Directors Saloon, North London Railway

Inspection saloon, North London Railway, No 1032, built in 1872 at Bow Works.

This coach was built at Bow Works under the direction of William Adams, for the use of the directors of the North London Railway during tours of inspection.

The body is made entirely of teak, a wood very suited to carriage construction. Teak was used by many railway companies because it is naturally oily and therefore more resistant to the effects of weather than other options such as oak or ash. The layout of the carriage is open, with upholstered settees and furnished to a high standard of decoration and a compartment for an attendant at one end. One distinctive feature is the patterned glass of the windows, which sets this directors' saloon apart from the NLR's normal passenger stock.

The North London Railway was merged with the London & North Western Railway in 1909.