WCML Intercity rake(confirmed)

[Steven B]

Your existing coaches make up a good representation of a typical Euston to Manchester service:

BG

Mk2 FO

Mk2 FO

Mk3 Buffet

Mk2 SO

Mk2 SO

Mk2 SO

Mk2 SO

Mk2 SO

The actual trains tended to run with 3 Mk2 FO and seven Mk2 SO. The first class end would normally be at the London end of the train. There would be no problem in mixing I/C Executive and I/C Swallow liveries in the same train.


For other typical trains of the period, try the following:
Mk1 based rake:
There were three or four typical formations depending on the number of brake and first class vehicles:
With a single first class vehicle, and a single brake vehicle, the two would normally be found coupled together in the middle of the train, with roughly equal number of second class coaches either side. With two brakes and two first class vehicles, the brakes would be at either end with the first class either next to the brake or in the centre of the train.

Mk1 based trains generally ran on services that didn't start/end in London (the exception for BR(M) was the Euston to Northampton "Cobbler" servce), e.g. Birmingham to Liverpool, Derby to Leeds/Skegness

SK	SK	SK	FK	BSK	SK	SK	SK
SK	SK	SK	CK	BSK	SK	SK	SK
BSK	CK	SK	SK	SK	SK	SK	SK	CK	BSK
BSK	SK	SK	SK	CK	CK	SK	SK	SK	BSK
SK	SK	SK	SK	SK	SK	SK	BCK

Mk2a based rake:
Again, these were generally used on secondary services, i.e. those not starting/ending in London.

BSO	SO	SO	SO	SO	FO
SO	SO	SO	BSO	FO	SO	SO	SO	SO

Mk2d/e/f based rake:
Most of these ran from Euston to Birmingham or Wolverhampton. All coaches are Mk2 apart from BG and RBR which are Mk1 coaches. A standard rake appears to be BG then three or four Mk2 FO, and RBR and then four or five Mk2 SO making up a ten car train.

BG	FO	FO	FO	RMR	SO	SO	SO	SO	SO	BSO
SO	SO	SO	BFO	FO	SO	SO	SO	SO

Mk3 based rake:
This was a normal formation for Euston to Glasgow services. The BG would be replaced with a DVT later in the decade.

BG

Mk3 FO

Mk3 FO

Mk3 Buffet

Mk3 SO

Mk3 SO

Mk3 SO

Mk3 SO

Mk3 SO

Mk3 SO

Sleeper trains:
These tended to be longer than your 10 coach limit. Euston could handle 14 and many sleeper trains were loaded to this. Train formations changed depending on if they were for one destination or if the train split in two. A a rule of thumb you should have a BG at each end, an even number of Mk3 sleepers and a number of FO or SO Mk2d/e/f/ coaches.

The first train is a Glasgow/Edinburgh train, the FO portion would head to one city, the sleepers to the other.
The second is a Stranraer service and is the exception to the rule of an even number of sleepers
The final train shows a train that splits with sleepers in each portion. In this case one goes to Inverness, the other to Perth.

BGs would be added or removed on route. At one point on its route the Stranraer train had a BG at one end and five at the other, all no doubt carrying parcels.

BG

FO

FO

FO

FO

SLE

SLEP

SLE

SLEP

SLE

SLEP

BG

BG

SLE

SLEP

SLE

SO

SO

SO

SO

SO

BG

BG

BG

SLE

SLEP

SLE

SLEP

SLE

SLEP

SO

SO

BG

BG

SLE

SLEP

BG

BG

If you want more detailed information then you should join the BRCoachingStock Yahoo group.

For trains that stayed on the WCML (i.e. Euston to Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Manchester or Glasgow) then AC electric haulage would be most common - classes 86 and 87 with class 90 introduced later in the decade. Services passing along the WCML or through the midlands (e.g. Manchester to the south coast) would normally be class 47 hauled. Some of the shorter, more local trains would see more variety, including classes 31, 45 and 47.


Happy modelling.

Steven B.