BR Mark ones converted into GUVs and parcel vans

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, griffgriff said:

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

Those windows are reminiscent of an RMB but are too close to the centre of the coach - maybe a different catering vehicle at one time ? 

The photo was taken on the last day of 1981 and the '82 Platform 5 lists Club cars S99645/6 & Exhibition coach S99647 converted at Salisbury in '81 : while the first two were Restaurant Buffets S1765/6 on Commonwealth bogies I think the other one - former BSK S34629 is the more likely for this conversion ! ( I was more interested in the surrounding Staniers, at the time, and two very nearly made it into preservation at the Mad Hints - unfortunately the inhabitants of Blazingsmoke only left us with a couple of smouldering wrecks.)

Edited May 29, 2020 by Wickham Green too
bogies

[Steamport Southport]

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/

 

 

I like the note on the instructions of the Comet Models version.

 

 

Given the lack of transparency of the windows in this vehicle, the modeller may decide not to construct an interior.

 

 

 

http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/data/Catalog/pdf/B22.pdf

 

 

 

Jason

[Pandora]

On 28/05/2020 at 19:13, Ken.W said:

 

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.

 

 

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

I recall bullion coach as an extra in a train of a passenger working on the ECML,  from memory coupled immediately behind the loco (class 47)  perhaps they ran as extras when empty,  but when loaded ran as the specials you describe

Edited May 30, 2020 by Pandora

[Pandora]

did BR have a cinema coach? I recall a cinema coach at Derby Works in 1967

[chrisf]

Yes - W1012, an early Restaurant Second Open.  It was part of the Westward Television exhibition train in 1961.  I understand that it survives at the northern bit of the Great Central.

 

Chris

[Ken.W]

On 28/05/2020 at 21:37, Wickham Green too said:

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.

 

Thanks. I'd assumed them to be conversions, as certainly wern't standard freightliners - it (or they) were 'single' vehicles whereas the freightliner vehicles were in fixed sets of 3 or, mostly, 5. Also the permitted speed was higher than the freightliner's 75.

 

8 hours ago, Pandora said:

I recall bullion coach as an extra in a train of a passenger working on the ECML,  from memory coupled immediately behind the loco (class 47)  perhaps they ran as extras when empty,  but when loaded ran as the specials you describe

 

I certainly don't recall ever seeing them in normal passenger trains, and that was was the only occasion I remember seeing one.

Thinking about it, it occurs the timing may be significant;

It must have been late 70s / early 80s, as I was the secondman;

So, at that time most / all daytime ECML trains would have been HSTs

[Wickham Green too]

1 hour ago, Ken.W said:

 

Thanks. I'd assumed them to be conversions, as certainly wern't standard freightliners -.......

 

As Paul confirmed - a few posts back -  these were, indeed, conversions - but from passenger stock rather than Freightliner flats.

[John M Upton]

Checking the literature, SLB type bullion vans 99200 to 99204 were all converted from Southern Region allocated BSK's (acquiring an extra toilet window at the compartment end in the process) numbers 35020, 35021, 35000, 34994 and 34995 respectively.

 

The BFB Bullion Flats are definitely Mk1 coach underframes but I cannot find any details of the donor vehicles other than they were from the same build (Lot No. 30229) of BSK's as the vans.

 

Lot 30229 also provided the donors for 4-TC's 4-REP's and some big rebuilds into Post Office Stowage Vans whilst others were converted for Exhibition Stock.  Busy little batch!

