British Railway's Mark 1 Coaches

In common with most steam railways, the K&ESR has acquired a number of these vehicles over the years. The Mark 1 was British Railway’s first standard corridor coach and was in production from 1950 to 1964. Their standard dimensions are 63 ft. 5 ins. long by 9 ft. 3 ins. wide. They have all welded steel bodies, Pullman gangways and buckeye couplings.

The Mark 1 was regarded as a ‘quick fix’ by a preservation movement to give more time for the restoration of its more historic stock . The ‘fix’ certainly worked in the short term, and the widest availability of  corridors facilitated on board catering and other revenue enhancing services .However in the longer term the all-steel bodywork is now producing particular maintenance problems . These are not always easily addressed with a largely volunteer workforce but the railway is now attempting to develop the necessary repair skills and it is hoped the the Mk 1 stock can steadily being renovated.

Standard abbreviations are:

BSO - Brake second open
CK - Corridor composite
RMB - Restaurant miniature buffet
RU - Restaurant unclassified
SK - Second corridor
TSO - Tourist second open

Nº. 59; BR Nº. 1869 RMB
Built Wolverton 1961, Lot Nº. 30702; to K&ESR 1998. Purchased for preservation in 1993 and previously on the Llangollen Railway.

Nº. 63; BR Nº. 25446; SK

Built Wolverton 1957, Lot Nº. 30350; seats 48; to K&ESR 1977

Nº. 64; BR Nº. 3753; TSO

Built Doncaster 1953, Lot Nº. 30043; seats 64; to K&ESR 1977

During 2007 it has been repainted and a rusty area at the bottom of one door patched. This work should see the vehicle through the next couple of years until its general overhaul is due. On this occasion a variation on the K&ESR bottle green livery has been tried out. In an effort to brighten up this in-house style a slightly lighter shade has been used and a yellow line, edged black, applied at waist-rail level. This replaces the 'straw' lining used previously. The stock number is also now in yellow.

Nº. 68; BR Nº. 4355;TSO:

Built by BRCW 1956 to Diagram 93. Lot Nº. 30207. Renumbered DB977412. Purchased for preservation on the Avon Valley Railway 1988. To Long Marston 1988. Hired to North Norfolk Railway 1991 and to KESR spring 1999. Subsequently purchased by KESR autumn 1999. Withdrawn from service and used as a buffet at Bodiam Station for two years its is currently undergoing a heavy body overhaul which is proving even more extensive than expected and involves replacement of three-quarters of the body side panels . Hopefully it will return to service expected during by mid 2008.

Nº. 69; BR Nº. 1955; RU

Built Ashford/Swindon 1960, Lot Nº. 30575; seats 27; to K&ESR 1979. This vehicle carried HM the Queen Mother during her visit to the railway in 1982. Nº. 69 ran for some years in a Pullman livery and, named Diana, worked as part of the Wealden Pullman set. This livery and name were changed in 1993, the coach emerging from the carriage works as Sc1955 in carmine red and cream. The coach received an extensive electrical rewire in 1997 and was fitted with a bar and reverted to Pullman colours .It now has a fully operational kitchen and reverted to the name Diana in 2004. It forms a permanent part of the Pullman set .

Nº. 73; BR Nº. 9269; BSO

Built Doncaster 1956, Lot Nº. 30170; seats 39; to K&ESR 1981. This brake vehicle arrived at the K&ESR after departmental service. Popular with the staff because of the ergonomic layout of the brake van area. BSO 73 has been the brake / staff coach attached to the Pullman set, repainted in Pullman colours .It has received an extensive body overhaul ,although the passenger compartment still needs more work, and it and has been repainted in the same livert as No 63 for use in normal service trains during 2007.

Nº. 75 Petros; BR Nº. 9254; originally a BSO

Built in 1956 as part of the same batch as Nº. 73. Petros is of significance as it was the first vehicle in the UK to be adapted for use by disabled people. The vehicle was donated to the K&ESR by BR to mark the Year of the Disabled 1982. Much of the work was undertaken at Stewarts Lane by BR apprentices under the direction of a founder member of the K&ESR’s C & W Department who himself has a disabled son and named Petros at their request . The coach was inaugurated into service by the late Queen Mother on a visit to Tenterden. During 1986 the guard’s compartment was reinstated to give the vehicle additional flexibility. Now showing signs of its virtual contunual use since 1982 it is becomming overdue for heavy overhaul.

Nº. 85; BR Nº. 4640; TSO

Built 1957, Nº. 85; BR Nº. 4640. TSO built York 1957; Lot Nº. 30753; seats 64; to K&ESR 1986. This vehicle came to the K&ESR from the Scottish Region and entered service still in BR livery. Once repainted, the vehicle saw a great deal of use over the ensuing years.

Nº. 86; BR Nº. 7927; CK

Built Wolverton 1956; Lot No. 30317; seats 42; to K&ESR 1987. Formerly stored on the Mid Hants Railway.

BR No 1987 ; RU

Mk 1 Unclassed Restaurant Car built 1961  at Swindon to Diagram number 23,
Lot number 30632 .Later Numbered ADB975982 , No K&ESR Number yet allocated. Bought from the Bluebell in late 2003 and awaiting workshop space .


BR Nº. 21238; BCK

Built Swindon 1961; Lot Nº. 30669. (Not numbered with the K&ESR running fleet.) Adapted as sleeping car; to K&ESR 1995. This vehicle was in service with the Western Region until 1988. It was then transferred to private ownership for the ambitious Travelling College where students could travel as they studied. When the the College went into receivership in 1991, the train was purchased by the Bluebell Railway who resold some carriages, including Nº. 21238 which was purchased by a group of K&ESR volunteers for use as a Mess coach. It is ideal for this purpose having been refitted at Cardiff Cathay’s depot as a staff sleeping car to modern standards. At Tenterden the brake and luggage areas have been refitted as a kitchen and sitting room.