FGW Loco-Hauled Services

[hexagon789]

3520-3525 were the Mark 2E FO(T) vehicles that were converted (as I recall) for use on sleeper services.

They did make the odd appearance on the long distance sets I believe. Anglia used one in a Norwich push-pull set.

6720-6724 (as referenced above in the set formations) were successively converted from Mark 2D TSOs to TSO(T), then RMB and finally RFB. Renumbering was:
5622 - 6602 - 6652 - 6720
5627 - 6610 - 6660 - 6721
5736 - 6611 - 6661 - 6722
5641 - 6612 - 6662 - 6723
5721 - 6615 - 6665 - 6724

So they were recoded RFB then? My understanding was the reseating to first class retained the RMBT code but at least I did remember correctly about the progression from TSOT and that they were MK2D vehicles.

 

[43096]

So they were recoded RFB then? My understanding was the reseating to first class retained the RMBT code but at least I did remember correctly about the progression from TSOT and that they were MK2D vehicles.

I'm not 100% certain on the RFB coding. They've also been quoted as RMBF!

 

[hexagon789]

I'm not 100% certain on the RFB coding. They've also been quoted as RMBF!

I think that's actually what I'm thinking of - the "T" changed to "F" - to reflect the seating alterations

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I think we're talking about different vehicles, I'm talking about the Mk2D RMBT converted from Mk2D TSOT by extending the catering area rather than the Mk2F RFB converted from Mk2F FO and used on XC and certain Anglia Mk2 sets. Anglia did have at least one Mk2E FO(T) but afaik they had no Mk2D RMBT.

Thanks, I hadn’t picked up on that subtlety.

 

[hexagon789]

Thanks, I hadn’t picked up on that subtlety.

No worries, just thought I'd better make clear the vehicles I was referring to. Coaching stock is such a minefield of types some of which are very similar but coded differently and some of which seem quite distinct yet have seperate codes (at least, I can think of a couple of examples to suit either assertion but you get the gist).

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

No worries, just thought I'd better make clear the vehicles I was referring to. Coaching stock is such a minefield of types some of which are very similar but coded differently and some of which seem quite distinct yet have seperate codes (at least, I can think of a couple of examples to suit either assertion but you get the gist).

From various videos of the FGW loco hauled rakes, about half of the standard class coaches appear to be conversions from FOs with seven window bays per side rather than eight. I know a proportion of the Mk2E FO build was converted to high-density standard class (mostly airline seating which must have been horrible with the thick window columns!) but I thought they were all deployed in Anglia?

 

[JonathanH]

From various videos of the FGW loco hauled rakes, about half of the standard class coaches appear to be conversions from FOs with seven window bays per side rather than eight. I know a proportion of the Mk2E FO build was converted to high-density standard class (mostly airline seating which must have been horrible with the thick window columns!) but I thought they were all deployed in Anglia?

There were two fleets of such vehicles.

The Mark 2f coaches in the 68xx series went to Anglia. These had a high density seating layout.
The Mark 2d coaches in the 62xx series went to Great Western. These had a lower density layout.

A bit more discussion about them here and indeed the work on the FGW coaches in the early 2000s. https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-and-hauling-mk2-coaches.203581/#post-4541839

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

There were two fleets of such vehicles.

The Mark 2f coaches in the 68xx series went to Anglia. These had a high density seating layout.
The Mark 2d coaches in the 62xx series went to Great Western. These had a lower density layout.

Thanks

 

[hexagon789]

From various videos of the FGW loco hauled rakes, about half of the standard class coaches appear to be conversions from FOs with seven window bays per side rather than eight. I know a proportion of the Mk2E FO build was converted to high-density standard class (mostly airline seating which must have been horrible with the thick window columns!) but I thought they were all deployed in Anglia?

Didn't Anglia have Mk2F ex-FOs re-seated to 74 standard class seats?

I believe the FGW ones would be the 2D FOs which I think ended up with 58 standard class seats

 

[40068]

I’m almost certain there were also a couple of very decrepid Mark 1 RBKs in faded Intercity Swallow livery, presumably released from Anglia IC services. Does anyone remember how they were deployed? I’ve seen a YT video of a GWT day service passing through Dawlish around 2000ish with one of these vehicles but I haven’t found anything specific about their history - presumably the last two Mark 1 catering vehicles (outside of EMUs) by quite a big margin.

Edit - here‘s a photo on Flickr, presumably before the refresh of the Mk2 fleet but well into the FGW ‘fag packet’ era - interestingly this is a Mark 1 RMB which is well beyond its time.

A Pair of Early Birds

Class 47/4 no.47811 and no. 47816 pass the campers on Dawlish Warren beach with the 5A32 0400 Laira to Exeter ECS on the 11th August 1999

www.flickr.com

I travelled in one of those Mark 1 buffets in September 1999 from Bristol to Chippenham on a service to Paddington. The hauled set was replacing a HST.

 

[hexagon789]

I travelled in one of those Mark 1 buffets in September 1999 from Bristol to Chippenham on a service to Paddington. The hauled set was replacing a HST.

There was at least one Mk1 RMB in IC Swallow colours doing the rounds on GW in 1999, we had a thread about the last Mk1s in mainline service last year I think but I cannot recall whether it was Anglia or GW who had the last use of Mk1s in front line service.