richscylla Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Hi there, I remember around the late 90s early 00s, there were some Class 37 workings on the Wales & West or Wessex network (I think it was the Cardiff-Portsmouth workings) that used Class 37s with MK2s in red/maroon and blue liveries. My base knowledge of these services is pretty shaky, so I'm finding it hard to research via Google. I have found a picture online of the MK2s I mean, but does anyone have more information about the stock? Specifically I'm looking for running numbers, stock (looks like MK2b to me, but I'm no expert) and even basics like what the livery of these coaches actually are. Many thanks in advance. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 1 minute ago, richscylla said: Hi there, I remember around the late 90s early 00s, there were some Class 37 workings on the Wales & West or Wessex network (I think it was the Cardiff-Portsmouth workings) that used Class 37s with MK2s in red/maroon and blue liveries. My base knowledge of these services is pretty shaky, so I'm finding it hard to research via Google. I have found a picture online of the MK2s I mean, but does anyone have more information about the stock? Specifically I'm looking for running numbers, stock (looks like MK2b to me, but I'm no expert) and even basics like what the livery of these coaches actually are. Many thanks in advance. Rich Virtually 100% certain that the train in the photo is at Carmarthen station, and is a rail tour rather than a service train (There's what appears to be a headboard on the loco.) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richscylla Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, Fat Controller said: Virtually 100% certain that the train in the photo is at Carmarthen station, and is a rail tour rather than a service train (There's what appears to be a headboard on the loco.) Yes - this a Pathfinders railtour, but using the stock that was used on the services I'm thinking of. I'm guessing the stock was hired in as I'm only ever remember seeing pictures of them behind freight liveried Class 37s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Bendall Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 It was initially a South Wales & West shadow franchise operation that carried over from Regional Railways days and continued when Prism Rail won the franchise in October 1996, it becoming Wales & West. Basically a Class 37-powered diagram on the Cardiff-Bristol Temple Meads-Weymouth route with extensions from Cardiff to Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly depending on the day. It was booked for haulage by a Transrail Class 37/4 although substitutions by a Class 37/0 were not unknown while the coaches were provided by a then embryonic West Coast Railways. Eight Mk.2b/c were provided with TSOs 5463/87 & 5569 and BSO 9448 in BR maroon while TSOs 5453/78/91 and BSO 9440 carried the dark blue South Wales & West livery. In addition, three maroon-liveried Mk.1 TSOs, 99318/27/28, were initially provided in the spring of 1996 while some of the Mk.2s were being prepared for service. Normally ran in four-coach sets but these could be lengthened as required with both five and six coaches being noted on occasions. With the two liveries evenly split on the Mk.2s, mixed rakes of both was a standard occurrence. The trains continued to operate during 1997 and 1998 to a largely unchanged route and formation, although with the acquisition of Transrail by EWS in 1996, Class 37/4s in maroon/gold were soon appearing. A DMU cascade in the autumn of 1999 saw the loco-hauled workings end that September. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBRJ Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) You are thinking of the 5 ( I think) Mark II coaches used on the Bristol to Weymouth line by Wessex Trains. They were used with a class 31 in matching livery. As shown in all its eye-watering pink glory in the link below https://tomcurtisrailgallery.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/0/3/6903499/31601314522o860828btmweyfrome27may2004.jpg If you google Wessex Trains Class 31 you will find a lot of similar images etc Edited August 12, 2019 by LBRJ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richscylla Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 25 minutes ago, Simon Bendall said: It was initially a South Wales & West shadow franchise operation that carried over from Regional Railways days and continued when Prism Rail won the franchise in October 1996, it becoming Wales & West. Basically a Class 37-powered diagram on the Cardiff-Bristol Temple Meads-Weymouth route with extensions from Cardiff to Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly depending on the day. It was booked for haulage by a Transrail Class 37/4 although substitutions by a Class 37/0 were not unknown while the coaches were provided by a then embryonic West Coast Railways. Eight Mk.2b/c were provided with TSOs 5463/87 & 5569 and BSO 9448 in BR maroon while TSOs 5453/78/91 