Edited May 30, 2020 by John M Upton

[hmrspaul]

16 hours ago, Pandora said:

did BR have a cinema coach? I recall a cinema coach at Derby Works in 1967

There was a BR Mk1 conversion to a Cinema coach - DB975073 from 24147. It was from the very early lot 30002 and I remember Keith Parkin was excited to see it retained an original door window https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/departmental975000/e48bc5434

 

Paul

[Halvarras]

14 hours ago, hmrspaul said:

There was a BR Mk1 conversion to a Cinema coach - DB975073 from 24147. It was from the very early lot 30002 and I remember Keith Parkin was excited to see it retained an original door window https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/departmental975000/e48bc5434

 

Paul

 

This will be the genuine DB975073 as opposed to the imposter below, which I photographed at Truro on 25/8/70. According to railcar.co.uk W55001 was transferred to departmental use in July 1969 and carried the wrong number until April 1971 when it was changed to DB975023. Whether this was due to somebody misreading somebody else's handwriting or a proper error in official paperwork will probably never be known, but I was sufficiently interested in seeing a departmental unit to shoot that instead of 853 Thruster on the right, or D6337 apparently marshalling 853's train in the background - sadly this is what happens when familiarity breeds contempt! (In 1971 this scene was to change dramatically, and the up main visible here was blocked off by a building.)

 

 

Another Mark 1 weirdo - M2990 classified SD - Saloon Discotheque! According to the RCTS Coaching Stock book 1976 edition this was converted from SO M3735 in 1973 (with "no seats" - dance until you drop!?), so when I saw it at St Pancras on 3/3/73 it must have been only recently released. My notebook says the train, headed by ex-works 1737, was the new 'League Liner' and the disco coach carried the title 'Kick Off Disco'. Keith Parkin mentions this on page 198 of his famous tome and that three of the other vehicles were most likely FOs M3023/8/9 which, to quote Cliff Richard, were 'wired for sound'! And stereo sound at that, with '23 even having a video recorder 'studio' and 4 colour TVs (and remember, we're not talking flat-screen here either - I'm surprised it wasn't on B5 bogies!!)

[luckymucklebackit]

Exhibition train formed of converted mark 1s aut Glasgow Central

 

Jim

[hmrspaul]

2 hours ago, luckymucklebackit said:

Exhibition train formed of converted mark 1s aut Glasgow Central

 

Jim

Looks like the Rail Ambassador train https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brexhibitiontrain/e2ed22c6

 

Paul

[montyburns56]

21 hours ago, hmrspaul said:

Looks like the Rail Ambassador train https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brexhibitiontrain/e2ed22c6

 

Paul

 

Was that used to transport their supply of Ferro Rocher?

 

There's also another picture of part of it here which seems to be a reliveried unmodified MK1 SK.

 

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3282711

 

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by montyburns56

[John M Upton]

Not completely unmodified, the middle door looks to have been removed in that picture. 

[montyburns56]

On 03/06/2020 at 19:03, John M Upton said:

Not completely unmodified, the middle door looks to have been removed in that picture. 

 

Yeah, now that I look more closely it seems that the centre door has been blanked off. Also I've found some more picture of the rest of the train on Flickr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

On 31/05/2020 at 16:00, Neil Phillips said:

 

 

Another Mark 1 weirdo - M2990 classified SD - Saloon Discotheque! According to the RCTS Coaching Stock book 1976 edition this was converted from SO M3735 in 1973 (with "no seats" - dance until you drop!?), so when I saw it at St Pancras on 3/3/73 it must have been only recently released. My notebook says the train, headed by ex-works 1737, was the new 'League Liner' and the disco coach carried the title 'Kick Off Disco'. Keith Parkin mentions this on page 198 of his famous tome and that three of the other vehicles were most likely FOs M3023/8/9 which, to quote Cliff Richard, were 'wired for sound'! And stereo sound at that, with '23 even having a video recorder 'studio' and 4 colour TVs (and remember, we're not talking flat-screen here either - I'm surprised it wasn't on B5 bogies!!)

 

The Disco coach has come up before with video footage as well ISTR.

 

It was used on football specials and was attempt to get families to travel on them rather than just lads. With the thinking that they will behave if there are women and children present.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/125656-br-mk1-discotheque-coach/

 

 

Jason

[montyburns56]

Former Mk.1 Bullion Van 99203

 

 

Former Mk.1 Bullion Van 99200