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BR Exhibition coaches


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On 05/06/2020 at 13:36, montyburns56 said:

Trainex 1969

 

Manchester Piccadilly Trainex exhibition train February 1969

 

Jonathan specifically mentions this train in his article as the first Tranex train in July 1969, it being formed of six ex LMSR coaches with branding matching those shown in the photograph.  He then mentions a five coach train being run the following year.  The RCTS  have received a sighting of this train on 11th May 1970 formed 38744, 38746, 38747, 38748(identity tbc), 38749, 38745, a total of six, plus 259S added.  My suspicion is that the five refers to the five vans used for exhibition purposes and excludes the Club Car 38745, almost certainly the one furthest from the camera in the picture.  In 1971 Jonathan records the train as six vehicles.  My hunch is the same formation was used in all three years

Edited by Peter A Hall
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On 14/11/2021 at 16:35, corneliuslundie said:

That makes sense, Peter. Is that Marylebone? That was a favourite London venue.

Jonathan

The 1969 picture of the TRAINEX train I'm certain shows it in Platform 12 at Manchester Piccadilly.  This Platform no longer has track in it.

 

I have recollections of seeing other Exhibition Trains in Platform 12 in the mid/late 1970s.   If I recall correctly few passenger trains used that Platform with it being mainly used for stabling. Thus, ideal for Exhibition Trains as away from the normal nussle and bussle of the station. 

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On 05/11/2021 at 11:04, Peter A Hall said:

...... where the Electrification Train  visited in the 1970s.  It does though the appear from earlier posts in this topic and references elsewhere that the train travelled widely and it was at both Transpo '73 and Locomotion '74., so far though I've not come across a picture or other conclusive evidence of it at at either.   Any sightings of the train in the early 1970s would be welcomed.

I have now come across  this picture taken at Locomotion '74.  In the background are what appears to be a Mark I and a Siphon G converted to Exhibtion vehicles.

 

The Siphon G is almost certainly one of DB975152 & DB975153 which supports the Electrification Exhibition Train being present.  The Mark I is very interesting as it has Rail 150 branding.  Is it one of DB975073 or DB975074 already so branded or perhaps a then very recently converted DB975403.  The latter was certainly in use with DB975073 & DB975074 as the Rail 150 Exhibition toured the country.

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On 07/06/2020 at 16:16, montyburns56 said:

Gillingham 1975

 

gillingham

 

 

gillingham

 

The Mark II could well be BFK 14094 which was reported in the formation in October 1975.   I would be interested to know if Mk III FO 11019 and Cinema Coach ZDB975403 were also in the train when it visited Gillingham? 

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There is a very interesting comment on p.402 11/72 RO in the Ipswich notes.  "5Z32 12.00 special exhibition train Leiston-Marylebone paused at Ipswich on 23rd September, hauled by 5699 (31B).  The four exhibition saloons, all painted white, were M99611/2, M38737/42M".  From Johnathan's list  perhaps the Crabtree Electrical or Ranx Xerox train. 

 

Worth mentioning that this is the only 1970's recorded use so far identified for these four vans.  M38737M & M38742M  were condemned the following year.

 

Probable that M99611/2 saw very little subsequent use as the only other sightings I have of them are at Derby in 1975 & 1976, not sure precisely where but probably Litchurch Lane Works, and Salisbury on various dates from November 1976 until March 1980.

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Found another interesting comment on p.173 5/73 RO in the Edinburgh notes. "On 12th March a " Trainex for Building" exhibition train was noted formed of M38744/7/9/36/46//5/1M, these vehicles having previously appeared in October 1972 as a "Wiggins Teape" exhibition train.

 

As more formations emerge I'm adding them to the RCTS website.  If anyone has any others please do post them.

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On 19/01/2022 at 15:55, slg said:

Just come across this on Youtube, starting with 4930 "Hagley Hall" with unknown partner pulling the GWR train, then at 2.25 92220 "Evening Star" doing the honours.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfpe8ByuG98

 

 

Can't be sure but I think the train loco is 6998 Burton Agnes Hall, given she has the Hawksworth tender and was part of the pool of locos used in 1985.

 

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8 hours ago, slg said:

Just came across this, 33 shunting them at Salisbury at 3.36

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns6gAzbtw4s

 

 

Which was of course the place to see exhibition train vehicles because the exhibition train base and workshops were - for some years - in the former GWR station at Salisbury

Edited by The Stationmaster
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I have an NGS undecorated Ferry Van on the way for a repaint into the large logo black livery as illustrated way back in this thread.  I have managed to find the van's meaningless gibberish international number 21 70 214 0144- 3 but does anyone know what the proper BR number was please?

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The rear vehicle in several of these photos went on to perform a different role after the exhibition train.  Generator Van 99625 was equipped with 3 diesel generator sets, which could be synchronised to provide sufficient power for the train's needs.  With some modifications, they were also able to power the auxiliary systems on two of the AC Loco Group's "Roarers" in the early 2000s.  Both 82008 and 83012 had their blower fans and other circuits energised off the van, leading to some genuine roaring at Barrow Hill for a couple of years.

While there the van was repainted from the tatty blue/white scheme it was purchased in into another blue/white scheme, and there were a LOT of layers of paint.  The top coat was the texture of orange peel!  Stabling costs meant it couldn't stay there forever and it was loaned to the Keith & Dufftown Railway in 2003 as a mobile generator, but in the event didn't see much, if any use.  I think it was eventually taken back south scrapped around 2010.


Repainting at Barrow Hill in 2000
1384.JPG.e69239c4db72dba141294604fa0161bc.JPG

 

 

At Dufftown in 2003

4535.JPG.f6bfd609ebca06e573eac22adc0a425d.JPG

Edited by 25kV
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16 hours ago, John M Upton said:

international number 21 70 214 0144- 3 but does anyone know what the proper BR number was please

 

Unbelievably, from notes I made peering at wagon plates at Hoo Junction and elsewhere in the 1980s, I noted that actual wagon!

21 RIV 70 BR 214 0 144-3 was (G)B 787017.

I think the G was on the cast wagon plate originally, but by then, the white paint picked out only from the B onwards, hence the (G) in brackets.

 

From those notes, the UIC numbering and the BR numbers were in sequence within the two batches of vans (there was a gap in the (G)B-series numbering, first batch GB786873-GB787022 and second GB787098-GB787347 according to https://www.ltsv.com/w_ref_numbers_b1.php).

 

The UIC numbering was changed at some point from 21 70 214 0 xxx-y to 21 70 238 0  xxx-y or 21 70 239 0 xxx-y.

The last digit (y above) is a check digit, so the actual sequence number of each wagon is the xxx (the 144 in your example).

 

I noted a few others:

214 0 000-7 = 786873 (first of the first batch)

239 0 008-? = 786881 (+8 from the start of each series - I didn't record the check digit)

214 0 047-? = 786920

238 0 058-? = 786931

238 0 059-? = 786932

...

and from the second batch

238 0 180-? = 787128

238 0 305-? = 787253

 

Quick bit of work with Excel and you could make a cross-reference for them all.

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