Train Cottage

[HughieD]

Not your average derp that. Bit different - like it!

 

[rockfordstone]

very different that one, but very interesting, thanks

 

[shotgunmicky]

Wow nice find... a quirky little place, thanks for sharing.

Sent from my SM-G360H using Tapatalk

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Rather common in the 20's and 30's. At the time the Railway Companies did leave 'holiday' coaches in various rurally located sidings near to smaller stations, but other people followed suit and purchased the old wooden stock for homes - both holiday and permanent. A search of old land records and rail maps will indicate if these were original rail holiday coaches that have been purchased off the siding or if they were condemned stock purchased for a dwelling.

Nice set of images, good work.

 

[Rubex]

This place is brilliant and beautifully photographed by yourself! Excellent first report

 

[Sam Haltin]

That's a superb report. I have seen an extension to a house using an old railway carriage in Germany, but it was an extra room with a toilet. With this one it looks like the carriages came first and then the house was built over. The shed is quite unique, normally a wooden structure with a bench, but this one has a chimney. Thanks for posting. Unusual.

 

[Old Wilco]

Fantastic post and a brilliant find. Many thanks

 

[Jon6D]

Thats unusual, first time I've seen something like that, thanks Cat

 

[BikinGlynn]

Yes that's extraordinary as dirus said, probably quite common, but due to their construction cant imagine there are many left!
Excellent first report

 

[Potter]

Fantastic. This is the sort of place that should be saved in some form.

 

[Catweazle64]

Fantastic. This is the sort of place that should be saved in some form.

Indeed, I'm doing some research into it and so far it seems a little difficult to even locate any formal record of its existence although waiting for council record to come through. It used to have a sign up hand painted saying KEEP OUT. PRIVATE but that has long gone. I'll report back when I have anything worthy but I sense some local sensitivities!

 

[funnybunny5]

MY last comment got removed, please accept me as a friend @Catweazle64 I'm a local explorer that knows this place

 

[krela]

MY last comment got removed, please accept me as a friend @Catweazle64 I'm a local explorer that knows this place

Curious, in your last post which got removed you didn't know where it was and was asking for details. If you know this place you can share your information with us all.

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Indeed, I'm doing some research into it and so far it seems a little difficult to even locate any formal record of its existence although waiting for council record to come through.

HJ's comments about the shed could be a pointer to the original use of this dwelling, and why the records are somewhat lacking. This place was probably a smallholding that kept a few animals - the chimney in the shed was probably for a pig swill boiler. As I previously stated; rather common in the 20's and into the 30's as some ex military personnel struggled with civilian life, the coaches were delivered to the nearest siding and then dragged into the middle of no where. Ending up usually on what was farm land, very few raised the eyebrows of local authority - hence the very sparse records. There is usually a Railway Builder's Plate riveted on the underframe which will allow the original Rail Company to be found, if one can get at them - the original coach numbers will still be under the exterior paint no doubt, but will probably be difficult to find unless the light is right.

Interesting about the 'local sensitivity', I know of two similar locations where the structures were replaced by very large modern dwellings, without much planning hassle - a kind of 'squatter's rights' for old structures I suppose. Wonder if similar is going on here?

 

[Catweazle64]

Dirus, you could well be onto something although the current nearest rail line is several miles away and nothing I know of even used to come close. Interesting suggestion on the shed which is split into two the one with the chair is open but the one with the chimney appears locked although I suspect it has been more recently entered than the cottage has...curious

 

[Catweazle64]

For those interested I found this almost identical property (for rental incidentally)in Sussex. I almost thought it was the same place when I first saw it

category_2068_hallway-595x446 by Cat Weazle, on Flickr


A 'google' search reveal Dirus is correct in that they were used as a cheap alternative to standard homes in the 1900's then at some point after a stone/brick cottage was built around it. The one I found has water and electric too.

 

[DiggerDen]

What a wonderful find. Love it.

 

[Acguest]

Wow! What a unique place, thanks for sharing

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

I suspect one might/could find similar structures around the old Kent Hop Fields. Years ago I came across a book that outlined the history of the pickers that annually left the old London slums for the picking season, and it contained references to the farmers providing 'lodgings' for the working families - it being normal for the whole family to go picking. This went on from 1900 to 1935 - the period covered by the book, but obviously has been going on for years, right up to the present day (picking but not perhaps the large scale movement of cash strapped labour from one community. However; I do not know when the large annual migrations into the Kent countryside to live on the growing fields stopped. Obviously the demolition of the slums would have played its part, as would a general improvement in work prospects into the 40's and beyond.

 

[Bones out]

Thats a welcome first post indeed. I love it. Thank you.