Mark 1 sleeping car refurbishment

[AY1975]

There have been lots of threads on here about sleeping cars and sleeper trains over the years, but one topic that I don't think has been discussed is the refurbishment of the Mark 1 sleeping car fleet.

I believe that many if not all of the Mark 1 sleeping cars were refurbished sometime in the 1970s. I never travelled on them (I was 9 when the last ones were withdrawn in 1984) but I've seen the inside of one compartment of the one at Peak Rail from the outside (which I think is one of only two left that are still in reasonable condition internally, the other being the one at Llangollen).

The one at Peak Rail looked pretty much in as-withdrawn (i.e. post-refurbishment) condition, except that it had a partition across the vestibule at the toilet end. I'm guessing that it has had part of the toilet area turned into a bathroom or shower room that also takes up half the vestibule.

AFAIK the main modifications that were made with the 1970s refurbishment were replacement of the original pale grey interior panelling with darkish blue/turquoise panelling (which was presumably thought to create a more restful atmosphere more conducive to a good night's sleep) and, at least in the First Class compartments, fitting lowered ceilings with one large ceiling light instead of the original two small ceiling lights per compartment of the same type as in Mark 1 coach vestibules with the bowl/cone-shaped lampshades. Not sure whether the Second Class compartments also had the lowered ceilings or kept their original ceilings and lights, though.

I presume the addition of electric heating was done at the same time. I believe that at least some vehicles also had their original berth lights replaced by fluorescent berth lights (even though the main ceiling light was still tungsten).

I also believe that at least some Eastern Region vehicles had their original non-retention toilets replaced by a retention toilet system of sorts whereby only liquid would be deposited on the track.

Were there any other modifications besides those?

 

[30907]

There have been lots of threads on here about sleeping cars and sleeper trains over the years, but one topic that I don't think has been discussed is the refurbishment of the Mark 1 sleeping car fleet.

I believe that many if not all of the Mark 1 sleeping cars were refurbished sometime in the 1970s. I never travelled on them (I was 9 when the last ones were withdrawn in 1984) but I've seen the inside of one compartment of the one at Peak Rail from the outside (which I think is one of only two left that are still in reasonable condition internally, the other being the one at Llangollen).

The one at Peak Rail looked pretty much in as-withdrawn (i.e. post-refurbishment) condition, except that it had a partition across the vestibule at the toilet end. I'm guessing that it has had part of the toilet area turned into a bathroom or shower room that also takes up half the vestibule.

AFAIK the main modifications that were made with the 1970s refurbishment were replacement of the original pale grey interior panelling with darkish blue/turquoise panelling (which was presumably thought to create a more restful atmosphere more conducive to a good night's sleep) and, at least in the First Class compartments, fitting lowered ceilings with one large ceiling light instead of the original two small ceiling lights per compartment of the same type as in Mark 1 coach vestibules with the bowl/cone-shaped lampshades. Not sure whether the Second Class compartments also had the lowered ceilings or kept their original ceilings and lights, though.

I presume the addition of electric heating was done at the same time. I believe that at least some vehicles also had their original berth lights replaced by fluorescent berth lights (even though the main ceiling light was still tungsten).

I also believe that at least some Eastern Region vehicles had their original non-retention toilets replaced by a retention toilet system of sorts whereby only liquid would be deposited on the track.

Were there any other modifications besides those?

Wasn't a significant alteration from steam to electric heating, which was a contributory factor in the Taunton train fire - and the end of the Mk 1s.

 

[Taunton]

Wasn't a significant alteration from steam to electric heating, which was a contributory factor in the Taunton train fire - and the end of the Mk 1s.

One for me possibly. As ever there were a number of contributory factors, but the recent ETH installation, where the corridor radiators could get notably hotter than the previous steam ones (and which were not provided with an overheating cutout), was indeed a link in the chain. More significant was an accountant's decision to "reduce" the costs of the train by withdrawing the BG van in the formation, which in the new way of costing was "charged" to the service, on the basis that it was not conveying any revenue load, without thought for how the bags of soiled lined from the previous down service which had always been conveyed in the van could now be returned to Paddington base. So the bags of it were dumped in the end sleeper vestibule against the newly-installed heater. It was these which initially caught fire. For an engineering-led organisation, nobody had put the various two-and-twos together. The BG was restored the next day.

