sub39h Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 Hi guys, I was looking for some information regarding parcels trains from around 1990 to 1994ish. I am modelling ECML. I've done searches both on here and Google for "parcels trains", "rail express systems" and the individual carriages but I haven't found very much information. I was hoping to start a thread to consolidate as much information as I can! My question mainly concerns how the rakes were formed? Another thread states that rakes were commonly 4 cars, with GUVs in the middle and either BGs or PCVs on the outside: PCV or BG GUV GUV GUV GUV PCV BG It makes no mention of the Super BGs or Super GUVs? When did these come into existence? I've also seen some reference to BSKs being used in parcels rakes? Also I know that PCVs were operated in pairs but were other rakes always symmetrical? I only have one GUV for example, so could I run the follwing: Super BG GUV BG Super BG Finally, where does the Royal Mail livery stock come into all this? I assume it had it's own allocation of stock because the new Class 325s were painted in Royal Mail livery rather than RES? But then again, they were sold to EWS when the RES sector was sold to them so I'm a little confused. Thanks in advance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 There was an article detailing typical formations in the modelling section of Rail Express a while back. The fixed rakes with PCVs were used for Royal Mail traffic when sorting en-route was largely replaced by trains from the new distribution depot near Wembley Yard. The 'Super GUV' and 'Super BG' were converted for use in these trains The 325s (owned by Royal Mail, not BR/EWS/DBS, I believe) also operated from Wembley. I'm not sure when 'conventional' parcels trains finally ceased, but I suspect most had gone by the late 1980s. By then, they'd have consisted of a homogenous (though perhaps not fixed) selection of GUVs, probably with one or more BGs scattered through the formation; a far cry from the wonderfully mixed rakes that ran into the late 1970s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 The PCVs were converted between 1994 and 1996 ready for the RailNet Contract which started in 1996 using dedicated platforms or terminals rather than main stations. At the same time the GUVs & BGs were modified into the 'Super' variety and the 47s had push pull control & jumper wires added (fulfilling the 47/7 designation). 86s & 90s also had push pull control & jumper wires for use with the PCVs. Through the early 1990s, parcels & mail trains were a mixed bag of coaches and colours and still used locos other than 47s (class 31/4 and class 73 were still common) and also DPUs (class 114, 128 & 419). Newspaper trains (and even greater variety in vans & locos) ceased in the late 1980s. The closer you get to 1996, the more standardised the trains and liveries became (normally in RES). Travelling Post Office vans were in use up to 2004 in Royal Mail Red but supplemented after 1996 by RES vans and PCVs. The class 325 postal units are owned by Royal Mail Group / Post Office but maintained on their behalf by the rail FOC running the trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 The changes for RailNet were when the railways moved away from moving mail in sacks by hand to using trays in trolleys instead. So the Super BG's and Super GUVs had the traditional sets of double-doors replaced with the roller shutter doors. The PCVs were for push-pull operation, but not at speed. They were essentially for reversing into the Willesden terminal and driving the train from the opposite end of the train loco, whether that was a Class 47/7, 86 or 90. If I remember correctly, the PCV's were latterly used on other services once they were redundant from Post Office mail trains. I think there was a 100mph parcels service to Law Junction up the WCML in EWS days for a while. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted April 10, 2014 Share Posted April 10, 2014 I don't know how useful this might be, but this is the make-up of a parcels train departing St Pancras on 5th Sep 1992 92227, 92914, 80360, 80426, 80332, 80422, 80345, 92243 I will see if I have any others tucked away in my notes. EDIT: Not found an ECML yet but here is a WCML one which passed Stafford on 13th Aug 1991 92349, 92122, 80386 80357, 80402, 92231 and one at Birmingham New Street on the same day - 93798, 93820, 92305, 93110, 84467, 92331 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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