Stockton & Darlington Railway 4-wheeled composite carriage

Railway carriage, No 31, four wheeled, composite (1st & 2nd Class), built for Stockton & Darlington Railway, by Homer & Wilkinson of Darlington in 1846.

This coach is a typical mid-nineteenth century four wheeler. By the 1840s, the first experimental period of railway carriage construction was reaching its close and most standard gauge systems in Britain had adopted a three-compartment four-wheeled vehicle.

The carriage underframe is of timber, to a design widely adopted for both carriages and goods wagons. The body is rather small, though larger than that of some contemporary vehicles. Compartment headroom is restricted to allow for luggage being carried, and the guard riding on the rood. Road coach influence is evident in the design.

The first class compartment has upholstered seats without armrests, carpeted floors, padded door panels and decoratively painted ceiling. Curtains are also fitten, running on a wooden rail fixed above the door and windows. Second class compartments have wooden plank seats without any attempt at shaping.