RateTheFreight Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Evening all, Is anyone able to provide a comprehensive list of typical Scottish single coach services in the BR steam/diesel transition era? I’m aware of the Killin branch and Georgemas services but would welcome any others. Likewise, any suggestions as to typical single coach stock would be welcome too. As a side, where single coach services existed in the BR era, had they also existed in the Big 4 and pre grouping eras too or were they a symptom of declining patronage & cost efficiencies? Thanks in advance. G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOCJACOB Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I think Aberfeldy?? Recall seeing image of diesel & BR built Thompson design Brake Composite. If memory further functions correctly same coach ended up at SRPS 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted January 31, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 31, 2023 Its worth looking at the 'Railways of Scotland' subtopic under 'UK Prototype' for example this thread from 2013 Dava 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bécasse Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I have recollections of seeing photographs of the Berwick-Kelso service with a single Gresley brake which i suspect was a BSO. I think the loco was a BR standard 78xxx. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted February 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1, 2023 2 hours ago, DOCJACOB said: I think Aberfeldy?? Recall seeing image of diesel & BR built Thompson design Brake Composite. If memory further functions correctly same coach ended up at SRPS Aberfeldy train often a cl.24 + BCK (sure i've seen an LMS-type coach) IIRC loco worked train to Aberfeldy, then worked goods trains elsewhere before the return passenger working 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Moffat in early BR days had an LMS motor-fitted 6 compt brake third propelled (one way at least) by a non-motor fitted Caley 0-4-4T. Last train from Portpatrick in 1950 was another CR 0-4-4T (55215) with a single ex-G&SWR 48' brake compo. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt37268 Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Didn’t the Hemyock Branch have a 14xx and a Thompson brake in its last years of service? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 A few branches - such as Crieff - received railbuses ( = single coach ) which I guess would have superseded loco-hauled singletons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Sorry, I missed the 'transition' bit in my earlier reply, those were both a bit early ! From "BR Diesel Traction in Scotland" by GC O'Hara: The 24/Thompson BT combination mentioned earlier on the Aberfeldy branch (D5231, March 65) 26 (D5336) with an LMS BT at Cragellachie in June 65 26 (D5341) with LMS BT at Cromdale, June 64 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 14 hours ago, bécasse said: I have recollections of seeing photographs of the Berwick-Kelso service with a single Gresley brake which i suspect was a BSO. I think the loco was a BR standard 78xxx. I would exper a single coach train to be a barake composite. You need to provide a brake for the guard to ride in with any parcels, and accommodation for both classes of ticket 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyC Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) I have been doing some research on the one coach St Boswells - Kelso branch trains as I'm building the DJH Standard 2MT kit to represent one of the locos used on these trains. Photos indicate the coach was a BCK. The coaches used varied, but I've seen photos showing: LNER Gresleys (dia 175 No E10079E [Last Years of the Waverley Route - David Cross Pg52] and dia 314 No. SC10148E) LNER Thompson BR mark 1 with a number ending 1116 (A look at the Parkin MK 1 book suggests this would be E21116). Edited February 1, 2023 by JeremyC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Burnmouth-Eyemouth https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295499968282?hash=item44cd2baf1a:g:UfAAAOSwZjpcdUP8&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4NJEtVEasMd9X3%2FucP8ssBFs6o8aqY57YebEDiK1hWZrR%2FrwcOVdVrGkci09JIZiG9nkTF4fyc6Eyif%2FTmtUp0V0xIO8szbfJh6Y5nWzBwQayRdiQbZi%2Fa8%2FzS8Kjw2ss4kulGhTxUj9R7OeJNNfo9bjbEkZtzo%2B1AllDCRYK2Dpse2Kfr%2BKctGdk4AzhukXzJozjtmYeCmhGNWBi5eNxJH116s5WnKkrJiaGTYNpEK0GmCtlIvJTQZl3RoLH65%2Bh47W3PTBVSGliqi%2BWBIgeV99onGpZtao52iB%2FxbhMrYg|tkp%3ABk9SR6CDqdrBYQ 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOCJACOB Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Agree with Jeremy C, just been looking in some much older books and agree coach types mentioned, not good enough size for numbers but definitely LNER composite of either corridor or non-corridor variety. Not smart enough to identify BR stuff Apparently ave speed for journey was 20mph Suspect might want to add Selkirk branch?? