Blog- gc4946's Model World - Fratton coach collection - Part 1

RSS Fetcher · December 29, 2014

What have all these carriages in common?

They're all from some of Hornby's latest production ... but are examples of rolling stock which ended their BR service in the sidings in and around Fratton station and yards in departmental and internal user roles.

I lived not far from Fratton's yards in my youth and often noticed the wide variety of types stabled in the sidings, including departmentals and stock stored prior to withdrawal and scrapping.

My collection has another twist in the tale - I could have modified them to represent how they appeared at Fratton in my youth, but chosen to represent them in their normal service condition.

The three examples below are my starters in this collection (NB not re-numbered yet but own the correct versions) :

1. LMS design CCT M37320M to dia 2026 on to lot 1636 at Earlestown 1952. Internal user 083319, stores van, transferred 3/78, scrapped 1986.

2. LNER CCT E1263E, to dia 6 York 1939. Internal user 083318, stores van, Fratton Yard, scrapped 1986.

3. SR TO S1336S, built 1933. Internal user 081901, also DS70313, office at Fratton from 1961 until withdrawn in 1987, when purchased by the Bluebell Railway.

I've no recollection of seeing either of the LMS and LNER CCTs because I suspect at least one of them was kept inside the goods depot (later owned by National Carriers Ltd) until scrapping.

I own a Bachmann Bulleid BTO, of which a prototype example was an occasional visitor to Fratton yard during the early 1980s. It was painted in olive and lost its corridor connections, however, as it wasn't easily visible from Goldsmiths Avenue, I've yet to identify its running number(s).

Sources:

"Departmental coaching stock, second edition including internal users" by Roger Butcher and Peter Fox (Platform 5, 1985)

SR carriage data from http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/1336b.html

Scrapping dates from www.departmentals.com

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