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Virgin Cross country Mk2 Formations


NickL2008

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Evening all,

 

Im trying to recreate a Mark 2 rake of Virgin Cross Country coaches, circa 2001. I wish to Know which coach types were used. From what ive seen the length of train seemed to vary between 6-8 coaches depending on the service, and as well is the Hornby Mark 2D coach suitable to be converted to a Mk2F, or were 2Ds used in the formations as well?

 

NL

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While I'm not an expert on the type, the correct formation of a Cross Country Loco Hauled Rake was 7 coach. One First Class coach with micro buffet, numbered in the 12xx range, then 5 standard class coachs followed by one half brake vehicle. This was the standard formation, there were of course frequent short formations etc, with 6 and sometimes even 5 coachs being seen....

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This was the situation in mid-2000

 

Set G F E D C B A Last seen

XC15 1209 6000 6022 5962 6041 5906 9521 15/07/00

XC16 1200 6035 6135 6105 6115 6168 9537 08/07/00

XC17 1258 5916 6148 6014 6066 6050 9539 08/07/00

XC18 1212 5918 5995 6145 5983 5912 9489 08/07/00

XC19 1203 5965 6013 6154 5913 6150 9526 10/04/00

XC20 1201 6176 6119 5961 6177 6038 9527 10/06/00

XC21 1259 6018 6073 6159 5859 6010 9538 08/07/00

XC22 1254 6117 6122 5919 5960 6173 9525 09/07/00

XC23 1202 6015 6046 5996 5917 6026 9513 08/07/00

XC24 1210 5815 5901 5886 5843 5787 9502 20/04/00

XC25 1216 5881 5775 5773 5745 5750 9503 17/06/00

XC30 1252 5967 6059 6112 6184 5975 9522 15/07/00

XC31 1252 5930 5999 6061 6172 9516 25/06/00

XC32 1250 6030 5911 6162 6008 6024 9531 05/05/00

XC33 1205 5989 5971 6137 5991 6183 9529 08/07/00

XC34 1255 6025 6005 5947 5994 5951 9523 09/07/00

XC35 1260 5976 6170 6067 6064 6157 9520 27/05/00

XC36 1256 6052 5958 6178 5925 5981 9505 08/07/00

XC37 1208 5847 5801 5821 5784 5746 9498 27/06/00

XC38 1221 5796 5827 5789 5897 5824 9489 08/06/00

XC39 1207 5828 5902 5868 5889 5893 9506 27/06/00

XC40 1214 5888 5788 5866 5779 5854 9537 09/04/00

XC41 1215 5812 5797 5816 5776 5814 9496 23/04/00

XC42 1211 5794 5769 5748 5792 5752 9497 16/07/00

XC43 1206 5754 5845 5876 5899 5905 9504 09/07/00

XC46 5812 1253 5791 5843 5887 5900 9508 17/06/00

 

Vehicles in bold still had Intercity livery then.

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Thanks for the List Weekday Cross, very useful!.. I remember seeing mixed liverys of Virgin and Intercity stock in the XC days.. Going slightly off topic here a bit, what were the interiors like of the RFOs (?), which were the 1st class carriages with the micro buffet

 

NL

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The buffet cars are generally referred to by the code RFB - Refreshment First Buffet and were converted from standard FO vehicles. The buffet counter was at one end of the coach occupying the length of one of the toilets and two saloon window bays. The remainder of the saloon retained 2+1 fixed seating for 25 or 26 people and a wheel chair space. For details of the original Intercity conversion programme and the subsequent Virgin XC refurbishment I recommend consulting a copy of Michael Harris's book "British Rail Mark 2 Coaches - The design that launched InterCity".

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You Tube is a valuable source for all video clips useful as well as useless

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BM_HGpW3Vg

 

Here's a formation which has everything to fox the "Know-it-Alls" and 2001 as well for you: mixed livery, one SO short of the standard and the BSO turned 180° [not that it could be turned anything but 180° :-)]

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The buffet cars are generally referred to by the code RFB - Refreshment First Buffet and were converted from standard FO vehicles. The buffet counter was at one end of the coach occupying the length of one of the toilets and two saloon window bays. The remainder of the saloon retained 2+1 fixed seating for 25 or 26 people and a wheel chair space. For details of the original Intercity conversion programme and the subsequent Virgin XC refurbishment I recommend consulting a copy of Michael Harris's book "British Rail Mark 2 Coaches - The design that launched InterCity".

 

Thanks, that sounds like a good book to obtain, I have a FO and wanted to convert it into a RFB, but Wanted to know what the interior was like as another task to carry out to make an accurate rake of Hornby coaches, I think ive got an idea of the formation now, thanks everyone for your help!

 

NL

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and the BSO turned 180°

 

from pics it also seems that the RFB could be formed either way round - with the buffet end on the 'inside' 1st and 2nd class sections are separated by the buffet, which i suppose would be preferable. the other way round it means 1st class would have to put up with everyone else trailing through to get to the buffet, which i don't think would be too popular!

 

some pics at: http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/Coaches/Mk2-Coaching-Stock/Mk2F-RFB-1200-1260-AJ1F/16393825_V4GwcT#1232989227_aKFaY

 

on the corridor side, the window with the handrail along the inside is opposite the buffet counter. the next window in, there's just the blank wall of the kitchen area. then there's single door leading into the seated section

on the buffet side, the toilet and next 2 slaoon windows are plated over.

on the roof, at the buffet end there a 2 (roevac?) stud vents and a small circular vent cover (fan maybe?)

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That would have been a West Coast rake not a Cross Country one, West Coast had Mk3 buffet's instead of Cross Country's Mk2 RFBs, FO's to provide first class accomodation and DVT's for the brake vehicle.

 

Some West Coast rakes (complete with DVT) did wander on Summer Saturdays to the West Country though! :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Evening all,

 

Sorry to drag this topic up again, and my new question is OT, but what were the destination labels like that were put into the windows of the Mk2s? Am making some on the puter tonight, and wondered if anyone has a picture of one close up?? or even if its a worded description

 

Thanks in advance, and thanks to everyone for the help so far!

 

NL

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  • 1 month later...
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My memories of them are usually being one SO short / missing the First/Buffet / no power in Buffet / no heating in winter (especially on early morning trains from Stockport to Birmingham). Perm any two from 4 for most sets. Then we got Voyagers and things were even worse. At least on the loco hauled ones most people got a seat.

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