Compartment Stock

[yorksrob]

Hello All,

I was wondering if there are any railtours that are done with compartment stock nowadays ?

I quite like the idea of travelling around the mainlines in a corridoor coach yet whenever I see rakes of Mk 1's around they always seem to be saloon vehicles.

 

[theblackwatch]

WCRC have a couple of SK vehicles they occasionally kick out but they seem to be at the bottom of the pile - there was one on the Scarborough Spa Express last summer.

 

[scotsman]

SRPS Railtours always have 1BSK and 2FKs in the formation

 

[Hydro]

I used to like the corridor design of the first class compartments on SR slammers. Very personal and comfortable. I forgot how narrow the corridor tends to be however, bumping down the few corridor vehicles that exist in the yellow fleet.

 

[theblackwatch]

SRPS Railtours always have 1BSK and 2FKs in the formation

I'd forgotten about those. There's another FK which sees use in the Vintage Trains set when it's out normally.

 

[yorksrob]

Many thanks for the replies. I'll have to look out for some of these. I love the idea of travelling up the ECML in one for example.

I used to like the corridor design of the first class compartments on SR slammers. Very personal and comfortable. I forgot how narrow the corridor tends to be however, bumping down the few corridor vehicles that exist in the yellow fleet.

Yes, I've spent many happy hours of compartment travel on the Southern Region. The nearest I've ever got to it North of Watford was in the ex 1st class saloon on a 308.

 

[Class172]

It would be brilliant if they could bring back compartments, especially in 1st class

 

[87015]

Plenty of it on the continent even in modern long distance stock as well as older stuff.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Personally I prefer opens - much better view out of both sides of the carriage without having to move from the seat!

 

[ACE1888]

Much missed stock

 

[9K43]

In October 1960, me an my mate went to Doncaster for the day train spotting.
We went from Wakefield Westgate on a train going to Doncaster and Eastern counties.
The stock was some old Gresley Quad arts, with was pulled by A3 Sir Visto with a 12C shed plate on it.(Carlisel Canal)?
At this time I was 11 years old.
Donny at that time was full of A4 hauled trains, such as The Flying Scotsman,
The Talisman, The Anglo Scottish Car Carrier and the Yorkshire Pullman.
Donny Plant at this time was in full swing and Brit Hereward The Wake was to be seen plainly.
Happy days of an age long gone by.
The 1/2 return for a child to donny was 1s 11p

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I Think that steam dreams railtours use compartment stock for their first class non dining passengers, but they do look rather cramped as they seat six people and with a table too.

 

[yorksrob]

I Think that steam dreams railtours use compartment stock for their first class non dining passengers, but they do look rather cramped as they seat six people and with a table too.

Cheers for that. I can't really imagine a compartment with a table, so it would seem a bit crampt ! Three a side wouldn't be a problem though as the Southern EMU ones I'm used to were four a side

 

[DiscoStu]

The old Pilkington Mark I rake had tables in the compartments .... there's more room than you think, and it's no different to sitting at a four seat table, except you're in a compartment, and there's six seats lol

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In the late 1950's, non-corridor compartment stock was the norm on suburban trains running eastwards from the terminal platforms from Manchester Victoria station. It was only when the 1st generation DMU came on the scene that travellers saw an improvement in travel. I can honestly say that I have no "fond" memories of these coaches.

Many of these old coaches were always in profusion at Red Bank carriage sidings.

 

[LE Greys]

With regards to another thread, I'd be glad to have somewhere where I don't have to listen to other people's phonecalls. They can make them to their heart's content without needing to be worried about being overheard. Modern compartments probably wouldn't be as good as the old ones, no opening windows, but it would still be great to be able to shut out the rest of the world for a bit. It also makes it easier to handle overcrowding, strangely. The old trick of folding up the armrests to get two extra seats helps in some way, and it's probably easier to keep a side-corridor clear of luggage than a central aisle. What's more, there are good places to put luggage, under seats and in racks (or even on the floor as a footrest). On the whole, I like compos and think they should make a comeback with IEP.

