Cambridgeshire farmer buys eight old train carriages to turn into Airbnb

A farmer has bought eight full-sized carriageways destined for scrap - with plans to turn them into a unique Airbnb.

Michael Sly snapped up the rolling stock after a tip-off from a friend that they were being sold.

The carriages, from the renowned Intercity 125 trains, along with some segments of track, have been transported to his farm at Thorney, near Peterborough.

And he is now dreaming of turning them into first-class accommodation of a more static kind.

"Many people would think 'he's gone barking mad' but sometimes in life the opportunities are there and you just need to take those opportunities," said Mr Sly, 54.

"If they hadn't been sold and moved on, they would have gone to south Wales for scrapping and recycling, so it is good that we will be able to preserve them."

A couple of the carriages are first-class buffet cars and still have all the tables, toilets and kitchen facilities from their working days.

Mr Sly is convinced they can be transformed into holiday homes.

"There's 600 square feet of space within each carriage when it's stripped out, so there's quite a lot of accommodation space," he said.

If Mr Sly achieves his ambition, his Airbnb will take its place alongside some of the more unusual accommodation on offer in the region.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that a groundkeeper's cottage on the late Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk was available to rent.

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