BR(Ex-LMS) Stanier Restaurant/Catering Vehicles

[cary hill]

I think I have seen several photographs of ex-LMS coaches on inter-regional workings during the BR 1950's- early 1960's era on BR(WR) tracks west of Exeter, but I am curious to know whether such workings had any form of catering provision which would have utilised ex-LMS catering vehicles? I suspect the answer is highly likely to be no from personal experience back then but I would appreciate confirmation that this is so.

[coachmann]

Quite a few ex LMS coaches were extensively rebuilt and re-panelled into Cafeteria Cars in the 1950s. These cars saw use all over the system so you may have seen them in inter-regional excursions.

[Adrian Wintle]

A couple of LMS catering cars were booked through to Plymouth (but no further) in the 1938 carriage workings (alternate days). I don't have data later than that, though.

 

Adrian

[Galtee More]

For many years, certainly into the 1960s, there was at least one train, 'The Cornishman' running between (I think) Bradford and Penzance. Did not the stock alternate with GWR/BR(WR) and LMS/LMR as it did on so many inter-regional trains ?

 

Ian

[Blue Horizon]

I think the answer to your question would be a resounding yes! Having referred to 'Operation Cornwall' by W.S Beckett in which 1957 passenger services for summer weekdays and Saturdays are covered, it seems the following trains conveyed LM region catering vehicles.

 

11:45am (Fri) Manchester-Plymouth and returning 10:05 (Sat) Penzance-Manchester which had a dining car amongst its formation.

09:00 (Fri) Manchester-Plymouth and returning 07:50 (Sat) Newquay-Manchester where the dining car was attached at Plymouth.

09:05 (Fri) Liverpool-Plymouth and returning 06:00 (Sat) Penzance-Manchester where the dining car (LM or WR) was attached at Plymouth.

10:30 (Thu) Penzance-Manchester and returning 09:00 (Fri only) Manchester-Newquay where the dining car was attached/detached at Plymouth.

 

I think that having read various tables which give the stock make up of trains arriving and departing Cornwall,it seems most catering vehicles were attached and detached at Plymouth. Also mentioned is the type of vehicle, such as kitchen first,buffet car etc. So dining car would mean a kitchen/diner vehicle, I think. No doubt as time went by more BR MK1 catering stock replaced the ex LM stock.

Now all you need to do is find some photographic evidence!

Hope this has been of help to you.

[cary hill]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

So it looks as if a few of the inter-regional workings to the South-West utilising LMS coaching stock had catering vehicles in their formations, although these vehicles were normally removed at Plymouth with few exceptions.

 

I would not make a very good detective because I have the book "Operation Cornwall" referred to above, which I well know is mainly concerned with coach formations, but, for some reason, entirely failed to make the connection in this case.

 

I will locate my copy of said text and read it!

[coachmann]

Slipping Mk.I coaches into LNER consists was simple......They shared the same couplings and wide corridor connections. Slipping a Mk.I into LMS consists involved adjacent coaches being rigged up with corridor connection adaptors. This did happen in the later 1960s, making mix and match easier. This is why LMS trains remained Stanier stock for so long. When modernity did arrive it was usually in the form of a complete train of Mk.is.