“The United States National Park Service, which operates ‘The Rock’, is planning to convert part of the prison into a hotel so that visitors can enjoy a fuller experience of the island.

Overnight guests would not, however, sleep in the cell blocks that once housed notorious criminals such as Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly or “Birdman of Alcatraz” Robert Stroud.

Instead the hotel would probably be housed in another part of the infamous penitentiary, Building 64, which housed the guards and boasts impressive views across the San Francisco bay.

Alcatraz Island is one of San Francisco’s most popular draws, attracting more than 1.4 million tourists a year to its cellblock tours. But the National Park Service is keen to let visitors explore the rest of the 12-acre island, with its unusual scenery and wildlife, as well as areas currently closed to the public, such as the prison cinema.

“People are constantly saying they want to see more of the island,” said Rich Weideman, a National Park Service spokesman. “A hotel would be the ultimate experience in visitor access.”

Alcatraz, which became a military prison in 1861 at the start of the Civil War, was a federal prison from 1933 until 1963. Officials claimed escape was impossible because of the strong tides and cold temperatures of the surrounding waters – and there were no successful breakouts.

Alcatraz has featured in several films including 1979′s Escape From Alcatraz starring Clint Eastwood and The Rock, with Sean Connery, which was released in 1996.”

Source: Daily Telegraph

Today, the island is a historic site operated by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is open to tours. Visitors can reach the island by ferry ride from Pier 33, near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

If you are a railway buff or are seeking unusual accommodation for your next holiday then why not consider renting an old railway carriage or perhaps a disused station or waiting room?

The idea is not new, as The Times newspaper recently wrote about the two 19th-century railway carriages in West Wittering in West Sussex “that were turned into a seaside holiday home after the First World War [and] have [now] been saved from the scrapheap. : (Source: Times OnLine, May 19th 2008.

Today, there are several locations to choose from, in the Uk and a little further afield. We offer some examples that captured our attention during our resarch:

Rail Leisure, Lincolnshire

Located in a quiet leafy corner of Lincolnshire the Station Master’s House and The Old Station Yard is ideally situated for the rail enthusiast or more demanding holidaymaker. The holiday homes are trackside, adjacent to The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, a working heritage line with steam and diesel running days, steeped in character and history.

Rail Holiday, Cornwall

This family enterprise based in Cornwall offers you a choice of 3 sympathetically restored carriages:

- a BR Mark 1 Corridor Coach adjacent to the platform at Hayle railway station. This carriage retains most of its original features and is within easy walking distance of the golden sands of Hayle beach

- a Travelling Post Office located on a railway siding adjoining the platform at the village station of St Germans (South East Cornwall)

- an Old Luggage Van located on a delightful site at the western end of St Germans Station

The Old Station, Waiting Room and Carriages at Heacham

The Old Station was once part of the King’s Lynn to Hunstanton Railway Line and although the last train left Heacham Station on 3 May 1969, thanks to Dr Beeching’s cuts, this quaint English railway station refused to fade away and has provided quality self-catering holiday accommodation for many years.

Aberporth Express, Wales

Enjoy some of the finest views in Wales from The Aberporth Express – a converted Edwardian railway carriage located on the coastal footpath between the sandy beaches at Aberporth and Tresaith.

Our railway carriage was built around 1905 as a sleeper coach that travelled on the Great Western Railway. This particular coach was called ‘Wendy’ after the character in Peter Pan (published the year before) and travelled the length and breadth of the Great Western line between England and Wales, Wendy retired from service in 1937. She has lovingly been restored back to her 1930s condition. In 2007 she featured in a review in The Guardian newspaper.

Titley Junction Station

Welsh Marches hospitality awaits you in the glorious setting of Titley Junction Station. Located in the most rural of England ‘s counties, Herefordshire.

Our beautiful restored 1930′s L.M.S. Railway Carriage has been sympathetically converted to a superior self catering camping coach and sleeps up to 4 adults.

The carriage once formed part of the famous and glittering Silver & Blue liveried “Coronation Scott Express Train” which travelled the prestigious West Coast Main Line in the “Great Race To The North” between London and Glasgow in the 1930′s.

The interior of the carriage retains many of the original fixtures and fittings from an earlier conversion in the 1950′s and provides comfortable accommodation for families and couples. There are two bedrooms:
Bedroom

Coalport Station, Severn Valley

Set in the scenic beauty of the Severn Valley Coalport Station is one of England’s most romantic secrets. Up until 1968 Coalport Station was served by the line running from Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth. The station however is now a home, and host to two fabulous carriages located only yards from a river itself surrounded by trees and away from any bustle.

Los Dos Vagones, Magdalena, Argentina

If you fancy combining your railway interest with a trip to South America then the Rural Tourist Lodge “Los Dos Vagones” ( The Two Boxcars) might be just the ticket (pardon the pun!).

The Lodge is located in the County of Magdalena, which together with the neighboring county of Punta Indio holds an interesting past, part of the Argentine history. They also share international recognition due to the preservation of its natural resources, such as the “Parque Costero del Sur”, declared Natural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, an excellent place to birdwatch and to admire wild nature.

The recycled railroad boxcars have a maximum capacity of 6 persons each and consists of two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, air conditioning and all the usual basic features to make your stay confortable.

Do it yourself

If this article has captured your imagination and you fancy owning your own disused railway carriage to convert as a holiday home then these links may provide a useful starting point:

C.A.R. Services Ltd

A supplier of railway rolling stock & Electrical Power Supply Equipment

Making Tracks for Home

An interesting article in the Daily Telegraph by Adam Edwards who looks at disused railway homes up for grabs.

Railserve Directory

A comprehensive directory of links for all things related to railways.

The Telegraph has an excellent article if you are interested in renting a holiday home with its own mooring facilities. Written by Louise Roddon, the article desctribes the advantages of being able to sail or paddle up to your own jetty to reach the confort, and warmth of a cosy holiday cottage.

Such holiday home/mooring combinations can be found around the UK. For instance, the shores of Derwentwater in the Lake District offers what Louise describes as “just the right atmospheric backdrop for nostalgic boating holidays”.