Sample WR train formations from the age of steam

[Karhedron]

A recurring question that crops up on these boards is what sort of length and formation trains should be. Those of us who have been studying the real thing for any length of time usually know there are no hard and fast rules, particularly back when steam still reigned supreme.

 

However, I thought it would be useful to put together a sample of typical train formations. I am fortunate enough to have a Bristol carriage working program from 1951 from which I have culled several sample formations. Stock would likely have been a mishmash of different Collett designs at this date with a handful of newer Hawksworth and older toplight stock mixed in. Photos from the time show that GWR/WR rakes were rarely uniform except for a handful of toplink expresses or semi-permenent suburban rakes.

 

These formations date from 1951 but I suspect they originated with the GWR after WW2. Also I suspect many of them did not alter significantly before dieselisation based on photos. All that changed was the stock gradually got newer. The CWP runs to about 60 pages and I have not attempted to replicate it all here. Rather I have picked out some sample formations that are representative of crack expresses, inter-regional-trains, cross-country trains and local workings.

 

There are a couple of notes on guards' compartments. The GWR and early WR used the terminology "Brake" and "Van" to distinguish between vehicles that just had room for the Guard and those which also included a substantial space for luggage. Thus a Van Third would have more luggage space and less seating than a Brake Third. A modelling example from Hornby Hawkwsorth coaches would be that their Brake Composite is accurately named but that their Brake Third would originally have been termed a Van Third as it features a more substantial Guard's compartment. In order to keep things simple, I have reffered to everything as "brakes" as this is how most manufacturers refer to their products.

 

The CWP states that where possible, the Guard's compartment shall be marshalled on the outer edge of the formation. I.e. next to the loco if leading and at the end of the train if trailing.

 

Another interesting feature is the number or trains made of different portions for different destinations. We all know of famous splitting trains such as the Atlantic coast express but examing this CWP shows just how widespread the practice was. Where a train includes separate portions, I have put them on separate lines together with an indication of the destination for that portion. Even trains that did not split passenger accomodation might well include the odd siphon or full-brake being sent on to far flung destinations. This can be handy for space-starved modllers who still want a mainline feel as they can model just a portion of a larger train.

 

The single commonest formation is the 5 coach corridor set BTK TK CK TK BTK. This crops up on dozens of cross-country workings, often with strengthening vehicles or parcels stock attached. This is closely followed by a smaller cross country 3-car set BCK TK BTK. As can be seen, these sort of workings feature far less first class accomodation than express sets.

 

Suburban non-corridor sets.

B-set: BC - BC

M-set: BT - T - C - BT

K-set: BT - T - C - C - T - BT

W-set: BC - T - T - T - T - BT

 

Paddington - Swansea

BTK TK CK CK TK Siphon-G Diner FK CK BTK

 

Paddington - Bristol

BTK TK CK FK Composite Buffet CK TK BTK

 

Paddington - Cheltenham

BTK TK CK Composite Diner TK TK BTK

 

Paddington to Plymouth

BCK Diner (detached at Exeter)

BTK TK CK CK TK (core train)

TK TK (attached at Bristol)

BG (Bristol - Exeter only)

 

Paddington - Penzance

BTK TK CK Composite Diner TK BTK

BTK TK CK BTK (Kingswear portion)

 

Paddington - Carmarthen

BCK TK TK TK (Detached at Swansea)

BTK CK CK TK TK BTK

 

Weymouth to Paddington

PO stowage van (attached at Westbury)

BTK TK FK BTK

TK TK BCK TK (attached at Westbury)

 

Liverpool - Plymouth

BTK CK TK (attached at Crewe for Kingswear)

BTK CK TK (attached at Crewe)

BTK CK TK BTK (LMR stock)

 

Penzance - Liverpool

PO Sorting carriage (detached at Bristol)

TK CK BTK (attached at Plymouth)

TK CK BTK

BG (LMS stock)

BG Siphon-G

BG (Detached at Crewe for Glasgow)

BG (Detached at Bristol for Leeds)

BG (Detached at Bristol for Sheffield)

 

Bristol - Bedminster - Portsmouth circuar working

BTK TK CK TK BTK

Siphon G (Bristol to Portsmouth)

TK TK (Salisbury to Bristol)

Siphon G (Portsmouth to Bristol)

Gas tank (Weymouth to Bristol)

 

Cardiff - Bristol - Malago Vale circular working

TK BCK

 

Swindon - Hereford

BCK TK BTK

 

Cheltenham - Swindon

BTK TK CK BTK

[johnlambert]

Great stuff Karhedron!  Any chance you can add a reminder of the acronyms for coach designation for those of us who struggle to remember such things.

 

I'm guessing that:

B = Brake

T = Third

C = Composite

F = First

K = Corridor = gangway between vehicles

 

But you've got BK-BK for the B-set, shouldn't it be BC-BC for two non-gangwayed brake composites?

[rovex]

Comet give examples of coach formations in their build instructions for each coach type, which make useful reading

[Karhedron]

I'm guessing that:

B = Brake

T = Third

C = Composite

F = First

K = Corridor = gangway between vehicles

 

But you've got BK-BK for the B-set, shouldn't it be BC-BC for two non-gangwayed brake composites?

Correct in all cases. I have fixed the B-set typo in the original post. Thanks for spotting it.

[johnlambert]

Do you mind if I add some, taken from the book Last Years of Steam: Paddington - Wolverhampton by Laurence Waters.  I didn't see anything covering this route in your list.

 

1951 Paddington - Wolverhampton 9:00am the Inter City

BTK TK TK TK Diner FK FK BCK - with an additional FK on Mondays and Fridays

 

1959 Paddington - Wolverhampton

BSK SK SK SK SK, Second Restaurant Kitchen, Open First Restaurant, FK FK FK BCK

 

 

Birmingham suburban services to Leamington

SO BK Composite - with additional non-gangwayed vehicles to strengthen the service as required.

[keefer]

K = Corridor = gangway between vehicles

 

I don't know about GWR stock, but certainly on the introduction of BR 'standard' (mk1) stock in 1951, K = corridor stock, as in a side-corridor joining the vestibules/toilets/compartments of gangwayed stock. This was to distinguish such stock from 'open' stock (which until this time would be mainly vehicles used for dining)