MK 1 BR BRAKE CARRIAGES (SEVERAL!)

[kenw]

Cheers chaps! I think I just made "BSK" up! Duh! :-o

 

Here's a more accurate version:

Not at all, you haven't made anything up;

"BSK" is a Brake Second Corridor, so does exist, although not what you have. Mk1 BSK's had 4 compartments and a longer van.

 

Yours are, as corrected, BCK, Brake Composite Corridor, so should be described as composite not 'first class' as they contain both 1st and 2nd. The two central compartments, with yellow stripe above windows, are the first class, the end three are second class.

 

On second class opens, the TSO "Tourist Second Open" was most common, these  have 2 + 2 seating either side of the isle, so 64 seats, the SO "Second Open" had 2 + 1 seating either side of the isle (48 seats) and were often used as dining cars.

 

Incidentally, the K for corridor designation in carriage codes refers to stock with a side corridor and seating in compartments, as opposed to "O" for open stock with central isle and seating bays, and not to the 'corridor' or gangway between vehicles.

Non-gangwayed stock simply had neither the 'K' or 'O' suffix. eg a non-gangway full second would just be "S"

 

Another couple of codes you asked about previously, "2SK" quoted in a train formation was 2 x "SK"s, and

"RMB" is Restaurant Miniature Buffet, the one the basically "TSO" but with a buffet bar in place of the 3rd and 4th seating bays

[Nearholmer]

Somewhere in the great haystack that is RMWeb, there is a thread about the Reading-Redhill-Tonbridge loco hauled services of the 1970s-early 1980s.

 

They were very traditional trains of three coaches (TSO, BSK, SK iirc) that make a nice compact prototype with r-t-r Mk1s and Class 33.

 

There were similar trains on the Cambrian line, from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury/Crewe, SK, BSK, CK, hauled by Class 24 or 25.

 

Your "problem" is the BCKs, because, once the Atlantic Coast Express ceased to run, BR(S) always seemed to find it a bit hard to assign them to useful jobs.

 

K

[Rivercider]

Somewhere in the great haystack that is RMWeb, there is a thread about the Reading-Redhill-Tonbridge loco hauled services of the 1970s-early 1980s.

 

They were very traditional trains of three coaches (TSO, BSK, SK iirc) that make a nice compact prototype with r-t-r Mk1s and Class 33.

 

There were similar trains on the Cambrian line, from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury/Crewe, SK, BSK, CK, hauled by Class 24 or 25.

 

Your "problem" is the BCKs, because, once the Atlantic Coast Express ceased to run, BR(S) always seemed to find it a bit hard to assign them to useful jobs.

 

K

I remember in the 1970s and 1980s there was often a BCK at Exeter St Davids and used on the loco hauled Barnstaple services.

I was looking for a photo of one but instead found this train from 1990, three coaches out of four with brake accomodation,  

I think this was from the time of DMU shortages and scratch sets of stock were made up as replacements.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/yerrtizz/5857123756/in/photolist-9VzhQm-9tnd3a-8LiCJi-8L67YW-9fMhDc-9tr8f7-9VzhQb-9tnbRz-nMqM4Q-99Cygn-bufse4-eXuEkK-dJggND-baHWBV-c1Co9U-c1CnTs-baHXKp-c1CoqU-98RL18-8KNJQr

 

cheers

[Ray Von]

Thanks chaps, very helpful as always! I've acquired these (an RMB and SO) - so I'm hopeful I can soon be making up a (short) Merrymaker! :-D