Carriages: Compartment, Corridor, Open

[D6130]

I think it was intended to act as a demonstrator/shop window to obtain orders for BREL from abroad.

IIRC, it was eventually sold to Irish Rail, regauged to 5' 3"/1,600 mm, and used mainly on the Cu na Mara (Connemara) two round trips per day Dublin Heuston - Galway service. Presumably the BREL International vehicles were withdrawn and scrapped at the same time as most of the mark 3s, when the Rotem Inter-City DMUs were introduced. Does anyone know whether any of the vehicles survived?

 

[Journeyman]

Were no EPBs all compartment? Certainly in the mid 80s l remember on several occasions trying several carriages and finding them all to be compartments...

No. All EPB motor coaches were open. SR 4-EPBs had one open and one compartment trailer originally. BR 4-EPBs had two trailers that were five open bays and five compartments. SR 2-EPBs were all open, BR 2-EPBs had five compartments in the driving trailer.

All refurbished ones were opened out, of course.

Some 4-EPBs were reformed after 1988 with 2 compartment trailers, and renumbered in the 55xx series. They were used at peak hours only, and made all remaining units 100% open. This was following the Deborah Linsley murder in the compartment trailer of 5115, which remains unsolved.

 

[Wolfie]

No. All EPB motor coaches were open. SR 4-EPBs had one open and one compartment trailer originally. BR 4-EPBs had two trailers that were five open bays and five compartments. SR 2-EPBs were all open, BR 2-EPBs had five compartments in the driving trailer.

All refurbished ones were opened out, of course.

Some 4-EPBs were reformed after 1988 with 2 compartment trailers, and renumbered in the 55xx series. They were used at peak hours only, and made all remaining units 100% open. This was following the Deborah Linsley murder in the compartment trailer of 5115, which remains unsolved.

TY. Do you happen to know if the reformed 4-EPBs that you mentioned (the 55xx) were used on the Catford loop line? I was living at Nunhead at the time.

 

[Journeyman]

TY. Do you happen to know if the reformed 4-EPBs that you mentioned (the 55xx) were used on the Catford loop line? I was living at Nunhead at the time.

I suspect they did, if those lines were still EPB operated then. The 55xx units had two consecutive compartment vehicles in them, so it could be those you encountered.

 

[Wolfie]

I suspect they did, if those lines were still EPB operated then. The 55xx units had two consecutive compartment vehicles in them, so it could be those you encountered.

TY. The EPBs were replaced on the Catford line by 319s around 1989/90.

 

[30907]

I suspect they did, if those lines were still EPB operated then. The 55xx units had two consecutive compartment vehicles in them, so it could be those you encountered.

I agree. The SE EPBs weren't allocated to specific routes, so any unit could turn up anywhere - if not at any time, in the case of the /5 units.

 

[Journeyman]

I agree. The SE EPBs weren't allocated to specific routes, so any unit could turn up anywhere - if not at any time, in the case of the /5 units.

Yeah. They weren't supposed to be used after 8.30pm. There always seemed to be a bunch of them just outside Blackfriars during the off-peak periods.

 

[Wolfie]

I agree. The SE EPBs weren't allocated to specific routes, so any unit could turn up anywhere - if not at any time, in the case of the /5 units.

I would generally be travelling in rush hour when l assume that they were more likely to be out to play.

 

[OVS Flatbottom]

Presumably the BREL International vehicles were withdrawn and scrapped at the same time as most of the mark 3s, when the Rotem Inter-City DMUs were introduced. Does anyone know whether any of the vehicles survived?

Two (IÉ 6203 and 6205 - I think the BR numbers were 99524 and 99526) went to the Killashee House Hotel (now apparently just the Killashee Hotel) in County Kildare. The hotel seemingly intended turning them (and, I believe, an IÉ Cravens coach) into a restaurant, but this didn't happen. 6203 went on to a tree nursery in another part of Kildare, where it originally served as a coffee shop (photo at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2013Photos/May-2013/i-x2xV2Mn/A) before falling into disuse and eventually being converted to a garden design studio a couple of years ago (article at https://www.growtrade.ie/caragh-nurseries-launch-new-garden-design-studio/; see also https://caraghnurseries.ie/garden-design/). As far as I know, it still exists in this unlikely location. (Vintage Carriages Trust entry here).

The other coach (6205) was derelict by 2013 (photo at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2013Photos/May-2013/i-H7cr2Md/A), and I doubt it still exists; certainly, I can't locate it on aerial photos, and there's no Vintage Carriages Trust entry).

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Some 4-EPBs were reformed after 1988 with 2 compartment trailers, and renumbered in the 55xx series. They were used at peak hours only, and made all remaining units 100% open. This was following the Deborah Linsley murder in the compartment trailer of 5115, which remains unsolved.

These EPBs were unofficially reclassified as "4COM" and the compartment trailers had a bold red stripe painted just below roof level along their length

Remarkably, a few received classified overhauls and repaints into blue and grey livery....

Although many EPBs survived to receive Network SouthEast toothpaste livery, I don't recall any of the 4COM units being so painted

 

[Journeyman]

These EPBs were unofficially reclassified as "4COM" and the compartment trailers had a bold red stripe painted just below roof level along their length

Remarkably, a few received classified overhauls and repaints....

They lasted quite a long time, certainly, which suggested there was a shortage of alternative rolling stock. However, they disappeared extremely quickly when the Networkers began to roll out. They were, quite rightly, the first EPB subclass to disappear during the replacement programme.

 

[WesternLancer]

Two (IÉ 6203 and 6205 - I think the BR numbers were 99524 and 99526) went to the Killashee House Hotel (now apparently just the Killashee Hotel) in County Kildare. The hotel seemingly intended turning them (and, I believe, an IÉ Cravens coach) into a restaurant, but this didn't happen. 6203 went on to a tree nursery in another part of Kildare, where it originally served as a coffee shop (photo at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2013Photos/May-2013/i-x2xV2Mn/A) before falling into disuse and eventually being converted to a garden design studio a couple of years ago (article at https://www.growtrade.ie/caragh-nurseries-launch-new-garden-design-studio/; see also https://caraghnurseries.ie/garden-design/). As far as I know, it still exists in this unlikely location. (Vintage Carriages Trust entry here).

The other coach (6205) was derelict by 2013 (photo at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2013Photos/May-2013/i-H7cr2Md/A), and I doubt it still exists; certainly, I can't locate it on aerial photos, and there's no Vintage Carriages Trust entry).

Interesting links!