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BR Mark ones converted into GUVs and parcel vans


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First example that springs to mind would be the Courier Van.  BSK's which were converted.

 

Toilet and first seating compartment were retained. Second and fourth compartment windows plated over and a roller shutter door inserted into the third.

 

TOPS code NNX I think.

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Depending on what you mean by non-passenger use then HST barrier coaches would qualify - at least three of the East Coast stock came from Mk1 conversions.

 

Also Doncaster / Crewe works test trains had Mk1s but not sure if this involved plating over windows.

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There were also the Bullion coaches,  gangway  end connections not present to isolate the coach from the train, the  windows were for a compartment for the Police attendants, the coach floors were improved  "belt and braces"  in case of floor failure and the cargo falling through. Unsure as if they were conversions or as built specials.

These coaches would travel in regular service trains as extras to a formation, they ran on the ECML from my personal sightings, when were they last used? 

postscript:  one is preserved, see link for a short history:  https://www.nlr.org.uk/about-nlr/stock-list/coaches/br-mk-1-vxx-bullion-van-№889301/

 

CS0326.jpg

Edited by Pandora
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21 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

There was a solitary coach converted into a van, and diagrammed to work from Banbury and Coventry; presumably intended for the mail-order traffic from Kaleidoscope. I have the number somewhere.

Was that the plastic ( GRP ) bodied conversion ? - if not, that's one more. 

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1 hour ago, Fat Controller said:

There was a solitary coach converted into a van, and diagrammed to work from Banbury and Coventry; presumably intended for the mail-order traffic from Kaleidoscope. I have the number somewhere.

 

Sounds like you're referring to the BRUTE carrier E85000 (converted from CK 15170), which I did indeed see at Banbury in the 1970s, and once at Didcot I think. Its flat sides and minimal windows would make it an interesting and cheap conversion of an old Mainline or Lima Mark 1 with the sides cut away, if one's modelling 1970-82 and fancies a bit of basic scratchbuilding. Mr Bartlett has a nice collection of images of this vehicle.

 

35 minutes ago, Wickham Green too said:

Of course there was a whole fleet of Generating Steam Vans converted from BSKs & BCKs : - 

 

2541.17_;_DSC_0042.JPG

 

Mostly if not all in Ireland, as shown. Over here in the 1980s we had Generator Van ADB975325, converted from BG 81448 which enabled non-ETH locos to haul ETH stock. I believe this vehicle is still in service with a charter company, numbered 6310?? This was one conversion I did do, to a Lima BG and had an article on it published in Railway Modeller in the late 80s, although it was of course over scale length.

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The courier and bullion vans are the obvious ones.

 

There's also those converted from Mk1 based EMU and DMU. The Propelling Control Vehicles (PCV) were converted from class 307 driving trailers for example. Several types of multiple unit were converted to parcels use.

 

There were also conversions within the Mk1 parcels vans. Some BGs had corridor connections removed. Some GUV had them added. Both underwent conversion to "Super" status with the plating over of some windows and fitting of roller shutters.

 

Steven B.

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I have done a cut and shut to do the bullion van on the right and a bash of another BSK to create the Courier Van on the left.

 

Never did get around to applying the white lining though!

20200527_181112.jpg.00118e890a4a9cb57d85fc1a4a1843a9.jpg

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8 hours ago, Neil Phillips said:

Generator Van ADB975325, converted from BG 81448 which enabled non-ETH locos to haul ETH stock.

This van was a one-off vehicle which supplied the 415V 3-phase ETH for HST coaches. It was to enable locos to haul HST sets, firstly due to the late delivery of power cars in the early-'80s but saw further use later on if there was a power car shortage for some reason.

Several BGs were converted later to provide ETH for normal loco-hauled trains e.g. Anglo-Scottish sleepers (or more recently, charter trains etc.).

These were numbered in the 63xx series (i.e. revenue stock not departmental) as they required main-line level maintenance scheduling.

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12 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Of course there was a whole fleet of Generating Steam Vans converted from BSKs & BCKs : - 

 

2541.17_;_DSC_0042.JPG


That looks decidedly odd, without the usual Pullman gangway!

