BR Rolling Stock

British Railways Standard, Tourist Second Open No 4690

4690 4690 is of the same design as 4509, built the following year, also at York. Technically, it had a variation on the steam-heating arrangements, with extra pipework to warm the roof tanks above the lavatories. 4690 was purchased in 1982 from York Yard again.

For many years 4690 ran in 1950s carmine and cream, and was owned by an SVR volunteer ticket collector, Charles Jackson. Charles emigrated and sold 4690 to the Wolverhampton branch of the SVR Association, who intended to convert it for use by wheelchair users. Dismantling and fund-raising began, but the project stalled.

Carriage details
Built:	1957
Built at:	York
Built by:	BR
Design:	BK Mk1
Diagram no:	93
Lot no:	30375
No's carried:	E4690
Type:	TSO

The SVR Rolling Stock Trust became involved, and became joint owners with the Wolverhampton SVRA branch. Additional finance and organisation was put to work, and 4690 was given a major body overhaul at Rampart's Carriage Works in Derby in 2007.

On return as an empty, repaired bodyshell, fitting out of the original interior after restoration took nearly a year, along with re-modelling of the lavatory end to take wheelchairs. Double doors were created, one large lavatory built using the components of the original two, and a parking area and passageway made.

4690 4690 was internally re-modelled in the SVR (Holdings) workshops by volunteers and paid staff. Funding from the Association and the Trust provided the materials. 4690 is now finished in the 1958 style of British Railways in maroon with black ends and lined out with ochre and black, and will run in a train of similar coaches, known as 'Set M'. Three of the eight vehicles from Set M are now owned by the SVR Rolling Stock Trust.

During the restoration of 4690, evidence was found that shows it was based on the lines running out of London Liverpool Street towards East Anglia on the former Great Eastern Railway for a while. At the time it carried a 'GE' prefix to its number, as was the practice in the 1950s, though as restored it carries a simple Eastern Region 'E' prefix.