John Dedman first started to take photos of coaches in the late 1970s,
mainly as references for modelling purposes. In British Coaching Stock,
he delves into his superb archive of unpublished images and shares a
wide variety of Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark 3 stock. Beginning with BR Mark
1 stock, John Dedman features the regular day-to-day vehicles alongside
photos of various types of restaurant, kitchen and buffet cars. Mark 1
sleeping cars are also included; so too are the XP64 prototypes that
were still in service in the period covered. Also featured are Mark 2
and Mark 3 coaches, as well as the Caledonian Sleeper with its
distinctive liveried Mark 3 sleeping cars and day coaches. Pullman
coaches from the traditional older vehicles to the Mark 2s, as used on
the Manchester Pullman service, also appear here, as do Royal Mail
Travelling Post Office sorting and stowage vans and parcels vehicles -
some of which are from the pre-1948 era railway companies. In addition
to this, John Dedman includes photographs of older coaches still running
on the main line today, usually in private charter and excursion trains.