 

 

Regards

 

Dan

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8 hours ago, Dan Randall said:


That looks decidedly odd, without the usual Pullman gangway!

 

Indeed - like the Maunsell coaches the Southern built for through working to the GWR & LMS : they were never converted to 'standard', even when gangway adaptors became commonplace.

The odd thing about the Irish vans is that the need for Pullman-gangwayed Genny vans to run with MkII aircon stock was satisfied by heavily rebuilding some of the 'Dutch' vans rather than retro-fitting Mk1s.

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On 27/05/2020 at 08:55, SP Steve said:

Depending on what you mean by non-passenger use then HST barrier coaches would qualify - at least three of the East Coast stock came from Mk1 conversions.

 

Also Doncaster / Crewe works test trains had Mk1s but not sure if this involved plating over windows.

 

Pretty sure the Doncaster Works test train had plated windows

Would often see it work up to Newcastle with a 50 on when they were doing the refurbs. Would use the goods lines behind the station and out over the other bridge to return without running round.

 

On 27/05/2020 at 09:58, Pandora said:

There were also the Bullion coaches,  gangway  end connections not present to isolate the coach from the train, the  windows were for a compartment for the Police attendants, the coach floors were improved  "belt and braces"  in case of floor failure and the cargo falling through. Unsure as if they were conversions or as built specials.

These coaches would travel in regular service trains as extras to a formation, they ran on the ECML from my personal sightings, when were they last used? 

postscript:  one is preserved, see link for a short history:  https://www.nlr.org.uk/about-nlr/stock-list/coaches/br-mk-1-vxx-bullion-van-№889301/

 

CS0326.jpg

 

I was on, as a secondman, a train with one of these once, but that was run as a special train, not in a passenger train.

Light engine, a 31 I think, off Gateshead to TCFD (Park Lane) yard, where the train, along with half the local Police force, was waiting.

The train was one of these vans, plus one or two, loaded, converted fraightliner flats.

Then off to York or Doncaster with it, and I presume it continued on to London.

Would have been late 70s / early 80s

Edited by Ken.W
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I think the works test trains initially used whatever spare/redundant stock was lying around but as this decreased it made sense to retain a rake of stock specifically for this use.

Would certainly make it easier to have the required no. of coaches available and to keep track of maintenance etc.

Going into Sectorisation they would avoid the added cost of hiring in the stock, which although possibly redundant, still 'belonged' to someone else.

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4 minutes ago, keefer said:

I think the works test trains initially used whatever spare/redundant stock was lying around but as this decreased it made sense to retain a rake of stock specifically for this use.

Would certainly make it easier to have the required no. of coaches available and to keep track of maintenance etc.

Going into Sectorisation they would avoid the added cost of hiring in the stock, which although possibly redundant, still 'belonged' to someone else.

 

I remember using the Doncaster MK2 test train to test the second batch of DRS class 20s in early 98

It was all played up and the only access to it was for the handbrake in the former Guards compartment but there was no access into the train from there.

Not sure what happened to that train

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2 hours ago, Ken.W said:

..... one or two, loaded, converted fraightliner flats.....

There MAY have been 'converted' freightliner flats - but there were four purpose-built bullion flats ( B99500-3  ) built at Derby in 1971 : B5 bogies enabled these to run fast enough to keep ahead of the felons.

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I thought the Doncaster Trial train was a grey painted rake with BRML on the side ?

 

maybe ive confused the memory.

 

Werent various weedkiller coaches converted from mk1’s, and electrification train coaches ?

 

Then theres the exhibition train, barrier vehicles, shed stores coaches... pretty sure if you look round the network theres probably a few mk1’s in non-commercial use on the network.. A few months back I went past NL and saw a regional railways mk2, a 4 wheeled box van and more.

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10 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

One more category of MK1 conversions hasn't been mentioned, I don't think : Exhibition Vans ! - 

 

b48.32.jpg

That’s an interesting vehicle. I remember the exhibition stock well from living in Salisbury (where this photo was taken) but don’t recall a coach with windows cut in that position. I wonder which train this was used for?
 

Griff

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