On the 14^th and 15^th April 2026 the Coachmaker’s bursary training took place at the Fenix Carriage Driving Centre near Wellington, Somerset. The training aims to offer potential four-in-hand coach drivers the opportunity to learn about coaches and coaching with the chance to drive a top-quality Road Coach and team on the final day.

The successful applicants this year were Mr Lewis Ecclestone, an employee of the Royal Mews at Windsor Castle and Mr Jack Gibson, an experienced young four-in-hand whip who has been seen showing a Hackney pony team and sometimes driving horse drawn funerals in London for Cribbs, a well-known East London funeral director, where his father is the head horseman.

The instruction on the course was offered by Mr Mark Broadbent and Mr Robert Elliott with further help from Mr Josiah Rowlands and Mrs Jo Broadbent.

After introductions the course started with a detailed examination and discussion among the four Road Coaches, three Park Drags and the Mail Coach housed at Fenix. It is a unique opportunity to get close to such a cross section of very varied and special vehicles dating from the 1820’s with explanations as to their purpose, use, history and provenance. After that the training became desk based with series of period pictures to discuss, books to look at and a demonstration on the history and use of the coach horn.

The afternoon was spent harnessing and driving a pair of horses to a brake to enable Mark Broadbent to assess the level of driving skill of the candidates before taking the coach out on day two with the four in hand horse team. Both candidates showed a high level of skill at pair driving and demonstrated enthusiasm and careful preparation for the training.

The afternoon finished with the chance to practice the skill of using, catching and furling a full-length four-in-hand whip in order to be able to maintain the attention of the horses without distressing any coach passengers! The evening was passed in the Half Moon pub in Clayhidon where conversation continued very much on a coaching theme.

The big event on day two was the chance to drive the Millennium Road Coach. The candidates started with further whip handling practice, this time sitting up on the box seat of a Coach. They then prepared and harnessed the horses under the eagle eyes of the instructors, and the Millenium Road Coach was brought out and made ready. But then the rain started, making the challenge of managing four slippery wet reins in one hand that little bit more difficult. Both of the trainees managed very well drawing favourable comments from the trainers about their horsemanship, and sensitive and sympathetic rein handling.

After lunch there was a chance to learn about the other twenty or so carriages in the coach house before setting off home with a sheaf of paperwork, a selection of coaching pamphlets and a reading list and an invitation to a Coachmakers Dinner in the City of London where they will receive their certificates.

Both the bursary winners acquitted themselves very well. I feel that many potential young four-in-hand drivers are unaware of  this Bursary training opportunity. I understand that application details can be obtained through the Coaching Club secretary, Lucy Cowdery, lucycowdery@aol.com.