BR MK1 Crimson & Cream FK

BR MK1 Crimson & Cream FK

Type: CORRIDOR FIRST (FK)
Built: 1952 - 1962
Seating: 42 in 7 compartments.
Length: 64.5 feet
Weight: 33 tons
Era: 1950s
BR Region: ALL

The Corridor First, presented here in original condition as No. 13001 allocated to the Western Region, is mounted on BR1 bogies, fitted internally with tungsten lighting, wooden interior panelling and steam heating. Two toilets are provided, one at each end of the coach.

The passenger seating is arranged into seven compartments, each with its own window, with access to each compartment from a two foot wide corridor positioned down one side of the coach - hence the term 'corridor' coach. Each compartment complete with fitted carpets and curtains, seats six - three abreast. Unlike other Mk1 corridor coaches, the Corridor First does not have a centrally positioned access corridor spanning the width of the coach to allow access to the corridor from both sides. Thus a centrally located door is only provided on the corridor side.


USE

This type of coach would be found on mainline express passenger services on all regions of British Railways during the 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 FK
• config.txt 4.58KB
mk1_crim_fk_art
mk1_crim_fk_art_512.texture.txt 89 bytes
mk1_crim_fk_art_512.tga 1.00MB
mk1_crim_fk_art_icon.texture.txt 91 bytes
mk1_crim_fk_art_icon.tga 32.02KB
mk1_crim_fk_body
env.texture.txt 26 bytes
env.tga 48.53KB
mk1_crim_fk.texture.txt 34 bytes
mk1_crim_fk.tga 1.50MB
mk1_crim_fk_body.pm 460.98KB
mk1_crim_fk_shadow
black.texture.txt 28 bytes
black.tga 812 bytes
mk1_crim_fk_shadow.pm 72.61KB