Bid to save Queen Victoria's train carriage 'rotting' in field

Bert Conibear who owns the land wants to see the train carriage saved and restored

An abandoned royal carriage, once part of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Royal Train, is in "desperate need of renovation" says a land owner.

The carriage, now in a north Devon field, had been used as a skittle alley for about 90 years.

Bert Conibeer, owner of the land in Shirwell, said he was desperate to "stop the rotting" of the carriage.

He said: "To us, it looks in rather a poor state. But we've been told it is worth restoring."

The carriage has not been moved since its arrival in a field in north Devon in 1933

"We hope somehow that it can be saved. It is a piece of history and has paperwork to back it up," he added.

The royal train was built in 1897 and was also used four years later to bring mourners to Queen Victoria's funeral.

The carriage is registered as a listed building and was moved to North Devon in 1933, where it was used as a village skittle alley until 2014.

Historic England buildings inspector Simon Hickman said he would consider ideas that would lead to the "care and conservation" of the carriage.

He said: "We haven't been approached about the possibility of relocating the carriage to a heritage railway, but would be happy to consider any plans."

Mr Conibeer said he was keen to see the carriage taken away and restored by a heritage railway, but he acknowledged that it "might be a long shot".