 

[Hydro]

The VEP first class compartments were utterly awesome. I do recall getting nearly twenty of us in one on the school commute. Get the agile ones in the luggage racks, lift the armrests, squeeze in, add a second layer on the laps of the seated contingent (with the lads wishing for a girl) and ram the rest on the floor.

On the serious side, the individual heating controls were great for making a cosy warm little hideaway on a cold day, the VEP had individual doors with a window, the seats were utterly amazing, sinking in with the springs creaking...great times. A couple of our work coaches still have seated compartments (Mentor has a great one, being a converted BSK) that are good for kipping in.

 

[LE Greys]

On the serious side, the individual heating controls were great for making a cosy warm little hideaway on a cold day, the VEP had individual doors with a window, the seats were utterly amazing, sinking in with the springs creaking...great times. A couple of our work coaches still have seated compartments (Mentor has a great one, being a converted BSK) that are good for kipping in.

Or as an alternative, a refreshing cool haven from a stuffy, overheated atmosphere.

 

[sprinterguy]

The three-aside compartments are roomier than the seating we now witness on current rolling stock, which is arranged four abreast in 2+2 arrangement or even five abreast in 3+2 arrangement. And of course, there's plenty of room to move around without a table inbetween, but I imagine that even with a table squeezed in, there'd still be plenty of elbow room to avoid it becoming uncomfortable and cramped.

 

[yorksrob]

The VEP first class compartments were utterly awesome. I do recall getting nearly twenty of us in one on the school commute. Get the agile ones in the luggage racks, lift the armrests, squeeze in, add a second layer on the laps of the seated contingent (with the lads wishing for a girl) and ram the rest on the floor.

My goodness, you should have got Record Breakers in to record that one !

On the serious side, the individual heating controls were great for making a cosy warm little hideaway on a cold day, the VEP had individual doors with a window, the seats were utterly amazing, sinking in with the springs creaking...great times. A couple of our work coaches still have seated compartments (Mentor has a great one, being a converted BSK) that are good for kipping in.

I can remember me and some mates were travelling back in a VEP compartment after a day out in Brighton involving beer and curry. Needless to say, had it not been for the droplight we would have probably been found asphixiated by our own flatulence

They were splendid trains

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Personally I prefer opens - much better view out of both sides of the carriage without having to move from the seat!

Yes I agree, I prefer opens too, seems to be more space.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

In the late 1950's, non-corridor compartment stock was the norm on suburban trains running eastwards from the terminal platforms from Manchester Victoria station. It was only when the 1st generation DMU came on the scene that travellers saw an improvement in travel. I can honestly say that I have no "fond" memories of these coaches.

Many of these old coaches were always in profusion at Red Bank carriage sidings.

There were quite alot of similar non-corridor compartment stock all over the suburban services services of the southern region until the mid 1980s, I think they may of been phased out, owing to attacks on passengers onlate night trains on the Dartford Loop. I did not like those very much. You can still travel on very similar coaches in a much nicer environment, as I have done recently, on some of the preserved railways, for example the Bluebell and Kent & East Sussex. Rgds Steve.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes I agree, I prefer opens too, seems to be more space.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


There were quite alot of similar non-corridor compartment stock all over the suburban services services of the southern region until the mid 1980s, I think they may of been phased out, owing to attacks on passengers onlate night trains on the Dartford Loop. I did not like those very much. You can still travel on very similar coaches in a much nicer environment, as I have done recently, on some of the preserved railways, for example the Bluebell and Kent & East Sussex. Rgds Steve.

There were (particularly EPB's and SUB's). When the EPB's were being refurbed in the 80's, some of the compartment trailers were opened out or swapped with non compartment trailers so that by the late 80's the fleet was mainly all non compartment stock, although there were a few units which were left with two compartment trailers which were restricted to peak hour workings.