The case for CIWL Night Sleeper Coaches

[47137]

8 hours ago, Wickham Green said:

...

6686 might have been standby for the 'Ferry' 'til '66 but Mk1 BCKs were the normal choice once they appeared - latterly in blue/grey, of course, which 6686 never carried..

 

I am confident, there were two Mk1 BCKs allocated to the Night Ferry. Each had a modified gangway at one end (possibly both ends) to connect to a Type F sleeper.

 

What is unclear to me, is the liveries carried. Every photo I can find shows the Mk1 BCKs in blue and grey. Perhaps, someone can confirm whether these two coaches ever carried another livery (green maybe?) whilst in service on the Night Ferry. This is quite important to me, as I have an embrionic Mk1 BCK underway in 1:87 scale for my own 'Night Ferry'. It would be a lot easier to paint it green, but I have a feeling it has to be blue and grey.

 

- Richard.

[The Stationmaster]

14 hours ago, 47137 said:

 

I am confident, there were two Mk1 BCKs allocated to the Night Ferry. Each had a modified gangway at one end (possibly both ends) to connect to a Type F sleeper.

 

What is unclear to me, is the liveries carried. Every photo I can find shows the Mk1 BCKs in blue and grey. Perhaps, someone can confirm whether these two coaches ever carried another livery (green maybe?) whilst in service on the Night Ferry. This is quite important to me, as I have an embrionic Mk1 BCK underway in 1:87 scale for my own 'Night Ferry'. It would be a lot easier to paint it green, but I have a feeling it has to be blue and grey.

 

- Richard.

When I travelled on it in the 1970s the BR vehicles in the formation were in blue & grey livery - although that is hardly surprising by then of course.

[47137]

"For those who would like to see a RTR model Type F in 4mm scale".

 

I've put in an entry for the Cake Box Challenge using one of the coaches by LS Models. Now, it would be a little forward for me to say "vote for me" but of course, if this model got enough votes then one of the RTR manufacturers might notice the demand and enthusiasm, and set about making one.

 

The entry is called "City Breaks in London and Paris" and it has a build thread too.

 

Voting seems to be beginning on Friday.

 

The link for voting is here, at the foot of the first topic:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/148129-cake-box-round-3-voting/

 

- Richard.

Edited October 12, 2019 by 47137

[rogace]

Re Hornby doing an OO RTR CIWL Type F Night Ferry Sleepers   - is there anymore hint that they, or someone else will commission these iconic coaches and the luggage vans to go with them?

We have had a field day with Southern modelling prototypes in the past 10 years, so the Night Ferry would be I think, a welcome addition which can be used for modelling during the periods both pre and post war right up to the blue grey period.
We have the loco's and all if not most of the accompanying British coaches (RB RFO Buffets, BCK etc.)

Would be great....

[Wickham Green too]

I'd hold your breath until the Restaurant Car is re-vamped as a 1947 Buffet Car conversion ......... if that happens, it'll couple to one of the recent Dining Cars ( as a Dining First ) between the 'ferry' and 'stayathome' portions.

 

( Of course it'll not happen 'til I progress my Kirk diner kits and MARC sleepers to accompany Pullman 'Monaco'.)

[deepfat]

Just to refresh this a Lord Nelson with smoke deflectors pulling a Night Ferry.  Why they can' make these instead of stealing of invading Hatton's turf so we have more choice is beyond me 

 

[SteveyDee68]

The Type F sleeper and the various fourgons (plus the SR birdcaged brake van) are all available as 1:76 body shells on Shapeways, through the efforts of one of our very own RMWeb members.

 

However, underframes, bogies, wheels etc must all then be sourced/built, so these offerings are definitely “aids to scratchbuilding” rather than RTR.

 

I hesitate to embark upon such a project due to (a) total cost per vehicle, (b) lack of skills (I could see myself easily messing up some quite costly components!) and (c) the application of $od’s Law, which means the moment I get half way through such a project that Hornby will finally announce they are producing them!

 

It would be wonderful if Hornby announced them, but currently they seem more interested in Era 1 models!

 

I can live in hope!

 

Steve S

[maico]

A pretty smooth operation getting the CIWL coaches onto the ferry at night. Some would of slept right through it.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2021 by maico

[Neil]

Lovely film Link Span, full of charm not just the Night Ferry but freight operations too. Here's my almost completed Night Ferry brake.

 

 

The roof has since been painted but it still awaits some weathering.

[SteveyDee68]

On 07/04/2021 at 18:51, maico said:

A pretty smooth operation getting the CIWL coaches onto the ferry at night. Some would of slept right through it.

 

 

 

As a musician as well as a railway enthusiast, I find the music of this film by Edward Williams always catches my ear. The opening music, full of chord clusters and big, stirring melodic themes is typical of this genre of 'documentary' type film of the period, almost as if there is a 'house style' that composers of the time followed -"Listen, old chap, we want stirring tunes to emphasise how boldly we are moving foward into the future, but nothing mushy or Land of Hope & Gloryish - we need to emphasise how we work hand in hand with our European allies commercially, bright future, hard work, what what?"

 

But then, as soon as anything references trains or cities, the music breaks into a Gershwinesque blues-based style - it's almost pastiche - "Write something that makes people think of that American in Paris, very popular that music, very evocative, but we're not paying American rates you know!"

 

I might do some research and see if someone has a score for this somewhere - would make an interesting piece to play live (although the horn players would not be overly thrilled, as the composer seems to like having them start melodies high in their range!)

 

Steve S

[miles73128]

I wonder….

New edition of Hornby The Collector, page 49 an article about catalogues by SK.   
“but here is a tip, if you look carefully you might even spot clues as to what may appear in future years”

7 illustrated with 2018 at the top. LN with……