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 I'm not sure the Dornoch Branch lasted long enough into your 'transition' period but staple fare - in photos I've seen - seems to have been a Stanier Brake Composite with a goods van ( vanfit ) for extra capacity : the latter often one of the LMS oddballs with twin end vents. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clachnaharry Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) I believe Kyle of Lochalsh in the 60s and 70's had a single coach working - a brake composite, but this was invariable accompanied by numerous BGs and assorted parcels vans, so probably does not fit your criteria! Edited February 1, 2023 by clachnaharry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Dornoch - http://www.fofnl.org.uk/newsletters/18May/18may24.php Not only a brake composite, but a corridor brake composite ! I don't know if it was then attached to something at The Mound or just shuttled back and forth; certainly the BCK which supplemented some of the Aberfeldy branch trains was a through coach to somewhere else (Perth ?) . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Sorry - should have pointed out that the Dornoch branch had the luxury of a Corridor Brake Composite* ......... note the twin-vent goods van in the Mound photo. * I've just checked and the LMS didn't actually build any non-corridor Brake Compos ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Ayr to Heads of Ayr, I have seen a photo somewhere of a coach & class 20. Think it was either a mk1 BCK or BS. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium RichardT Posted February 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1, 2023 Border Counties Line from Riccarton Junction to Hexham. Several pictures online of single Gresley brake (compo?) in crimson/cream behind an ex-NER 0-6-0 - see colour photo towards the bottom of this page. (ColourRail slide, so I’m not copying it here for copyright reasons). Richard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 3 hours ago, Wickham Green too said: Sorry - should have pointed out that the Dornoch branch had the luxury of a Corridor Brake Composite* ......... note the twin-vent goods van in the Mound photo. * I've just checked and the LMS didn't actually build any non-corridor Brake Compos ! Apologies, it was meant to be a comment on the luxury stock provided on former HR routes compared to the bog standard BTs the rest of Scotland put up with, not a critique of your carriage spotting skills ! Which raises another point. Prior to the transition period a pre-grouping brake compo or even lav brake compo appears to have been fairly common. Progress (in the shape of the ubiquitous LMS 6 compartment BT) apparently took away the lav and the first class provision. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted February 2, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) I suppose it would depend on whether the local population had any important-enough 'worthies' to justify (or indeed insist on) the 1st class provision. Edited February 2, 2023 by keefer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Elgin to Aviemore https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/82/404/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 10 hours ago, keefer said: I suppose it would depend on whether the local population had any important-enough 'worthies' to justify (or indeed insist on) the 1st class provision. I think the landowners, across whose property the railway had been built in the first place - and whose forebears probably put a fair bit of dosh into - would have expected a certain degree of comfort ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Wickham Green too said: I think the landowners, across whose property the railway had been built in the first place - and whose forebears probably put a fair bit of dosh into - would have expected a certain degree of comfort ! Paddded seats for their well padded seats! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 If I may veer off-topic in geographical terms for a moment, John Vaughan's 'Diesel Days: Devon & Cornwall' (page 68) has a delightful shot of Class 22 D6315 heading away from Perranporth towards Newquay with a single lined-maroon Collett BCK in tow, on 4th June 1961. The widespread availability of the ubiquitous 'B-Sets' in the West Country made such sights unusual. The Chasewater - Newquay line was still mostly steam-worked at that time (the following month saw 0-6-0PT 9635 turn up with 'GWR ' still visible under the filth on its tank sides!) and even at such a late stage - closing to passengers from 4th February 1963 after a life of just 58 years - it still generally warranted 3-coach trains, often including former LMS designs, so perhaps this single-coach working during the summer months had occurred for 'operational reasons' (the caption indicates it was a timetabled service, so not a special). Anyway 🤐 and back to the other end of the country....! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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