BR MK1 Crimson & Cream RF

BR MK1 Crimson & Cream RF

v4.5
Type: RESTAURANT FIRST (RF)
Built: 1952
Seating: 17, Open Plan 2+1
Length: 64.5 feet
Weight: 43 tons
Era: 1950s
BR Region: Western

As British Railways inherited a large collection of pre war catering vehicles, few catering vehicles were built during the initial Mark 1 building program in the early 1950s. Only two types providing provisions for cooking meals were commissioned, the Full Kitchen car and the Restaurant First. Both these types built three years before the 1956 catering prototypes, which arose due to changes in onboard catering practices and operating experiences using the initial 1951 designs.

The Restaurant First, presented here in its original condition as No. 305 allocated to the Western Region, and mounted on BR2 bogies. A half sized kitchen is provided, including single anthracite stove, pantry, refrigerator, two sinks, coffee machine, linen cupboards with extra storage space and staff compartments. Fitted with wooden panelling and plastic faced laminates in and around the kitchen areas for easily cleanable surfaces. The Kitchen windows being fitted with white translucent glass. The height of the working Kitchen surfaces prevented full depth windows from being used, these windows on the non corridor side being slightly shallower - the lower edge in line with the bottom of the drop light door windows. Only five of this type were built.

Seating available for 17 First class passengers in the 'Restaurant', arranged in an open plan 2+1 layout, being a table to each window - seating two abreast on one side of a centre isle, and seating one abreast on the other side. All seats are loose fitting. One toilet provided, towards the centre of the coach, for the use of catering staff only.

Anthracite stoves proved unpopular with the catering staff, and with changes to catering practices, the life span for these coaches was sadly cut short, all being withdrawn by the late 1960s.


USE

This type of coach would be found on 'top link' express on the Western region during the 1950s. Normally found in the middle of the train between first and Third/Second class coaches, coupled to a RSO or RUO at the Kitchen end.


LIVERY

Crimson and Cream, nicknamed 'blood and custard', was a bright departure from the grime and dirt of post war Britain. First applied in 1949, this livery was standard to all regions of British Railways until 1956, eventually to be replaced by Maroon or Southern Green as standard. During this transition period during the late 1950s, it was not uncommon to see rakes formed with Maroon and Crimson and Cream coaches.


THE MARK 1 PROGRAMME

After the Second World War, wartime conditions highlighted the need for better standards in regards to vehicle lengths, profiles and couplings, for stock working between the 'Big Four' companies. A commission of senior officers was duly appointed by the UK 'Railway Companies Association' to create and implement a set of dimensions that would be applied to all future stock from each company. Although completed, the standards were not implemented, as nationalisation was imminent.

On nationalisation in 1948, the commission's findings were used by the new 'British Railways Carriage Standards Committee' as the basis to developed the 'C1 Restriction' profile - a set of standards governing coach length, profile and bogie centres. Thus from this the classic Mark 1 design was born, the prototypes unveiled on 18th September 1950, production coaches entering revenue service in March 1951. The Mk1 became the standard design for all new coaches between 1951 and 1964. Built using standard components - frame, coach ends and bogies - the body sides constructed from panelled sections with standard door and window fittings.

Author: Stephen Dark & Alexander Barnard

BR MK1 Crimson & Cream RF
• config.txt 39.45KB
• dls_thumbnail.jpg 14.82KB
mk1_crim_rf_art
mk1_crim_rf_art_512.texture.txt 87 bytes
mk1_crim_rf_art_512.tga 1.00MB
mk1_crim_rf_art_icon.texture.txt 91 bytes
mk1_crim_rf_art_icon.tga 32.02KB
mk1_crim_rf_body
env.texture.txt 26 bytes
env.tga 48.53KB
mk1_crim_rf.texture.txt 34 bytes
mk1_crim_rf.tga 1.50MB
mk1_crim_rf_body.im 225.66KB
mk1_crim_rf_shadow
black.texture.txt 28 bytes
black.tga 812 bytes
mk1_crim_rf_shadow.pm 72.61KB
• tail_lamp.gs 5.92KB

License
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IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY: This License Agreement (AGREEMENT) is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and Stephen Dark and Alexander Barnard (D&B COACHWORKS) for the installation and use of the content supplied with the software patch identified above, which may include online or electronic documentation, associated media and printed materials (PRODUCT). By installing, copying, or otherwise using the PRODUCT, you agree to be bound by the terms of this