and BSO 9440 carried the dark blue South Wales & West livery. In addition, three maroon-liveried Mk.1 TSOs, 99318/27/28, were initially provided in the spring of 1996 while some of the Mk.2s were being prepared for service. Normally ran in four-coach sets but these could be lengthened as required with both five and six coaches being noted on occasions. With the two liveries evenly split on the Mk.2s, mixed rakes of both was a standard occurrence. The trains continued to operate during 1997 and 1998 to a largely unchanged route and formation, although with the acquisition of Transrail by EWS in 1996, Class 37/4s in maroon/gold were soon appearing. A DMU cascade in the autumn of 1999 saw the loco-hauled workings end that September. Hi Simon! These are exactly the workings I was hoping to get info on! Do you (or anyone else) have photos of the workings and the coaches? It's something that I'd love to model! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richscylla Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 8 minutes ago, LBRJ said: You are thinking of the 5 ( I think) Mark II coaches used on the Bristol to Weymouth line by Wessex Trains. They were used with a class 31 in matching livery. As shown in all its eye-watering pink glory in the link below https://tomcurtisrailgallery.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/0/3/6903499/31601314522o860828btmweyfrome27may2004.jpg If you google Wessex Trains Class 31 you will find a lot of similar images etc Hi mate. Thanks for the info - but I was thinking of the coaches that Simon above has suggested! I'm not sure I'd have forgotten those pink coaches quite so quickly. When I was trying to research this, I kept coming across these though. Very interesting working and I'm sure a great project to model for someone out there! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold melmoth Posted August 12, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 12, 2019 49 minutes ago, Simon Bendall said: It was initially a South Wales & West shadow franchise operation that carried over from Regional Railways days and continued when Prism Rail won the franchise in October 1996, it becoming Wales & West. Basically a Class 37-powered diagram on the Cardiff-Bristol Temple Meads-Weymouth route with extensions from Cardiff to Birmingham New Street and Manchester Piccadilly depending on the day. It was booked for haulage by a Transrail Class 37/4 although substitutions by a Class 37/0 were not unknown while the coaches were provided by a then embryonic West Coast Railways. Eight Mk.2b/c were provided with TSOs 5463/87 & 5569 and BSO 9448 in BR maroon while TSOs 5453/78/91 and BSO 9440 carried the dark blue South Wales & West livery. In addition, three maroon-liveried Mk.1 TSOs, 99318/27/28, were initially provided in the spring of 1996 while some of the Mk.2s were being prepared for service. Normally ran in four-coach sets but these could be lengthened as required with both five and six coaches being noted on occasions. With the two liveries evenly split on the Mk.2s, mixed rakes of both was a standard occurrence. The trains continued to operate during 1997 and 1998 to a largely unchanged route and formation, although with the acquisition of Transrail by EWS in 1996, Class 37/4s in maroon/gold were soon appearing. A DMU cascade in the autumn of 1999 saw the loco-hauled workings end that September. During 1998 (and possibly 1999) I often used to catch the 08.38 from Weymouth as far as Dorchester West on weekday mornings. Can't remember the loadings, but always with a 37/4 on the front. 37 403 Ben Cruachan in BR green stands out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapford34102 Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 (edited) Hi, You might have seen these but if not not. There's a couple of possibly useful shots of the train at Weymouth here though you will need to scroll to nearly the bottom http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/castle-cary-to-weymouth.html Edit - there'sanother shot at the top of train at Castle Cary Also Martyn Read has some coach shots here though I could only find the TSO's mentioned https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/Coaches/Mk2-Coaching-Stock HTH Stu Edited August 12, 2019 by lapford34102 Additional info Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Bendall Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 4 hours ago, richscylla said: Do you (or anyone else) have photos of the workings and the coaches? It's something that I'd love to model! None of my own, sorry. Searching Flickr by combining a 37/4 number and 'Weymouth' brings up various shots eg https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&advanced=1&text=37427 weymouth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richscylla Posted August 18, 2019 Author Share Posted August 18, 2019 Thanks Simon and Stu - these photos are really useful! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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