On other modifications, I don't know when the original B1 bogies were replaced by the better-riding Commonwealth or B4 ones. I don't think it was as late as the installation of the ETH. The vehicles did of course go into works periodically through their lives for classified overhauls, which would include various alterations to the specification, repainting in the livery of the era, etc. i doubt the beds were still the initial 1950s ones.

 

[norbitonflyer]

According to Hugh Longworth's book, earlier Mark 1 sleepers were fitted with BR1 bogies, later replaced by B5s, whilst later slappers (from about 1961) had "Commonwealth" bogies from the start. He doesn't mention the heating arrangments but I would expect them to have been converted to dual heat rather than electric-only.

It would seem that at least some Mark 1s were dual-heat until the end, as "ETHEL's" (generator vans converted from Class 25s) were only needed on the West Highland Line when the Mark 3s were introduced. (No ETH-fitted locomotives being cleared for the West Highland Line at the time - a batch of Class 37s were fitted in due course)

Actually, there were two diesel classes which were ETH fitted and had an RA of 5 (the same as Class 37) or less, but the 27/2s' ETH index was too low (and they were knackered after a decade working the Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pull services), and the Deltics had already been withdrawn.

 

[43096]

Wasn't a significant alteration from steam to electric heating, which was a contributory factor in the Taunton train fire - and the end of the Mk 1s.

There must have been electric heat (actually, dual heat) Mark 1 sleepers from the early 1960s as they would have been electrically hauled on the West Coast.

 

[matchmaker]

There must have been electric heat (actually, dual heat) Mark 1 sleepers from the early 1960s as they would have been electrically hauled on the West Coast.

Indeed, as some of the 12 wheeled LMS 1st class sleepers were also fitted with ETH for the West Coast.

 

[MrEd]

One for me possibly. As ever there were a number of contributory factors, but the recent ETH installation, where the corridor radiators could get notably hotter than the previous steam ones (and which were not provided with an overheating cutout), was indeed a link in the chain. More significant was an accountant's decision to "reduce" the costs of the train by withdrawing the BG van in the formation, which in the new way of costing was "charged" to the service, on the basis that it was not conveying any revenue load, without thought for how the bags of soiled lined from the previous down service which had always been conveyed in the van could now be returned to Paddington base. So the bags of it were dumped in the end sleeper vestibule against the newly-installed heater. It was these which initially caught fire. For an engineering-led organisation, nobody had put the various two-and-twos together. The BG was restored the next day.

On other modifications, I don't know when the original B1 bogies were replaced by the better-riding Commonwealth or B4 ones. I don't think it was as late as the installation of the ETH. The vehicles did of course go into works periodically through their lives for classified overhauls, which would include various alterations to the specification, repainting in the livery of the era, etc. i doubt the beds were still the initial 1950s ones.

But bizarrely, in the pictures of the Taunton fire, there is a BG between the class 47 and the first sleeping car of the Plymouth portion (where the linen was stacked which caught fire). How on earth did no-one think to put the linen in this BG? Perhaps the BG was not actually part of the Plymouth portion, but added somewhere else?

 

[Taunton]

But bizarrely, in the pictures of the Taunton fire, there is a BG between the class 47 and the first sleeping car of the Plymouth portion (where the linen was stacked which caught fire). How on earth did no-one think to put the linen in this BG? Perhaps the BG was not actually part of the Plymouth portion, but added somewhere else?

