Carstairs Splitting / Joining services in the BR Era

[27105]

Wasn't there a BCK stabled permanently at Carstairs in case one of the portions didn't have a brake vehicle? How often was it used?

Indeed there was a Mk1 BCK stabled permanently at Carstairs, for the reasons other members have mentioned.
If I recall correctly, it was dual braked and dual heated to cater for all eventualities.
Mark

 

[duncanp]

Moderator note - split from:

Silly question: Reverse Formation

This is a very silly question (my brain isn't working today!) LNER posted a few weeks an update to the 0755 INV KGX to say that "this train will run in reverse formation from NCL to KGX". The route didn't appear to be different. So what was happening with the train? EDIT: Found an example from...

www.railforums.co.uk

In the days when loco-hauled trains from Birmingham and Manchester to Scotland used to divide at Carstairs for Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Edinburgh portion was on the rear, just detached at Carstairs to leave in the opposite direction. Except for one Monday (so possibly after weekend diversions) when it was announced as 'running in reverse formation', which indeed it was, Edinburgh portion on the front, Glasgow at the rear. A presumably enthusiast was voluble to any and everyone about how this was impossible. You may care to work out what shunting moves were required at Carstairs, which had doubtless had this one happen before, to allow the two halves to continue.

In the early 1980s I travelled from Bolton to Edinburgh on a train which divided at Carstairs.

South of Carlisle, it was announced as front portion for Edinburgh and rear portion for Glasgow.

After a crew change at Carlisle, it was announced as front portion for Glasgow and rear portion for Edinburgh.

When the train arrived at Carstairs there was a lot of confusion and a bit of effing and blinding as people in the wrong portion changed round, before the rear portion departed for Edinburgh and the front portion departed for Glasgow.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

This is a page from the 12th May - 28th Sept 1986 timetable. I can't see any buffet cars staying with the Glasgow portions so it must have changed around then.

Yet the Clansman is shown as buffet to Glasgow (and Perth to Inverness). Presumably the rolling stock diagrams for this service were in a different pool.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Yet the Clansman is shown as buffet to Glasgow (and Perth to Inverness). Presumably the rolling stock diagrams for this service were in a different pool.

In this period the Clansman was a portion off a Euston Glasgow service - Mk3 stock with the restaurant going to Glasgow and the Inverness portion going forward via Mossend without catering. Between Carstairs and Perth the northbound Clansman met the southbound Clansman. The southbound had detached a buffet (RMB) at Perth which was then attached to the northbound, and meanwhile at Carstairs the portion from Inverness attached to the return working from Glasgow of the half set with Restaurant which had detached the northbound portion at Carstairs.

 

[hexagon789]

Yet the Clansman is shown as buffet to Glasgow (and Perth to Inverness). Presumably the rolling stock diagrams for this service were in a different pool.

As Cheshire Scot says, a different arrangement for The Clansman - in 1986 it was part of the standard 110mph Glasgow service but with an Inverness portion.

The Inverness portion was on the front on arrival at Carstairs, formed:

NHA, FO, 5 TSO

The Glasgow portion on rear was booked:

3 TSO, RFB, FO, BFO

The 'standard' Glasgow formation at the time was:

6 TSO, RFB, 2 FO, NHA

 

[D5645]

Indeed there was a Mk1 BCK stabled permanently at Carstairs, for the reasons other members have mentioned.
If I recall correctly, it was dual braked and dual heated to cater for all eventualities.
Mark

It was dual braked and dual heat as you describe.

SC21269 was the regular BCK from memory.