Need help with train configuration.

[mca0004]

I recently got my hands on a Graham Farish Class 31/1 (the refurbished one), and I'd like it to pull some BR suburban coaches, since I know they did, but, how many?

I'm not sure what was the average amount they pulled was. I read that the model can only pull about 8 coaches anyway.

I'm not looking for any particular service, just the average and/or most common amount.

[crewearpley40]

Hope this helps. City widened lines moorgate / Farringdon London c 1976 / 79. 6 coaches I reckon  https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/292452569544825781/      not the easiest clearest https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p695497667/h27CED954   and https://www.transporttreasury.com/p519783159/hB185E7F4

[Steven B]

Where did you read the new class 31 could only manage 8 coaches? Mine have pulled 3 times that.

There's a good overview of the Mk1 Suburban on the Accurascale website:
https://www.accurascale.com/blogs/news/history-file-the-br-56ft-11-suburban-coaches
The matching thread on RMWeb is also worth a read:
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/172325-mark-1-56ft-11-suburban-coaches-inn-oo4mm-by-accurascale/

Inner suburban Kings Cross/Moorgate to Hatfield/Hertford
Early: BS-S-S-S-BS
Later: S-S-BS-S-S or S-S-S-BS-S-S

St Pancras-Moorgate-St Albans/Luton: BT-T-TO-TO-T-BT
The Dunstable branch ran with BS-S (doubled up at peak times)

Outer suburban sets could be 6, 7 or 8 coaches long but would need some of the lavatory fitted coaches that Farish didn't make. Farish only did the second (S), composite (C) and brake-second versions (BS).

The Mk1 suburbans fell out of favour as the first generation DMUs came into service in the 1960s. The final set ran in September 1977.

Other regions mixed them up with pre-Nationalisation non-corridor types (only the Collett B-Set being available in N more's the pity).

Steven B.

[martyn]

The only photo I can find quickly is also a six coach  train, labelled as being on an 'Outer suburban working'.

Martyn

[joe cassidy]

There was a nice article about BR Mk1 suburbans in the January 2007 issue of "Model Rail".

The eastern region of BR received 251 coaches during 1954-57, more than any other region.

There is a photo of D5605 hauling 5 in 1960.

On the Kings Cross inner suburban service formations were initially BS/S/S/S/BS, then S/S/BS/S/S after 1965 to increase capacity.

[mca0004]

Thank you all for your help! I'll purchase the correct coaches when I'm off work.

Where did you read the new class 31 could only manage 8 coaches?

I learnt it from misreading this article: https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/graham-farish-refurbished-class-31-n.