Coaching Stock. Part-One.

British Rail. Mark.1. Stock.

There is a lot more to trains than that of locomotives it is the coaching stock that is the passenger bit, that we travel to enjoy or commute to work. Prior to privatisation the four big railway companies in the United Kingdom, LMS, LNER, GWR and Southern Railways had each designed their own carriages.

But in 1951 the BR Mark one was introduced, being built at Doncaster up to 1963 and it has remain in use to this day being the most successful ever built. Mark 1 coaches remain in service as part of the Royal train as well as Departmental duties and are part of nearly every preservation railway. 

The Mark 1 was also supplied to Northern-Ireland railways and exported to the Republic of Ireland from the early 1960's.

British Diesel Class 08.

'A Survivor.'

No matter where you travel across the United Kingdom mainland, Scotland, England, Wales and Kernow/Cornwall you will find this little locomotive in some corner of a yard on the mainline or in industrial use.

The BR/English Electric 0-6-0/Class 08 was built between 1955-62 by BR at Crewe, Darlington, Derby locomotive, Doncaster and Horwich works. 

She was fitted with an English Electric 6KT of 289 KW giving 400hp at 680 rpm. Continues traction was at 8.8 mph, weight between 49.6 to 50.4 tonnes. Her design speed was 20 mph, but she was restricted to 15 mph. Originally numbered D3000 to D 4192, now 080___

Initially three engines were given a reduced cab height at their conversion in Landore 1985-87, 08993, 08994, 08995.

Later on we will look at the Class 09 which was an off shoot version.