RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted October 12, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 12, 2013 Knowing the level of expertise we have here I feel certain there will be some knowledgeable folk able to help with this enquiry. Back in the mid 60s the youthful Gwiwer was a keen observer of the comings and goings at Penzance on trips into town. We were either shopping (in which case I was left at the station while mother did the required) or I was allowed unescorted onto the early bus from our village to meet father off the overnight train while he was working away up-country. Among the various vehicles many of which were BR Mk1 coaches or van derivatives I saw the very occasional 12-wheeler and what I now suspect were Thompson design passenger coaches as I have a clear memory of the large oval glass lavatory window which was a distinctive feature on them. I stress these are passenger vehicles and not vans - there was plenty of van variety as well back in those days. As I was rather too young to be making detailed notes of carriage working (loco-spotting was as far as it went but at least that confirmed having seen and travelled behind all five D600 Warships along with most of their D800 cousins) and I now am keen to represent workings of the early 1960s in model form I wonder can anyone advise which vehicles would have ventured so far west and on what workings? I can't recall any more than the fact that the 12-wheelers were at or near the "country" end as I seldom ventured down the platforms and ditto the Thompsons; all were (in my memory at least) in BR maroon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted October 12, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2013 Thompsons were definitely used for strengthening on The Cornishman. Trains Illustrated around June 1960 had a picture of one at the front of a rake of Choc/Cream Mk1s, double headed by a NB Type 2 and a Castle leaving Newton Abbot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted October 13, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks. Anyone else? Any offers on the maroon 12-wheelers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmay2002 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks. Anyone else? Any offers on the maroon 12-wheelers? Ex LMS sleeping cars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Have a feeling the WR had at least two ex-GWR twelve wheeled restuarant cars still in service till about 1962, probably no later though. Whether they had oval windows though I couldn't say. Over to Mr.Carroll of this fine parish...! Edit : am green with envy that you had all five D6xxs for haulage in the Duchy...closest I ever got was cabbing the corpse of D601 at Dai Woodhams...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted October 13, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2013 The WR had some 70' 12-wheelers up until about 1962. Comet Models do kits of them and have some details on their website, http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/modules/viewcategory.php/GWR%20Coach%20Kits%20and%20Sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 My money would be on 12-wheeled diners or possibly sleeping cars. I'd go with stray Thompsons for the oval windows. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmay2002 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I'd go with stray Thompsons for the oval windows. Chris Or LMR period III "Porthole" stock... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted October 13, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks for the replies so far. Thompsons on the Cornishman sounds a probability. The toilet windows were definitely the large ovals and not the round LMS portholes. Restaurant cars seldom reached Cornwall in the 1960s; the catering portion was usually detached at Plymouth. It's possible it was the same vehicle seen more than once of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted October 13, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2013 There were still quite a few through workings of Restaurant Cars to Cornwall in 1961, some shown in the Carriage Working Book as Gangway Adaptor Fitted, probably ex-GWR vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted October 15, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2013 The odd Thompson (composite?) found its way on to the North Cornwall in the earlyish 60s there's a well known photo of one behind a Std 4MT along with a Bulleid BCK in maroon near Treneglos.I'm also sure I've seem photos of ex NE catering vehicles in the area too. Can have a look if it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Gwiwer, There is a return Tynemouth to Bude troop train pictured in 'The Okehampton line' by The Irwell Press which has a nice mix of coaches. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.