Coaching Stock

The Sutton Collection of coaches consists of 10 coaches. There are 6 closed coaches and 4 open coaches. 2 of the closed coaches have observation ends to them which allow a view of the locomotive or the track and scenery behind, depending on which end you sit. All SMR stock is buffer and chain fitted and is unbraked.

The coaches are numbered 1-10. Coaches 1-3 came from a railway at Great Yarmouth, however more were required for Sutton, so 3 replicas were created, 4-6. After the replicas came the open coaches (7-10), these were all purpose built for the railway at Sutton Park.

Coach number 1 was originally a driving trailer for a 2 car Petrol Electric Multiple unit, however it never ran in this form at Sutton, only at Yarmouth, the wherabouts of the Driving Motor car for the unit post-Yarmouth is unknown.

A typical S.M.R. train with a mixture of open and closed coaches seen here behind 'Sutton Flyer' along the ‘Bottom Straight’. - © John Tidmarsh Collection

Coach No.1 seen at Yarmouth before it's sale to Sutton, when it was part of a Petrol Electric Multiple Unit. - © John Tidmarsh Collection

For some time, the Sutton Miniature Railway also had a 3 coach rake of open coaches which came with 'Douglas Clayton' from the railway at Hardwick Manor. the third coach differed from the other two in that it had an enclosed guard's compartment at the back. These coaches were found to be very heavy and so S.M.R went about designing their own 'toastrack' style coaches, once the four new coaches had been completed, the Hardwick open coaches were sold to the Fairbourne Railway where, after several years use, they were scrapped.

The Hardwick coaches seen behind 'Sutton Belle'. - © John Tidmarsh Collection