Date: 25/05/2014

Mid Suffolk Light Railway is returning a 145-year-old horse box to work - believed to be the oldest in Britain. The dedicated team of volunteers have spent the last ten years painstakingly restoring the old horsebox back to its best. The railway, in Wetherinsett, got hold of the box after it was found on a farm in Quy, Cambridgeshire. The horsebox, which was built by SJ Clay in Derby in 1869, had been out of service for more than a century and was in a very poor state. But after hundreds of hours of work and plenty of elbow grease, the box will be unveiled and ready for use on Monday, May 26.

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Tweedmouth's A1 Pacific no 60137 Redgauntlet at Berwick in September 1962. On the far left is 78049, recently arrived with a train from St Boswells. In the bay is a horse box, once a common sight on the railways. Typically they were equipped to carry up to 3 horses, a groom, fodder and racing tack, with a compartment for the groom complete with bunk and toilet facilities.
Location: Berwick-upon-Tweed
Company: North British Railway
10/09/1962 R Sillitto/A Renfrew Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney)

B1 no 61349 climbs away from Tynehead station and past the signal box with a southbound train in April 1964, complete with a horse box marshalled next to the locomotive.
Location: Tynehead
Company: Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
/04/1964 Robin Barbour Collection (Courtesy Bruce McCartney)

Horses grazing on the slopes of the Eildon Hills are oblivious to the passage of the Peak-hauled down 'Waverley' leaving Melrose en route to Edinburgh. The train can be seen in the middle distance in this photograph thought to have been taken in April 1965. The Peaks were the staple motive power for this train from the start of dieselisation through to the very last train - hauled by D60 Lytham St Annes - famously stopped at the level crossing at Newcastleton by a community protest in the small hours of 6 January 1969 [see image 18723].
Location: Melrose
Company: Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
/04/1965 Frank Spaven Collection (Courtesy David Spaven)