How long did pre-MK1 stock last in service...

[melmerby]

 

The AL1-AL5 locos certainly did' have steam heat boilers, there was nowhere in the loco to put one! Some did however have a huge mercury arc rectifier which would light up the "engine room" as the loco took power, but I digress.

 

 

Not the ideal location for a piece of technology which works best when not moving!

The efficiency when the mercury is sloshing all over the place as the loco negotiates complex trackwork must have been pretty poor.

 

Keith

[Pennine MC]

A late friend of mine who worked in the offices at Crewe told me BR accountants determined a cut-off point for all pre-BR. Mk.I designed passenger carrying 'day' stock, and that was either 1970 or 1971....I don't remember which at this distance in time. I commented at the time how sad this was considering some company designed coaches were hardly any older than the first Mk.1 coaches. But apart from keeping the books tidy, I'm afraid those lovely coaches were simply not in the same league as Mk.I's for strength in the event of a mishap/collision.

 

 

 

And apart from that, there was a general surplus of 'bottom end' LHCS anyway due to service cuts and increased utilisation of MUs, meaning that many early Mk1s were withdrawn virtually concurrently with pre-BR coaches

['CHARD]

And apart from that, there was a general surplus of 'bottom end' LHCS anyway due to service cuts and increased utilisation of MUs, meaning that many early Mk1s were withdrawn virtually concurrently with pre-BR coaches

 

All the better to create masses of Carflats on standard and pre-groping platforms

[Derekl]

"I dont doubt your recollection Derek but I'm sure that date must be a mistake - it's well recorded by the likes of the RCTS that no pre-BR day stock survived that late. As mentioned in the related threads that have been linked to, any mid 70s survivors were specialised vehicles like buffets and sleepers"

 

The date is right - I arrived in the UK in early 1976, and I travelled up to Scotland with my then wife to see my grandmother at Easter that year. I had read something about the LMS porthole stock beforehand, and was very surprised to see it on the train (albeit a relief, with, I guess some fairly scratch components) and I did check that I was right - although what I did, I cannot now remember - the obvious would be to look for a builder's plate, which is what I would do now, but I don't remember what I did then, but I did think I had it right. So, I could be wrong as to the coach, although they were fairly distinctive, but I am not wrong on the date.

[Pennine MC]

So, I could be wrong as to the coach, although they were fairly distinctive, but I am not wrong on the date.

Fair enough then, it must be the coach. Can't think what else it could be though, that would be so different from a regular Mk1

[Derekl]

Fair enough then, it must be the coach. Can't think what else it could be though, that would be so different from a regular Mk1

 

It certainly wasn't a Mk 1 and I also cannot think of anything else with LMS builder's plates and the characteristic porthole windows. As I said, I was very surprised to see it, and did some checking, although I cannot remember now what I did.