Virgin mk2 at Doncaster?

[Scott M]

Hello all,

I was on the 18:30 from New Street to Newcastle last night, and at Doncaster saw what appeared to be an old virgin mk2 carriage in the sidings (see photo of an example for those unfamiliar with the old virgin livery).

Was quite dark at the time so could have mis-saw, anybody know if it actually was that?

The old Virgin CrossCountry Livery is probably my joint favourite liverly (along with GNER).

 

[158820]

At Wabtec works I presume. They used one to trial the sliding doors for hsts.

 

[ainsworth74]

It's been there for maybe ten years as far as I can recall.

 

[Intercity91]

It’s a MK3 first open which is essentially gutted. It recently seems to have used for sliding door conversion trial recently at one end.

 

[SC43090]

Hello all,

I was on the 18:30 from New Street to Newcastle last night, and at Doncaster saw what appeared to be an old virgin mk2 carriage in the sidings (see photo of an example for those unfamiliar with the old virgin livery).

Was quite dark at the time so could have mis-saw, anybody know if it actually was that?

The old Virgin CrossCountry Livery is probably my joint favourite liverly (along with GNER).

The MK3 coach number is 11028..... It as been there a long time.... The reason it went to Wabtec it was going to be converted into a Buffet car for East Coast as they don't have a spare buffet car after there buffet car got written of after one of the crashes from that time to now they still don't have a spare buffet car....

SC43090

 

[43096]

The MK3 coach number is 11028..... It as been there a long time.... The reason it went to Wabtec it was going to be converted into a Buffet car for East Coast as they don't have a spare buffet car after there buffet car got written of after one of the crashes from that time to now they still don't have a spare buffet car....

SC43090

I don't think that is quite correct. There was a plan to convert a Mark 3 to run in a Mark 4 set as a catering vehicle - I think with emergency doors at each end rather than having new plug/sliding doors - but it was to be converted from a Mark 3 RFM (10245 from memory) which was on site at Wabtec for some time. What is correct is that there are no spare Mark 4 catering cars after the adjustment of the fleet to maintain fleet strength of 30 full sets despite the loss of 12 vehicles after Hatfield and Great Heck. 10322 (Great Heck) and 10327 (Hatfield) were written off and 10314/316 were converted to FOs 11998/9, thus reducing the original 34 buffet vehicles down to 30.