BR MK1 Crimson & Cream SK

BR MK1 Crimson & Cream SK

Type: CORRIDOR SECOND (SK)
Built: 1951 - 1963
Seating: 48 (W & S regions, 64), in 8 compartments.
Length: 64.5 feet
Weight: 33 tons
Era: 1950s
BR Region: ALL

The Corridor Second, presented here in original condition as No 24179 allocated to the Scottish Region, mounted on BR1 bogies and fitted internally with tungsten lighting, wooden interior panelling and steam heating.

The Corridor coach being one of the first and most numerous of the Mk1 desgins, follows the tradition of the popular 'corridor' design from the pre-nationalised companies. Designed for standard passenger use, originally designated TK - Corridor Third, becoming SK - Corridor Second on the abolition of Third class fares and accommodation in June 1956. The passenger seating is arranged into eight compartments, each with its own window, seating three abreast. Each compartment accessed by a two foot wide corridor running down one side of the coach - hence the term 'corridor' coach.

Foldaway armrests were provided, and on crowded trains these could be lifted back into the seat thus providing an additional two seats per compartment. The Southern and Western region Second/Third class compartments were fitted with no armrests, thus seating eight people to a compartment. In time, as coaches moved around the network, the nature of six and eight seated compartments presented problems to operational managers regarding seat reservation. To the extent that many armrests were removed or sewn into the upright positions.

Two toilets are provided, both at the same end of the coach, on opposite sides of the centre isle.


USE

This type of coach would be found on any mainline express passenger services on all regions of British Railways during 1950s.


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 SK
• config.txt 5.21KB
mk1_crim_sk_art
mk1_crim_sk_art_512.texture.txt 87 bytes
mk1_crim_sk_art_512.tga 1.00MB
mk1_crim_sk_art_icon.texture.txt 91 bytes
mk1_crim_sk_art_icon.tga 32.02KB
mk1_crim_sk_body
env.texture.txt 26 bytes
env.tga 48.53KB
mk1_crim_sk.texture.txt 34 bytes
mk1_crim_sk.tga 1.50MB
mk1_crim_sk_body.pm 458.82KB
mk1_crim_sk_shadow
black.texture.txt 28 bytes
black.tga 812 bytes
mk1_crim_sk_shadow.pm 72.61KB