Mk1 Coaches - internal signs

[SargeNpton]

Photos of a few signs rescued from inside and outside Mk1 coaches in a scrap yard in the late 1970s. That some coaches had signs indicating the type of wood paneling, I could only think was to allow repairs to be made with the same type of wood should any of the panels get damaged.

The Out of Order sticker was one you dreaded seeing if you were desperate for the loo!

 

[NB5025]

That's a nice collection! I do like the Mk1 internal signs, they really fit the style of the train.

I'll need to look out for the ones showing the type of wood, I hadn't noticed those before.

 

[Gloster]

I always felt that the notices identifying the wood came from the era when they wanted to show the passengers that they were using patriotic British or Empire wood…none of this foreign rubbish. I remember them from the Mark 1s used on Reading-Redhill trains; as these were (I think) from early deliveries, did the practice die off? (Parkin’s Mark 1 book doesn’t seem to mention anything about the choice of which wood was used, just that the choice of wood was because of the skills and equipment in the works; during the production run they moved on.)

 

[The exile]

I always felt that the notices identifying the wood came from the era when they wanted to show the passengers that they were using patriotic British or Empire wood…none of this foreign rubbish. I remember them from the Mark 1s used on Reading-Redhill trains; as these were (I think) from early deliveries, did the practice die off? (Parkin’s Mark 1 book doesn’t seem to mention anything about the choice of which wood was used, just that the choice of wood was because of the skills and equipment in the works; during the production run they moved on.)

I believe it was a continuation of LMS practice- also shows a degree of pride in craftsmanship (ie “we don’t just use any old timber”).
I remember a journey in a coach that proudly announced that it had been displayed at some exhibition (UIC?) in Moscow…

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

'Zebrano' was the exotic wood as I recall; 'Weathered Sycamore' seemed like the economy one.

 

[StephenHunter]

The Night Ferry sleepers used steel painted like wood due to fire regulations.

 

[izvor]

Seem to remember the Clacton electrics had "TEAK" but could be wrong - long time ago!

Lovely collection of signs, thanks.

 

[Rescars]

Ah, the wood! The laminate that came with refurbishment just wasn't the same. There were no little signs labelling 'Formica'!

 

[Belperpete]

That some coaches had signs indicating the type of wood paneling, I could only think was to allow repairs to be made with the same type of wood should any of the panels get damaged.

I would have thought that the skilled joiners and craftsmen used to build and maintain the coaches would have been able to identify the types of wood.

I suspect that it was more to allow management to make comparisons between the different types of wood, how well each stood up to wear, how well the finish lasted over time, etc. The early BR era was an era of innovation and experimentation, and I could well believe them wanting to try out different types of wood, particularly if each ex-old company works had its own preference.

 

[The exile]

I would have thought that the skilled joiners and craftsmen used to build and maintain the coaches would have been able to identify the types of wood.

I suspect that it was more to allow management to make comparisons between the different types of wood, how well each stood up to wear, how well the finish lasted over time, etc. The early BR era was an era of innovation and experimentation, and I could well believe them wanting to try out different types of wood, particularly if each ex-old company works had its own preference.

I suspect it had far more to do with the appearance of the first Mark Is around the time of the Festival of Britain - “look what we’re doing with home [and empire] grown timber”.
Management wouldn’t need internal labels - a typed list would do!

 

[Taunton]

I would have thought that the skilled joiners and craftsmen used to build and maintain the coaches would have been able to identify the types of wood.

Their trade was very much on the way out in the workshops when Mk1 stock was being built. Previous company types, built into early BR times, were of "composite" construction, where although they had metal outside panels the heavy body framing was of timber. There was continuing work in maintaining these at overhauls, but the new vehicles used metalworking and welding skills. Timber interior panels (and some of the seating units) were now minority work for the carpenters.

 

[Forty29]

Always looking out for the wood sign's on heritage railway stock. Severn valley railway have quite a few, also a notice giving the history of the coach including last usage with British Rail is very interesting.
I always wonder if they still make the lightbulbs for compartment lights and what will they do when they run out.

 

[Rescars]

I always wonder if they still make the lightbulbs for compartment lights and what will they do when they run out.

Conversion to gas seems the least probable option!

 

[yorksrob]

Was it Baclewat aluminium on the sliding ventilators on CIG's ?

(All carriages should have sliding ventilators IMO).

 

[Taunton]

Was it Baclewat aluminium on the sliding ventilators on CIG's ?

(All carriages should have sliding ventilators IMO).

Beclawat. Beckett-Laycock-Watkinson Ltd. Factory in Acton. Still seem in business over in Canada, presumably once a subsidiary.

Beclawat train windows advert, 1961

How many times have you seen a train or bus window with 'Beclawat' on it and wondered what it stood for? yes, Beckett, Laycock and Watkinson of Acton in London. The 'Hurricane' was the one most often seen on BR trains that you shouldn't stick your head out of!

www.flickr.com

 

[edwin_m]

I always wonder if they still make the lightbulbs for compartment lights and what will they do when they run out.

Perhaps the heritage railways will club together and do an order of LED versions with the appropriate fitting (if they aren't available already).

 

[yorksrob]

Beclawat. Beckett-Laycock-Watkinson Ltd. Factory in Acton. Still seem in business over in Canada, presumably once a subsidiary.

Beclawat train windows advert, 1961

How many times have you seen a train or bus window with 'Beclawat' on it and wondered what it stood for? yes, Beckett, Laycock and Watkinson of Acton in London. The 'Hurricane' was the one most often seen on BR trains that you shouldn't stick your head out of!

www.flickr.com

A fine business by the sounds of it - thanks for posting !

 

[John Webb]

....I always wonder if they still make the lightbulbs for compartment lights and what will they do when they run out.

Most heritage railways have moved over to 'look-alike' LED lamps - longer life and less power consumption. (The latter is important because at a max 25mph speed coach generators provide lower power levels than when said coaches were doing 50+ mph on the national network.)

 

[Forty29]

Ok

Perhaps the heritage railways will club together and do an order of LED versions with the appropriate fitting (if they aren't available already).

Yes after l posted about the availability of compartment light bulbs found some identical LED bulbs in my local supermarket but white and not opaque glass like the original. Would do the job though.

 

[Rescars]

Most heritage railways have moved over to 'look-alike' LED lamps - longer life and less power consumption. (The latter is important because at a max 25mph speed coach generators provide lower power levels than when said coaches were doing 50+ mph on the national network.)

Good point about power generation. Presumably there were specifications about the distance/speed which needed to be travelled over a set period of time to keep the accumulators fully charged.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Good point about power generation. Presumably there were specifications about the distance/speed which needed to be travelled over a set period of time to keep the accumulators fully charged.

On the Hemyock branch in Devon an ex Barry Rly. coach was retained with gas lighting as the slow speed and limited mileage was insufficent to charge batteries in an electrically lit coach. It had been electric from new but was subsequently converted to gas specifically for the branch.

This coach finally expired a few years before closure, so an electrically lit ex LNER coach was used instead. This had to be worked to Exeter and back in a local train at the weekend purely to charge the batteries for the week ahead!

 

[edwin_m]

I seem to remember the Mk1 would switch over from battery to generator at somewhere between 20mph and 30mph. This was evident by the lights getting brighter (or in one case, due to some fault they would go out at that speed and re-light only when the train slowed down). Possibly heritage operators have tweaked the "gearing" (something like a different diameter pulley on a drive belt) to get more power at a lower speed as the coach will never go fast enough to overspeed the generator.