Coronation Scot - Third Class leading

[robertcwp]

Every in-service photograph I can find of the Coronation Scot shows the Third Class section next to the engine, irrespective of the direction of travel. This includes the train at locations such as Hest Bank where there is no possibility of mistaking the direction of travel.

 

The one carriage working book showing the train of which I have a copy – the summer 1938 Northern Division book - also shows Third Class leading in both directions.

 

Turning the stock would have been a simple matter at the Glasgow end as it could have been taken round the Cathcart Circle. Turning could have been achieved in the Willesden area at the London end but would have involved some reversals.

 

Is anyone able to shed light on this, please?

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

Dear Mr.Carroll,

    As a comparison, until the 1950s, The Royal Scot service had portions for both Glasgow, and also Edinburgh, with third class at both outer ends of the whole train. This also applied to The Mid-day Scot during the same period.   BK

[Brian Kirby]

If the train was turned, bearing-in-mind that it departed from and arrived at terminal stations, could have been so that the first-class section was near the buffers at departure, and hence a shorter walk?   BK

[Brian Kirby]

As I mentioned previously, the earlier conventional rakes for The Royal Scot and The Mid-day Scot had split formations, so that when coupled as a whole, had third-class accommodation at each end, with both sections of first-class nearer the middle of the train. Thus first-class passengers were further away from the noise, and perhaps more importantly, the smoke from the locomotive. The three early 1937 Coronation Scot rakes did not have portions, so first and second-class were either side of the central catering cars, therefore in one direction the leading BFK, FK and RFO respectively would have been immediately behind the locomotive. If you have a copy of A.J. Mullay's "Streamlined Steam" (David & Charles), page 45 reports that the Princess Coronation locos, as built either streamlined or not, suffered badly from drifting smoke, unless running at full speed (just look at the photo on the front cover). This is the reason why all members received the very large smoke deflectors in later life. So this drifting smoke could be the reason for turning the entire rake of coaches, between each journey, to ensure first-class was as far away from the smoke as possible? The follow up 1939-40 articulated sets were also designed with first-class at one end, so maybe they were intended to be turned as well (witness the solitary blank-ended club car, built for the American train, which should always be at the rear), and perhaps this requirement was another reason the sets were not used as intended, after the war. Instead the articulated sets were disbanded for commuter use in Lancashire.   BK