Coach Identifications

[UPINSMOKE]

Hi I recently bought 6 Southern Railway Coaches but none of them seem to have a makers name on them. So wondered if any of you could let me know who made them. I am guessing Farish but not sure. Also as I am a complete numpty when it comes to what each coach is by just looking at them I was wondering if someone could put me right on each photo below. If it is BK etc I would not know how you tell perhaps someone could explain please.













I do hope someone can help me please. As I am not sure if I will keep them or sell on but any information would be good.

[Dr Al]

These are all Poole Farish generic suburbans in SR lined livery.

Nos 2,3 are 'mainline' coaches from Farish also.

They are specifically:

No1 - Farish catalogue number 0613 Suburban brake 57'
No2 - Farish catalogue number 0623 Mainline 57'
No3 - Farish catalogue number 0633 Mainline Brake 57'
No4 - Farish catalogue number 0603 Suburban 57'
No5 - Farish catalogue number 0613 Suburban brake 57'
No6 - Farish catalogue number 0613 Suburban brake 57'

The last one looks older production with black plastic wheels and loop couplers, but is still a 0613.

HTH,
Alan

[PLD]

All 6 are Farish (Poole) generic types.

None are exact models of any prototype: The Non-corridor (sometimes referred to as "Suburbans") are an approximation of a Southern design. The Corridor (sometimes referred to as "Mainline") have a passing resemblance to an LMS period 1 type.

Specifically you have:

1/5/6    Non-Cor Brake Third (BT)
2      Cor Composite (CK)
3      Cor Brake third (BTK)
4      Non-Cor Composite (C)

[UPINSMOKE]

Thanks Guys much appreciated How do you tell what coach is what. Its fine for me when they are new and boxed. But once out of the box I struggle.

[PLD]

Thanks Guys much appreciated How do you tell what coach is what. Its fine for me when they are new and boxed. But once out of the box I struggle.

In the case of the old Farish types as here its easy because theres only the 4 types!

The 'Brake' coaches have a Brake/guards/luggage compartment, easily identified by the blank areas and double doors to one end. The others are composites.

Corridor coaches can be identified by 1. the interior layout with corridor down one side of the coach and compartments that are not teh full width. 2. fewer doors on the corridor side of the coach. 3. Gangways in the ends of the vehicles.


It's a bit more complicated with things like Mk1s or Staniers where there are a broader range of types available, so it does take a bit more learning the types but the basics above hold true to seperate corridor from non-corridor vehicles and identify brake vehicles which are the first steps... Other obvious clues to look for next are specialist vehicles such as catering vehicles or sleepers will often helpfully say what they are on the side and the class is usually indicated on the doors (later only 1st were branded and blank on third class). A mix of 1s and 3s (or blanks) indicates a 'composite' coach with accomodation for both classes.

[UPINSMOKE]

Thank you so much for that i understand it a bit better now. I am sure i will be reading this through several times.thanks again for all your help.

[steve836]

The class of passenger carried by each coach has changed over time. Originally there were 3 classes, 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Then the government introduced a law which said that every railway company had to run at least one train per day over each route which called at every station and carried 3rd class passengers. Thus during the time of the "big four" (1920-1947) when they wanted to reduce the number of classes to 2 they had to run 1st & 3rd class. During early B.R. days, I forget exactly when, B.R. was allowed to drop 3rd class and call it 2nd.

[steve836]

As a P.S.  You may find the thread on abbreviations in the real railway section useful.

[edwin_m]

The class of passenger carried by each coach has changed over time. Originally there were 3 classes, 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Then the government introduced a law which said that every railway company had to run at least one train per day over each route which called at every station and carried 3rd class passengers. Thus during the time of the "big four" (1920-1947) when they wanted to reduce the number of classes to 2 they had to run 1st & 3rd class. During early B.R. days, I forget exactly when, B.R. was allowed to drop 3rd class and call it 2nd.

I think Second Class mostly disappeared (the first time) earlier than that - the Midland Railway was the first to do so but the others followed quite quickly.  It survived much longer on Boat Trains, I think because the French retained three classes and through bookings were possible, and a few Mk1s were built to cater for this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Open

Second Class was of course re-designated as Standard, sometime in the 1980s I think, as a marketing ploy to try to get round the negative associations.