Bachmann 57' suburban mk1's

4083 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Ben Manicom, Dec 19, 2006

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2006

Hi -
Just interested to know if anyone can tell me how these suburban carriages came to be painted in BR blue in real life? I always thought they were steam stock, and although blue appeared in the mid-60's, I would have thought they would have been low priority for repainting at this time. If they lasted beyond the end of steam, where? And what hauled them in the diesel/electric era?
Cheers for any answers, Paul.

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John Webb

· #2 · Dec 16, 2006

I cannot tell you about the painting in blue. But a number of these coaches ended up on preserved railways, such as the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. It may be worth looking at www.vintagecarriagestrust.org - they have a database of coaches which may give you information on when they were withdrawn.

Regards,
John Webb

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Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 16, 2006

These carriages memorably lingered on in use on the Kings Cross suburban service until 1977 when the electric service rendered them redundant. Traction by class 31's, and they were all over blue for pretty much all that last decade in service. Significant body rot, leading to chilly draughts in winter,just added to their charm.

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Bob Hughes

· #4 · Dec 17, 2006

There was one on the Moors Line in the mid seventies (probably still there) which was newly withdrawn. It still carried its all over blue livery and it appeared to have had a refit shortly before withdrawal (typical BR planning for the era) as it had shiny new chrome window surrounds.

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rb277170

· #5 · Dec 17, 2006

I'm not sure the Bachmann 57' suburbans are accurate for Kings Cross services. Sure I read somewhere that kings Cross had 64' stock. Not aware of any suburban stock anywhere else being painted blue. Certainly in Scotland they were superceded by DMUs and EMUs

Russell

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John Webb

· #6 · Dec 17, 2006 (Edited by Moderator)

There were a number of 57ft coach types supplied for the Kings Cross surburban services:
57 ft Composite with Lavatory - unique to these services (Code CL)
57ft Brake Second (Code BS)
57ft Second Open with Lavatory - unique to Kings Cross and Fenchurch St services (Code SLO)
57ft Second (Code S) non-gangwayed ie all compartments.

Source of information: ABC British Railway Coaches 1960
I am not certain exactly how these tie in with the Bachmann models but certainly the 34-702 Coach, labelled E41006 appears to be wrong - it was originally M41006 - unless late in its life it was reallocated to the Eastern Region?

According to the above ABC, the longer versions (63ft) were only usually used on the Western and Southern Regions.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
John Webb

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rb277170

· #7 · Dec 17, 2006

Cheers John. Thanks for clearing that up. Suspect there will be lots of Mk1s behind Hornby 31s.

Russell

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Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 17, 2006

Brilliant stuff chaps, many thanks.

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flyingsignalman

· #9 · Dec 18, 2006

Two of the coaches from the Kings Cross services went to the Llangollen Railway when they were superseded; I think they were the first two coaches they had. They were blue but may have been repainted lined maroon by the time services started. I'm not sure if they are still there or have moved on.

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7113

· #10 · Dec 19, 2006

The East Kent Railway also have a suburban coach, which at some point in its career (I think when it was at the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway) was converted to a driving trailer and painted in GWR livery.

Regards

John

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Ben Manicom

· #11 · Dec 19, 2006

The Worth Valley has a good few of these coaches including a Composite Lavatory.

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