You are correct, and the report is incomplete on this point. Paragraph 74 refers to the withdrawl of the BG from the Plymouth portion shortly beforehand, and that thereafter it had been determined to place the linen in the sleeper vestibule, but previously (Para 61) it states that at Exeter substantial mails were loaded into the front BG, which was expected in that position, and Para 60 states it was in position with the two sleepers in the Plymouth bay before they were added to the Penzance portion. It's also curious that on a WR internal service the BG was an ER van. The ETH had been brought into use only 6 weeks before the fire (Para 98), and it seems the attendants had had no training in it, such as checking the heater by the linen bags was not switched on, or not putting them there, a practice from steam heating days, once the electric heaters were brought into use. Para 126 describes how an additional van was now to be attached to sleepers to hold linen, heavy luggage, accompanying bicycles, etc, all of which had been a nuisance once the van had been withdrawn.

As with a number of accident reports, a lot of unanswered questions. It goes into considerable detail about the Plymouth van marshalled for the mails immediately in front of where the sleeper caught fire, including questioning the postmen who loaded it at Exeter about whether they might have been smoking and thrown a cigarette down in the (locked) communicating gangway, without realising this was completely at variance with the statement that the van had been previously withdrawn and the attendants saying what a nuisance that had been.

As I've written here before, I was living in California at the time, and was indeed surprised to see pictures of the so-familiar bowstring Fairwater bridge prominently in the background of the news report on the NBC evening news.

 

[36270k]

Travelled a few times in a MK1 second class sleeper on the WCML in the late 1970's
Most were dual heated with commonwealth bogies.
A unique feature was the toilet facility, a chamber pot that emptied itself when put back into its holder.
I later bought one of the chamber pots from collectors corner at Euston

 

[Cowley]

Travelled a few times in a MK1 second class sleeper on the WCML in the late 1970's
Most were dual heated with commonwealth bogies.
A unique feature was the toilet facility, a chamber pot that emptied itself when put back into its holder.
I later bought one of the chamber pots from collectors corner at Euston

I never got a chance to travel on one but I remember seeing them in service. That’s a great feature though.
Brings a whole new definition to the phrase P-way…

 

[norbitonflyer]

There must have been electric heat (actually, dual heat) Mark 1 sleepers from the early 1960s as they would have been electrically hauled on the West Coast.

Not until 1966 when electrification reached Euston. The initial electrification from Birmingham to Manchester and Liverpool only included a short section of the WCML, between Stafford and Weaver Junction - less than 40miles.

 

[Rescars]

Travelled a few times in a MK1 second class sleeper on the WCML in the late 1970's
Most were dual heated with commonwealth bogies.
A unique feature was the toilet facility, a chamber pot that emptied itself when put back into its holder.
I later bought one of the chamber pots from collectors corner at Euston

I travelled quite few times in dual heated Mk 1 sleepers on both the WCML and the ECML in the early 1980s. It was important to turn off both types of heating if you preferred a cool sleeping environment, otherwise you ended up in a sauna in the Highlands or feeling grilled in London! The noise if you opened the window for ventilation was pretty intrusive as you tried to get to sleep.

The gozunda was a neat facility(!), as was the padded hook to stop your pocket watch rattling (assuming you wore such a thing).

 

[AY1975]

Here's a YouTube clip showing various bits of 1970s and '80s BR InterCity Sleeper publicity material, including some showing Mark 1 Sleeper interiors post-refurbishment with their blue interior panelling (and some from the early days of the Mark 3s).

I also recently came across a 1970s InterCity Sleeper poster on eBay advertising the fact that the Second Class (now Standard Class) Sleeper berth supplement in those days was only £2.10(!). It showed a two-berth compartment which had the blue panelling but appeared still to have the original ceiling and lights, so it would appear that the lowered ceilings were indeed only fitted to the First Class berths.

 

[WesternLancer]

Here's a YouTube clip showing various bits of 1970s and '80s BR InterCity Sleeper publicity material, including some showing Mark 1 Sleeper interiors post-refurbishment with their blue interior panelling (and some from the early days of the Mark 3s).

I also recently came across a 1970s InterCity Sleeper poster on eBay advertising the fact that the Second Class (now Standard Class) Sleeper berth supplement in those days was only £2.10(!). It showed a two-berth compartment which had the blue panelling but appeared still to have the original ceiling and lights, so it would appear that the lowered ceilings were indeed only fitted to the First Class berths.

Good selection of material in that! Wellspotted