TomJ Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Fairly self explanatory question from the title! As a bit of rule 1 modelling I’m going to add the occasional steam special to my 1980s Cornish clay layout. I’ve decided that the local St Blazey managers have been impressed by the West Highland efforts and decided to try something similar on Sunday’s on the Newquay branch! What coaches would be likely behind such strain? This is before the days of private operators like West Coast Trains so I presume they’ll be BR operated. I know Fort William had a rake of green/cream coaches - where these specific to that location? Can I get away with my standard blue/grey mk1 coaches? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 This DVD might give you some ideas-: http://www.videoscene.co.uk/marylebone-steam-in-the-1980s.html PS Hoping Hornby do a 'Raspberry Ripple' version of their FO in 2018. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merfyn Jones Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Fairly self explanatory question from the title! As a bit of rule 1 modelling I’m going to add the occasional steam special to my 1980s Cornish clay layout. I’ve decided that the local St Blazey managers have been impressed by the West Highland efforts and decided to try something similar on Sunday’s on the Newquay branch! What coaches would be likely behind such strain? This is before the days of private operators like West Coast Trains so I presume they’ll be BR operated. I know Fort William had a rake of green/cream coaches - where these specific to that location? Can I get away with my standard blue/grey mk1 coaches? Thanks "Get away with" ? Blue and grey was all we had till about 1986/7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) "Get away with" ? Blue and grey was all we had till about 1986/7 Agree. Was about to say: Start of 1980s - all blue/grey (and predominantly Mark 1s) End of 1980s - starting to get a bit more colourful (anyone remember the Pilkington Glass set? Although that might have been early '90s...) Even the SLOA Pullmans were blue/grey when they first appeared on the scene. Edited December 11, 2017 by LNER4479 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken.W Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Fairly self explanatory question from the title! As a bit of rule 1 modelling I’m going to add the occasional steam special to my 1980s Cornish clay layout. I’ve decided that the local St Blazey managers have been impressed by the West Highland efforts and decided to try something similar on Sunday’s on the Newquay branch! What coaches would be likely behind such strain? This is before the days of private operators like West Coast Trains so I presume they’ll be BR operated. I know Fort William had a rake of green/cream coaches - where these specific to that location? Can I get away with my standard blue/grey mk1 coaches? Thanks In a word, yesSteam specials in the 80s would almost invariably be Mk1 stock, and as above blue / grey was standard for the early / mid 80s. The West Highland set's Green / Cream was specific to that set and based on the LNERs Tourist Stock livery (it's an ex LNER line). 'Raspberry Ripple' would be a possibility when charter trains came under Intercity on sectorisation, late 80s / 1990. As you're running to 'rule 1', then applying the same principle as the West Highland set, you could have WR chocolate / cream Mk1s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamperman36 Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) Early to mid 80s definatley blue grey,late 80s early 90s intercity started to appear with a set of charter stock mk1s and the odd mk2 air con in inter city with white roofs. The west highland mk1s in the original darker green and cream were actually based at Bounds green London and once the steam services finished in Scotland (end of summer timetable) they could be found on other charter work. I believe there may have been a set of chocolate and cream set of mk1s and of course the infamous Pilkington special K set. Edited December 11, 2017 by tamperman36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted December 11, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 11, 2017 'Rasberry Ripple' stock was, IIRC, electrically heated on B4 bogies and required the inclusion of an ETHEL in the consist, a red/blue liveried demobilised Class 24. The blue/grey stock tended to be older 'excursion' stock, steam heated, on B1 bogies, and 75mph restricted, which was fine for steam excursion work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Piewalker Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 The ETHELs were 25s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamperman36 Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 The ETHELs (Electric Train Heating Ex Locomotive) were 3 former class 25s with the traction equipment isolated. When they were first converted they were blue and grey to match the coaching stock, they were then repainted in Rasberry ripple intercity livery and also fitted with grills over the windscreens to protect them from low flying lumps of coal when working behind steam locos. The blue and red class 24 was part of the RTC loco fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Was the Sealink stock used seasonally? I've seen a photo of them being Class 85 hauled southbound at Carlisle but not sure where to. Similarly I thought the West Highland Green/Cream set spent the winter at Bounds Green and could appear on charters Later in the 1980s there will have been NSE liveried coaches used on charters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ba14eagle Posted December 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2017 