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Plymouth Millbay - any 70' toplight "Fishguard" stock, Clerestory 1sts or Director Saloons?


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I am working on several possible rakes for Ocean Traffic in 1929-1932 and started a thread many moons ago about the Super Saloons (and we diverted to Pullmans) here... 

 

 

I have recently been re-reading some of my Harris books and there were two types of coach in particular that I would love to represent at this time, although there is no evidence I can find that they were used on these trains. In 1928-1930, there were c250 ships that arrived per year, and up to 5 trains run for each ship, so I can always use modellers licence, but if there is some actual evidence, I am always keen to find it.

 

In 1911, sets of 70' toplights were made specifically for the Fishguard traffic, and included magnificent 70' Firsts (A10) and Brake 1sts (A11). But after WW1, I believe Cunard stopped going to Fishguard and all traffic was now via Plymouth. As such I would expect these coaches found their way onto that route. Does anybody know if this is the case and whether there are any photos to back this up?

 

My other question is linked to the early Clerestory stock. One photo I have of one of the Ocean Mails coaches which was taken at Millbay, clearly shows a clerestory attached, both of them repainted in the simpler post-1927 livery and apparently taken in 1935. https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs/70-apos-rfbk-gw-8303-diag-h20-at-train-end-plymouth-millbay-f3r-kitchen-side-brake-end-nearest-part-clerestory-car-right.html

 

I can guess which diagram the clerestory may be, but it made me wonder if the wonderful Directors Saloons were also ever used in these boats. Again, to my mind, it stands to logic that this sort of traffic would have had reason to use a saloon like this, but again I have no evidence.  Can anyone help?

 

 

 

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Regarding the Fishguard stock:

Russell has a photo of 8192 at Worcester "in the Cheltenham Flyer rake" (undated but in GWR livery) and a photo of W8178, one of the Brake 1sts, at Henley in 1960.

According to Longworth all of the vehicles survived into BR ownership.

Not much help but maybe the locations mentioned will give you further leads.

 

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TTBOMK only one Cunard liner ever called at Fishguard on only one occasion in 1907, the ship being RMS Mauretania.  The ship anchored inside the breakwaters but did not moor.  

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13 hours ago, The Johnster said:

TTBOMK only one Cunard liner ever called at Fishguard on only one occasion in 1907, the ship being RMS Mauretania.  The ship anchored inside the breakwaters but did not moor. 

Cunard liners Mauritania, Lusitania, and Acquitania called at Fishguard from 30 August 1909 (when Mauritania first called) up to the outbreak of the First World War, when they were withdrawn and refitted as merchant cruisers/transports.

 

Special boat trains carried passengers to London, but as many were Americans going on to the continent, the GWR and SE&CR introduced a new train by October 1910 to meet the channel ferries at Dover. This six car train (mainly clerestories) went by way of Reading and Redhill over the SE&CR. If there was not enough traffic for the full train, then a first class carriage was dropped at Reading and taken on from there with a dining car and brake added.

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