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Shuswap man’s retro railcar-inspired tractor-trailer on the market for the right buyer

Richard Lawrence’s Notch Hill Express modelled after 1880 Pullman railcar

Richard Lawrence is looking for someone who shares his vision for the Notch Hill Express.

The Sorrento man has a few pieces from his collection of classic cars and boats on the market, including a unique 1962 Mercedes-Benz Unimog that was restored on the hit Tappen-filmed reality TV series Rust Valley Restorers, and a restored fiesta red 1956 Thunderbird. Lawrence is also looking for the right person or people for another unique piece, The Notch Hill Express Railway Show Case, a replica of an 1880 Pullman railway coach built from a 50-foot Kentucky trailer, pulled by a matching 2011 International LoneStar tractor.

In October 2022, Lawrence’s rolling creation caused a buzz when it was set up in downtown Salmon Arm while filming for Rust Valley Restorers was taking place. When filming stopped, the trailer, rich in mahogany, decor and details faithful to the era it was inspired by, was open to the public to walk through.

“It’s quite exciting that people like it,” said Lawrence at that time. “It’s nice to see people enjoy themselves.”

The Notch Hill Express has since made a number of public appearances and Lawrence said about 700 people have walked through and admired it.

A retired dock builder, Lawrence sees plenty of potential yet for the Notch Hill Express, and he’s looking for a buyer/buyers who see the same.

“There’s a lot of different things a person can do with it and I’m wondering if anyone is interested in doing some of those things…,” said Lawrence.

“It needs someone to set it up and to use it. I’m busy doing lots of different things so I don’t know if I have time to get it going the way I originally planned.”

Lawrence was open to renting the truck and trailer for things such as community events, and remains so while it’s on the market. If Lawrence does sell it, it will be to someone who appreciates his creation and the work that’s gone into it.

“What you find is, one person’s imagination is not another person’s, and what usually happens with things like this, you create it out of your imagination as it turns out now,” said Lawrence. “Somebody else would buy it and they would say, I want to change this and they would change all the curtains and change over all the furnished mahogany, paint it white or something, put wallpaper on it.

“Leave it the way it is and do what it was supposed to be made for, which is basically a lot of things. It’s a multi-functional trailer.”

The Notch Hill Express can be found on Facebook Marketplace under the title “2022 international lonestar 50’ kentucky trailer.”

Read more: Retro railcar-inspired Rust Valley reveal makes a stop at Salmon Arm farmers’ market

Read more: Rust Valley Restorers’ work will lead drive for attainable housing in Salmon Arm



lachlan@saobserver.net
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