Railway General Knowledge.

[Ash Bridge]

A question about sleeping cars,

During the early 1970s, up until 1975 infact, there were two types of sleeping cars in service on certain WCML overnight services, the main type was of course the Mk1 design vehicles but there were also a very small number of a different type in use.

These coaches like the mk1s carried BR blue/grey livery and carried the InterCity Sleeper branding, what were they, and what feature of their running gear was most different from a mk1?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Were they on LMS designed bogies?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Were they on LMS designed bogies?

They certainly were Peter, could you add any more detail about these vehicles?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Afraid not - I was taking one of my wild stabs in the dark when I guessed that!


Another wild stab in the dark guess: Were these the ones with three axled bogies?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Pretty good wild stabs in the dark! Indeed these coaches were fitted with six wheel bogies, and although of LMS design, I believe they were actually constructed after nationalisation by BR workshops, I think at least two of them still survive, one at Carnforth and the other on the Bluebell Rly.

Well done, your floor

 

[Peter Mugridge]

In the first half of the 1980s, a class 50 derailed and was severely damaged; the fact that it derailed in the first place prevented a very much more serious accident indeed from happening.

How?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Was this the sleeper service from Penzance hauled by 50041 which was approaching Paddington a little too rapidly then derailed on a crossover, rolling onto its side just before the platform ends, thus avoiding carnage in the station itself if unable to halt before reaching the stops?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

That is right - 23rd November 1983.

Your floor again.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Betty & Tom's siding was located on a now closed railway route, what was this former line, and what was the name of the nearest station to the above location?

 

[Marton]

North Cornwall.
Delabole

 

[Ash Bridge]

North Cornwall.
Delabole

North Cornwall is correct, but Delabole isn't the nearest station.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Port Issac?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Correct,

Approximately 1/4m from Port Isaac, and more than 3.5m from Delabole,

Who would like to take the floor?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Which were the first EMUs in the UK to be fitted with automatic couplers?

 

[DasLunatic]

Was it the Class 313s?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No it wasn't...


( I'll check the thread again at lunchtime )

 

[DasLunatic]

Ah. The 307s, then?

 

[Ash Bridge]

Was it the 1972 class 445/6 PEP prototype emu's, out of which came the 313, 314 etc. ?

 

[theageofthetra]

The BR EPB's?

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Depending on the definition of the term "automatic" in this question, would they be the Class 415s?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Sorry, I didn't get a chance to check the thread at lunchtime.

I should clarify the definition that by automatic coupler I mean the electronic types, not the buckeyes.

One answer above is very close indeed, that from Ash Bridge. It may be worth considering where the Tightlock was first tested just prior to the PEP prototypes being introduced...

 

[theageofthetra]

The Metvick CoBo was used to haul the PEP's from Derby so I wonder if this was trialed first with some sort of barrier vehicle?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No, I think a clue may be needed.

Just prior to the PEPs entering service, the Tightlock was tested on two existing passenger units ( albeit at one end only in each ).

The type concerned may be a bit of a surprise and certainly unexpected...

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thanks for the much needed clue Peter, its stab in the dark time, so could the test units have been ex Southern Railway emu's e.g a BIL, COR, SUB or BEL ?

 

[Buttsy]

4-sub?

 

[backontrack]

An unlikely BREL Class 317?

 

[Ash Bridge]

An unlikely BREL Class 317?

Not likely, this was at least 10 years before 317s existed!

 

[Buttsy]

Met-Cam 101?
NBL Blue Pullman?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thanks for the much needed clue Peter, its stab in the dark time, so could the test units have been ex Southern Railway emu's e.g a BIL, COR, SUB or BEL ?

Close.... very close indeed.... but a slightly newer type than those.

 

[DasLunatic]

4-cep?