In 1985 the Western region had a rake of Mk1's which were painted chocolate & cream for the GW 150 celebrations. They were used on Bristol to Portishead steam specials 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted December 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2017 This photo is dated 29th June 1980 and the lead vehicle is clearly painted BR maroon, presumably the support coach? That would make a relatively economical addition to a train of standard blue and grey Mk1s for something a bit different. Preserved steam locos run around with just their support coaches too. BTW, the Railtour Files at https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk show that there were numerous railtour operators during the 1980s. LMS 6201 PRINCESS ELIZABETH by Ingy The Wingy, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted December 11, 2017 Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) You could not run Mk2 stock with steam locos unless the loco was air braked, and at that time very few if any were. Some of the early Mk2 stock was vacuum braked so could run with steam locos, but almost certainly not aircon stock! That was air braked only and needed ETH to run the aircon. Edited December 11, 2017 by roythebus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 You could not run Mk2 stock with steam locos unless the loco was air braked, and at that time very few if any were. Some of the early Mk2 stock was vacuum braked so could run with steam locos, but almost certainly not aircon stock! That was air braked only and needed ETH to run the aircon. Some mark 2s were built with vacuum brakes- Mark 2 all built vacuum, some converted to air Mark 2A all built air, some converted to vacuum Mark 2B onwards all built air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 (edited) Depending on the exact year and region, there were other bits and pieces used on railtours. Thames-Eden Pullman, 23/4/1983 https://www.flickr.com/photos/29883567@N07/23216982144/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/5611hongkong/7060566731/ Not sure what the second coach is on this one, 1/12/1984 https://www.flickr.com/photos/5611hongkong/8189819349/ Great Western Limited to Totnes, 7/7/1985. Part of GWR150. https://www.flickr.com/photos/128696689@N05/37319587502/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/36423957046/ The Royal Scotsman, 1985 https://www.flickr.com/photos/81899355@N04/8179144895/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/29883567@N07/32117805632/ Not sure about these, 1985/86 https://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/2481114900/ Cheers David Edited December 12, 2017 by DavidB-AU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Depending on the exact year and region, there were other bits and pieces used on railtours. Thames-Eden Pullman, 23/4/1983 https://www.flickr.com/photos/29883567@N07/23216982144/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/5611hongkong/7060566731/ Not sure what the second coach is on this one, 1/12/1984 https://www.flickr.com/photos/5611hongkong/8189819349/ Great Western Limited to Totnes, 7/7/1985. Part of GWR150. https://www.flickr.com/photos/128696689@N05/37319587502/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/36423957046/ The Royal Scotsman, 1985 https://www.flickr.com/photos/81899355@N04/8179144895/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/29883567@N07/32117805632/ Not sure about these, 1985/86 https://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/2481114900/ Cheers David is that second coach not just a Mk1 RMB Mini-buffet painted in chocolate and cream? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken.W Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 is that second coach not just a Mk1 RMB Mini-buffet painted in chocolate and cream? Agreed, though looks more like 'Pullman' livery than WR, judging by the apparent name / number panels on lower body sides. Presumably painted up to run in a Pullman set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Agreed, though looks more like 'Pullman' livery than WR, judging by the apparent name / number panels on lower body sides. Presumably painted up to run in a Pullman set ah yes thats true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted December 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2017 The GWS also had a full rake of Collett and Hawksworth stock in GWR livery which appeared on some steam specials to Stratford upon Avon around the late 1970s to early 1980s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 (edited) Here's a special at Darlington for the Shildon open day in 1983, with bog-standard blue & grey Mk1s (I might even have the numbers in a notebook somewhere if you're interested): Edited December 12, 2017 by eastwestdivide 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJ Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 Thanks everyone for the advice and photos. All very useful and very interesting. I have a rake of blue/grey mk1 which could well see action behind the steam loco on a quiet Sunday. And from another project I have a rake of chocolate/cream mk1 so I may just use them as a specially painted WR set - because they look nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted December 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2017 The GWS also had a full rake of Collett and Hawksworth stock in GWR livery which appeared on some steam specials to Stratford upon Avon around the late 1970s to early 1980s. And so did the Severn Valley Railway - diesel and steam workings IIRC Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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