The blue coach

[John Ashworth]

An old breakdown coach, the blue coach is now our crew tea room.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Looking at it in the light, old is the word!

[Geoff Pethick]

Ah but appearances are deceptive! Its actually younger than the side door suburbans. It was built at SAR Bloemfontein works as a D-32 (1st and 2nd class) main line sleeping coach, numbered 8557. It entered Non Revenue Earning (NRE) service in March 1985.

Regards
Geoff Pethick

[John Ashworth]

Thanks, Geoff. We tend to take it for granted as we drink our tea in it. Apart from being a bit dirty and shabby it's actually a very nice coach inside, with a lot of varnished wood.

[Steve Appleton]

This is actually a lovely coach, and in somewhat better condition than it would initially look. Some 4 compartments were removed near the centre to create a lounge-dining area. One compartment has been converted into a kitchen, presumably to suit its role as a breakdown staff support car.
I, personally, would love to see this coach restored and fitted out to a high standard for use as a meeting-conference and private dining coach (it would be a major job -probably impossible- to replace the removed compartments and return it to use a sleeper).
Hey, but we have enough restoration projects at FOTR; I don't think it helpful to add another one -- not least because we have no financial sponsorship for it right now.