Views of Dungeness’ shingled hinterland are framed by floor-to-ceiling glazing at this unusual beach property which envelops an 1880s train carriage.

The Kent property is for sale via The Modern House for £425,000. It is one of 30 homes on the Dungeness estate that have evolved from train carriages, purchased by railway workers in the 1920s, and relocated to shingle beach to be inhabited.

This particular two-bedroom carriage home has had just two owners in its lifetime and has 19th-century features such as etched glass, signwriting, wooden floor, doors and walls. A wood burner heats the entire cottage and this central space retains much of its rich Victorian heritage, having been stripped back and restored by its present custodian.

Through the carriage is a kitchen and dining room overlooking the beach and Channel beyond, with sliding glass doors leading onto the garden, planted with indigenous sea cabbages and dune flora.

Due to its unorthodox make-up, the Dungeness beach house is unlikely to be mortgageable – a major caveat for its future owner. However, its protected location, heritage and architecture intrigue add to its appeal.

Dungeness is Britain’s only desert – and it is abloom with contemporary architecture