Perth based 'Welly Boot Special'

[John M Upton]

Hello

 

In the current and previous editions of Rail Express there has been a picture and some information about a special three coach train used by the Perth Civil Engineers Department which was put together and hauled by whatever was available to transport engineers to and from sites of major works on the West Highland Line and elsewhere I suspect in the late 1970's and possibly into the early 1980's.

 

The only photo (the same appears in both issues) shows the formation of what appears to be a bog standard blue/grey BSK at one end, a reversed blue/grey Pullman Kitchen First (either E316 or E320) and a Mk1 SK or TSO on the other end.

 

This latter coach I would like to identify as it is a standard blue/grey Mk1 TSO or SK but has some Departmental writing on it at the far end so presumably was by then a DB975xxx number.

 

Does anyone know the identity of this coach and the lettering it carried please as I would like to replicate this interesting train for myself, the other two coaches being easily sourced but needing better details on the third.

 

Many thanks!

[young37215]

Hi John

 

The RE letter states that the consist was used on the Highland mainline in conjunction with the re-doubling of the line that took place in the late 70's. I am not sure that it would have been required on the WHL although I stand to be corrected. I will be delighted to be proved wrong as it is a an interesting looking consist and perfect for modelling. 

 

Rob

 

[John M Upton]

Indeed, I am applying Rule 1 here, an easy to assemble rake as all three coaches are available RTR, indeed I just picked up a cheap Pullman First Kitchen.

 

The areas needing attention are the number and lettering of that SK or SO and whether the Pullman still carried the Pullman markings and original number or they had been removed and renumbered in its DB975xxx guise by then.

 

I feel a major trawl of books, mags and the web coming up...

[young37215]

Rule 1 works every time for me. Enjoy your trawling, I spend many an hour doing just that. 

[forest2807]

I have just started researching this train, because, like the OP, I'd be interested in modelling it. As my first port of call in my research was this forum, obviously this thread appeared, so rather than start a similar thread I thought I would resurrect this one (hope you don't mind John). Has anybody got any further info on the train? On page 71 of B.J. Nicolle's 'The Last Years of the Class 25s' there is a photo of the train south of Pitlochry, hauled by 25239 as 2N31 on 31/07/1978. It is the usual formation. Any more info or answers to John's original questions would be most welcome.