nice it was too!)

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

I would be pleased if Mk.1s were never seen except at the very busiest times. One can only dream.

 

[A0wen]

Embsay and Bolton Abbey have a rake which sees use on 2 train days.

See 'Stately Trains' here https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/rolling-stock

 

[Alanko]

Foxfield has some old 4 wheel coaches, I don’t know what they are though.

Indeed! Lawrie's Mechanical Marvels on YouTube has just posted a video featuring these. They look nicely turned out.

Bo'ness has some teak coaches they occasionally bring out, though I think one is currently undergoing a heavy overhaul. I believe the Strathspey railway have some interesting carriages as well, including an LMS inspection saloon and 'beaver tail' observation carriage.