NAA Propelling Control Vehicles (PCVs) - prototypical differences?

[Dungrange]

In total, 42 PCV (Propelling Control Vehicles) we converted from redundant Class 307 units.

 

The two prototype vehicles, numbers 94300 and 94301, were converted in 1994.  The article on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propelling_control_vehicle) states that these were extensively tested to iron out any problems and the subsequent 40 vehicles incorporated modifications as a result of this testing.

 

1. Can anyone tell me what the differences were between the prototype PCVs and the rest of the fleet?  Are the differences such that they would be noticeable on a 4mm scale model?

 

At a later date, these non-standard prototype PCVs had their push-pull equipment removed, they were repainted into EWS maroon/gold livery and renumbered as 95300 and 95301.  I assume all three changes occurred at the same time, probably around 2003/04, as from 2004 until 2007 or possibly later these were used as standard mail coaches on a new high-speed mail train from Walsall to Inverness.

 

       2. Would the removal of the push-pull equipment have resulted in any visual differences between 94300/94301 and 95300/95301 (apart from the livery and number)?

 

       3. With the push-pull equipment having been removed from 95300/95301, did these coaches have any advantages over the the use of the Super BG coaches that made up the rest of the train?

 

       4. What would the lighting arrangement on 95300/95301 have been?  Presumably there was a cab light when push pull fitted, which would be turned off during propelling moves, but would this cab lighting have been retained when the push-pull equipment was removed?  Did the cab serve any purpose in the vehicles later years?  Also, would the lighting cluster on each side, which seems to have a marker light, headlight and tail light, have remained operational?

[Wickham Green too]

There's one of each still around for you to investigate  : - 

http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=15942

http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=5846

[frobisher]

4 hours ago, Dungrange said:

       3. With the push-pull equipment having been removed from 95300/95301, did these coaches have any advantages over the the use of the Super BG coaches that made up the rest of the train?

 

 I'd suppose the correct question would be did they have any disadvantages over the Super BGs?

 

The two obvious ones would be;

1. No gangway at the former driving end, so would need to be formed at the end of rakes (presumably the opposite end to the NAA).
2. Lost space devoted to the former cab.

The first is probably minor in fixed rakes, and the latter would probably be offset by the extra 7ft of length over the Super BG and saves converting another of those perhaps?

[Dungrange]

On 18/01/2023 at 20:47, frobisher said:

I'd suppose the correct question would be did they have any disadvantages over the Super BGs?

 

Perhaps that is the correct question.  I had assumed that the removal of the push-pull equipment from 94300 and 94301, which resulted in their renumbering as 95300 and 95301 and their repaint into EWS maroon/gold livery all happened at the same time and that this was after Royal Mail had announced that they were withdrawing from the rail market in 2003.  However, it appears that this was not the case.

 

https://www.ltsv.com/rd/pdfs/batch_list_pdf.php states that both the 28 vehicles converted from BDTBSOs (numbers 94300 to 943327) and the subsequent conversions from DTCOLs (numbers 94331 to 94345) were all allocated design code NA508.0A.  Whatever the differences were between the prototype vehicles and the production batch, it doesn't appear to have warranted a new design code.

 

The same source indicates that design code NA508.0B was allocated to 95300 and 95301 in 1998.  That therefore implies that these vehicles lost their push-pull equipment in 1998.

 

https://www.ltsv.com/rd/design_detail.php?id=DBCN-NA5080B indicates that in May 2000 both 95300 and 95301 were allocated to Euston Downside Depot and that they carried Rail Express System (RES) livery.  That means that the renumber and repaint were undertaken at different times.

 

The Key Publication 'Modelling British Railways Parcels and Mail Trains' has a photograph on page 113, that has the caption: 'The EWS 'Express' was launched with some fanfare at Inverness on August 22, 2001, with the entire train turned out in maroon and gold.  Having worked into Millburn Yard from Law Junction overnight behind 67001, decommissioned PCV 95300 heads 95400, 95410 and 95301.

 

In the photograph the two PCVs top and tail the pair of NRA coaches.  The accompanying text states that these ran for a while as a matched four coach set.  This means that the repaint into EWS livery probably happened in mid-2001.

 

However, it appears with this service being extended to Walsall and there also being a portion operating between Law Junction and Aberdeen, that there became a need to start using Super BG and Super GUV in the mix - like the photograph below from Flickr.  I initially thought this had the ex-PCV in the middle of the train, before realising that it's one of the NRA vehicles that is included within the Super BG rake.

 

 

It's not really related to my questions, but I found an interesting article in Rail that explains how the PCV operated - https://www.railmagazine.com/trains/heritage/propelling-the-main

 

The search for some more details on these vehicles continues.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Dungrange
Typo