The Coachmakers’ carriage driving bursary training 2026

On 14th-15th April 2026 the Coachmakers’ bursary training took place at Fenix Carriages Driving Centre near Wellington, Devon. The training offers potential four-in-hand coach drivers the opportunity to learn about coaches and coaching with the chance to drive a quality road coach and team on the final day.

The candidates this year were Lewis Ecclestone, an employee of the Royal Mews at Windsor Castle and 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 head horseman.

The instruction on the course was offered by Senior Warden Mark Broadbent and Robert Elliott with further help from Josiah Rowlands and 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 a cross section of special vehicles dating from the 1820s, with explanations as to their purpose, use, history and provenance. After that the training became desk-based with a 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 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 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 prepared and harnessed the horses under the eagle eyes of the instructors, the coach was brought out and prepared and the rain started, making the challenge of managing four slippery wet reins in one hand that little bit more difficult. Both trainees managed very well, drawing favourable comments from the trainers about their horsemanship and both sensitive and sympathetic rein handling.

After lunch there was a chance to learn about the other 20 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.

Lewis Ecclestone said: “Thank you and the Coachmakers’ Company, it was an amazing couple of days to be part of. It was a great course, full of information and practical knowledge passed on and ready to be put to use during this year’s coaching season which it most definitely will be and already I’ve not stopped talking about it and passing on the things I’ve learnt to colleagues, friends and family.”

Both bursary winners acquitted themselves very well.