In a time before the provision of pit-head baths it was illegal to travel in a normal service train in working clothes, so special trains were provided, usually of the railway company's most ancient coaches.
At a time when public bathing facilities did not exist or were not readily available, regulations prohibited people from traveling on standard passenger trains while wearing everyday, work-related clothing. To address this issue, special trains were created, typically utilizing the oldest and most historic carriages in the railway's inventory.