



A Bulleid Tavern Coach at Waterloo With Exterior 'Brickwork'

A bar serving alcohol on a train has, in some guise or other, been a feature of railway travel for countless decades. But, imagine if it were possible to have not only a mere bar on your train – but a tavern!

A real pub that ran on rails providing the same amenities as your local – beer, wine, spirits, bar snacks or a meal. Somewhere to relax, chat with friends or a work colleague in a convivial atmosphere while enjoying a drink on the way home after a hard day at the office.





Well, the notion of such a scheme is not as far-fetched as one might imagine. In fact, more than simply a fanciful idea, it was a reality for a time on the Southern Railway during what is now regarded by many as the ' golden age of steam '.





West Country Class Locomotive 34016 'Bodmin' Designed by Oliver Bulleid

In addition to steam locomotives , he also designed coaches for the Southern Railway. And in 1949 he hit upon the radical idea of providing a better, classier refreshment car than those in use at the time.





Oliver Bulleid's idea was to create a tavern.

Between 1949 and 1951, Bulleid took the standard buffet/refreshment car and gutted the whole interior. He then furnished the entire carriage in a style similar to that of a typical English country tavern . It is believed that he modelled his 'tavern' on The Chequers Inn at Pulborough, Sussex.

Interior and Bar of a Bulleid Tavern car

Internally, the 'tavern' compartment consisted of a low ceiling with the addition of fake oak beams. Settles and benches abutted onto panelled or rough-rendered walls.





Long narrow leaded windows were set high up in the carriage sides and illumination came from miniatures of the carriage- lamp type; beloved of the 'semi-detached' middle classes of the time.





The bar, solely made from wood, provided everything a tavern, or inn, would offer; including draught and bottled beer.





All that was missing were the horse brasses and a blazing log fire in an open hearth.

Scale Model of a Bulleid Tavern Car Showing 'Brickwork', Leaded Windows and Pub Sign

The external decoration was a joy to behold. The usual Southern Railway paintwork was removed and replaced with a totally unique design. The outside of the coach was divided horizontally. The bottom half looked like brickwork, while the top half was coloured cream intersected by black timbering (much like that seen on the old wood panelled shooting-brake cars ).





To top everything off, the cream and timber section displayed a pictorial pub sign panel with lettering saying, ' At the sign of the Jolly Jack Tar ', (or ' At the sign of the White Horse/George and Dragon/Red Lion ' etc.).

Four of 'Bulleid's Taverns' became a reality and were subsequently put into service.





On the whole the public enjoyed travelling and drinking in a 'pub-on-wheels'; however, there were dark clouds gathering on the horizon.





The 'Bulleid Taverns' became a hot topic for debate in the House ofCommons , where the majority of MPs denounced the unusual coaches as nothing more than “shoddy Tudoresque monstrosities”. A letter of protest, published in The Times, was signed by heads of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal College of Art, the Council of Industrial Design and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.





JamesCallaghan MP , who was at the time Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, went on to say that “ nobody likes these tavern cars except for the public ”. (A rather pompous remark when one considers that it was the public that were using them).













Regardless of the opinions of those in power, who had totally misjudged the popular mood, the taverns remained in service for around ten years with their interiors intact before being returned to the standard design of the time. The highly controversial 'brickwork' however was removed within a couple of years of entering service. (Pressure from above, maybe?).

Bulleid's Taverns may have been a bit outlandish, some may even say tacky; but they came at a time when Britain was devoid of colour and originality as it struggled to recover from the deprivation of the war years.



