A very knowledgeable guy on another forum posted this up to help me and others I am sure he will not mind me posting it on here to help someone
In 1951 for the Festival of Britain a full set of new Pullman cars was introduced for this train. Also two of the new Britannia Pacifics were sent to the Southern Region to work it. (70004 William Shakespeare, and 70014 Iron Duke). 9 new Pullmans class U cars were built and were similar to the K class 1923 steel panelled wood framed cars with a trussed underframe, but ran on Gresley bogies, and had rectangular windows to the lavatory compartment. 7 of the older K cars were refurbished to act as strengthening and spares. These also had the lavatory window changed from oval to rectangular.
GOLDEN ARROW CARS 1951 to 1972.
Name, Type, Schedule number (also carried instead of name after painting blue & grey), Date electrically heated to work with HA locos (EH), Model made by.
Aquila (U type First Kitchen) 305 EH 1961
Aries (U type First Kitchen) 304 EH 1961 Hornby Dublo 1960
Carina (U type First Kitchen) 307 EH 1961 307
Cygnus (U type First Parlour) 308 EH 1961 308
Hercules (U type First Parlour) 309 EH 1961
Isle of Thanet(converted K type First Brake Parlour, formerly "Princess Elizabeth") 247 EH 1961
Minerva (converted K type First Brake Parlour) 213 EH 1961 Hornby Train Pack 2017
Orion (U type First Kitchen) 306 EH 1961 306
Pegasus (U type Bar Car) 310 EH 1961
Perseus (U type First Parlour) 301
Phoenix (rebuilt to U specification after fire, on chassis of K type First Parlour "Rainbow") 302 EH 1961
Car No 34 (converted K type Second Parlour) 192 EH 1961 Hornby Train Pack 2017
Car No 35 (converted K type Second Parlour) 193
Car No 36 (converted K type Brake Second Parlour) 194 EH 1961 Hornby Train Pack 2017
Car No 208 (converted K type Brake Second Parlour, formerly First Parlour "Leona") EH 1961
Car No 303 (U type Second Kitchen)
In June 1964 only Aquila, Carina, Isle of Thanet, Minerva, Orion & Phoenix allocated to GA
In 1969 these surviving cars were painted blue & grey, and lost their names . The words Golden Arrow were painted on the sides, and the schedule numbers prefixed and suffixed S were applied.
The Britannias were sent to the London Midland Region in 1958 and Bulleid Pacifics substituted until 1961 when the new HA electric locos took over. Its normal route was via Tonbridge.
Between 1952 and 1960 the outward Golden Arrow arrived at Folkestone Harbour, and the carriages then transferred to Dover Marine for the return journey.