Old Virgin/First coaches at Yeovil Junction

[TT-ONR-NRN]

About fifteen years ago when I was quite a young kid, we used to travel down from Farnborough to Yeovil Junction to visit family friends, maybe twice or three times a year?

I remember the journey very distinctly, including the trolley which is obviously now long gone, but something I specifically remember is being intrigued as we came into Yeovil Junction, as there’d be a number of really ancient looking Virgin MK2/MK3s and I think some First Fag Packet ones too, probably left over from CrossCountry hauled days and Motorail.

Does anyone know if they’re still there or what happened to them?


Edit:
Ooh, it looks as though there are some images online of said coaches. (Not my photos)

 

[fgwrich]

They were eventually bought by BARS / DCR / RMS Locotec from HSBC Rail UK and moved up to Okehampton to be used on their one time Okehampton > Exeter service, to be top and tailed with 31s. In the end that didn’t happen and so they spent further time languishing at Meldon (some were also taken to Weardale to be used on the BARS operation there) until they were cleared out by what has since become Eastern Rail Services. Most have since been either scrapped or sold on - their condition was poor back in 2012 so it’s hardly a surprise.

Nathan Williamson has some photos of the move and the vehicles on his Shed83 website;

2012 - DCR - Shed83a

31602 departs Exeter St Davids with 7 x Mk2's from Long Term Storage in Yeovil Junction, forming the: 5Z31 13:15 Yeovil Junction to Okehampton 24/09/12

shed83a.smugmug.com

 

[Bumpkin]

It would seem that these were moved on from Yeovil in 2012. Owned at the time by 'British American Railway Services'.

This page details the move they undertook to Okehampton https://bars-blog.weebly.com/latest-news.html

31602...
Worked 0Z31 Bristol Barton Hill - Yeovil Junction and 5Z31 Yeovil Junction - Okehampton yesterday as booked, hauling mk.2 coaches 6181, 6002, 5920, 9492, 3354, 3425 & 3402. Three of these remained at Okehampton whilst the other four (which are eventually destined for the Weardale Railway) were tripped forward to Taunton, again running as 5Z31.

As for the particular carriages listed
6181 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
6002 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
5920 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
9492 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
3354 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022
3425 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022
3402 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022

As found on here https://features.rcts.org.uk/carria...stock-disposals/br-mark-2-passenger-carrying/

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

They were eventually moved up to Okehampton and bought by BARS / DCR to be used on their one time Okehampton > Exeter service, top and tailed with 31s. In the end that didn’t happen and so they spent further time languishing at Meldon (some where also taken to Weardale) until they were cleared out by what has since become Eastern Rail Services.

Nathan Williamson has some photos of the move and the vehicles on his Shed83 website;

2012 - DCR - Shed83a

31602 departs Exeter St Davids with 7 x Mk2's from Long Term Storage in Yeovil Junction, forming the: 5Z31 13:15 Yeovil Junction to Okehampton 24/09/12

shed83a.smugmug.com

It would seem that these were moved on from Yeovil in 2012. Owned at the time by 'British American Railway Services'.

This page details the move they undertook to Okehampton https://bars-blog.weebly.com/latest-news.html




As for the particular carriages listed
6181 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
6002 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
5920 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
9492 - Scrapped at European Metal Recycling, Kingsbury 9/21
3354 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022
3425 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022
3402 - Scrapped on site at Wolsingham c10/2022

As found on here https://features.rcts.org.uk/carria...stock-disposals/br-mark-2-passenger-carrying/

Very interesting thank you.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Is the blue tank wagon a modern milk tank? I remember seeing something similar at Swindon back in the 80s with MMB (Milk Marketing Board) on the side.

 

[popeter45]

Is the blue tank wagon a modern milk tank? I remember seeing something similar at Swindon back in the 80s with MMB (Milk Marketing Board) on the side.

no i think its for track cleaning

 

[Ashley Hill]

no i think its for track cleaning

Probably is. This was the type of wagon I was thinking of, although probably not a six wheeler. It may be a subject for a new thread.The picture shows a model of a 6 wheeled tank wagon in blue Milk Marketing Board livery.
Image Dapol.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

It’s amazing how much Virgin or Anglia coaching stock you see knocking around. Southall yards is another place.

 

[Russel]

It’s amazing how much Virgin or Anglia coaching stock you see knocking around. Southall yards is another place.

True, in the early 2000s when Virgin got rid of them, they seemed to be everywhere.

I wonder how much stock is still left in the Virgin red livery?