MK3 HST roof vents

[gordon1970]

After looking at a few shots online (and one or two of my own) something I've never noticed before:

 

On some (but not that many) HST MK3s, the vents on the end(s) of what appear to be 1st class coaches are the same as the vents

on the power cars (above the guard's compartment).

 

I'm used to seeing all the ends of MK3s having the square 'boxes' centrally located and no vents as such.

 

I've seen one photo that (looks) like a coach has been 'converted' where there are white marks in the position where the vents would be,

and a 'box' structure

 

To confuse even further, some seem to be 'vented' at one end, others at both ends.

 

Anyone able to shed any light on this?

 

(Probably common knowledge but not something I've noted before!)

 

 

[Bomag]

The first Mk3a coaches - loco hauled FOs and TSO had the original type multiple ventilators. This was changed to the single version for Mk3s (HST), Mk3a RUBs, SLEP and SLE, the Mk3bs (the RUB one end only I think) plus the Irish Mk3s

 

Several Mk3a FOs and TSOs have been converted to HST trailers (revised 125mph BT10s, couplings and ETH voltage) for GC, XC and FGW and some (most?) have retained the original ventilators.  

[Glorious NSE]

Is this the white thing? GNER/East Coast buffet's have this "radome" type thing on one end which I believe is the receiver for the on train wifi.



Or there's the cross country TCC's which have a big new vent (this one also has Mk3a vents)....



There's plenty of interesting ones out there - if you're looking at FGW trains, watch out for the standard class coaches that used to be buffets, spottable by smooth patches where the old roof vents used to be!

[gordon1970]

Cheers guys

 

I was aware of the 'radome' (although only on Mk4 DVTs - was not aware of seeing them on coaches - until I looked for them!).

 

As regards the vents, it was a shot of my own showing an FO on the Highland Chieftain from 2011; I noticed the style of vents and assumed

it was a converted coach inserted into the set (I only have the one shot showing that style).

 

Having looked I have seen shots showing FOs in 1985 with the same three vents on East coast sets

 

Apologies - I am having trouble working out how to insert links, but if you Google

 

"Iron Road Bill Watson" and go to the BR in the 1980s colour" gallery, there are several shots showing said coaches in HST rakes.

 

The shot I (thought) was one which had been altered (white mark) might just be an optical illusion; at the angle it seems as if

on the FO the 'new' style vent is off centre and not aligned with the next coach, and (nearer the camera) there's what is probably

a whitish 'splodge' on the roof which is close to where the 'older' vents would be, so probably not a 'conversion'!

 

I suppose since (especially in the 1980s) most of my views of HSTs didn't include the roof, I wouldn't have noticed the vent arrangements,

although I was surprised to note the differences going back to the 1980s, and I had no idea about those XC converted buffets!

[GordonC]

There was also a number of redundant HST TFs that were converted into RFMs for loco-hauled push-pull sets for the WCML a number of years ago, probably early 1990s

[Bomag]

Cheers guys

 

 

Having looked I have seen shots showing FOs in 1985 with the same three vents on East coast sets

 

 

There wew several ex prototype Mk3 in use as TFs (41170-41174) in the 1980's - 41170 is still with EC the others are now TS with EC and FGW. I don't these have ever had the ventilators changed.

[modfather]

Fgw also operates some converted loco hauled mk3's in its hst rakes which causes chaos from a fault finding point of view.

 

If you're on a set, they are the ones with a single toilet.

[gordon1970]

Cheers guys

 

Really interesting stuff and with the ex prototype on the EC sets then it explains why you wouldn't

necessarily see them that often!