Memories of Mk3 coaches & loco haulage on prime express routes

[Journeyman]

And the train that is to the punters the most like a Mk1 that we've had in many years (lots of tables and seats fully aligned to windows) is the Class 397 EMU.

I think the class 397 has far too few airline seats - does it even have any? - and therefore I'm not a fan at all.

 

[hexagon789]

I think the class 397 has far too few airline seats - does it even have any? - and therefore I'm not a fan at all.

It does, there are 28 airline seats in each of the standard class intermediate cars.

 

[Whistler40145]

Wasn't there occasions that a HST set operated loco hauled with a special Generator Van to provide ETH

 

[Journeyman]

It does, there are 28 airline seats in each of the standard class intermediate cars.

Ah, that's good. Is it the TPE Mark 5 that doesn't have any?

 

[hexagon789]

Ah, that's good. Is it the TPE Mark 5 that doesn't have any?

Still has a few; Coaches C and D are mostly table bays, but Coach B and particularly A have a higher proportion of airline seating

 

[randyrippley]

Wasn't there occasions that a HST set operated loco hauled with a special Generator Van to provide ETH

Daily occurrence on the Western Region for a few years

 

[Whistler40145]

Daily occurrence on the Western Region for a few years

Presumably the Power Cars remained at whichever depot the stock was allocated

 

[randyrippley]

Presumably the Power Cars remained at whichever depot the stock was allocated

It was more like there weren't enough power cars...........as far as I can remember it was part of the fallout of the transfer of the Torbay HST sets to the Midland Main Line, that resulted in a spare coach set on the Western
I'm sure others will have more accurate knowledge

 

[Rick1984]

Anyone have any pictures of the plastic orange seating? Can't find any on Google.

I do agree you go get a sense of going on a proper journey on a mkiii

 

[superjohn]

Anyone have any pictures of the plastic orange seating? Can't find any on Google.

There don’t seem to be a lot of pictures out there. If scroll to 9.45 on this video you can see the seats in question, albeit in a white plastic.
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-on-line-into-the-nineties-1987-online

It’s worth watching the whole video for some excellent 1987 nostalgia. The BFI have a large collection of railway films available to watch free of charge.
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/railways-on-film

 

[Rick1984]

Cheers.
Some nice shots of them sitting down to a fancy looking meal but with a tin of McEwan's to wash it down!

 

[nlogax]

Cheers.
Some nice shots of them sitting down to a fancy looking meal but with a tin of McEwan's to wash it down!

Nah..Dry Blackthorn wasn't it?

 

[Mag_seven]

There don’t seem to be a lot of pictures out there. If scroll to 9.45 on this video you can see the seats in question, albeit in a white plastic.
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-on-line-into-the-nineties-1987-online

It’s worth watching the whole video for some excellent 1987 nostalgia. The BFI have a large collection of railway films available to watch free of charge.
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/railways-on-film

Excellent film with clips of what "inter-city" trains should be like - long trains, loco-hauled, seats arranged in bays of four that line up with the windows, buffet cars etc!

 

[Alfonso]

Anyone have any pictures of the plastic orange seating? Can't find any on Google.

I do agree you go get a sense of going on a proper journey on a mkiii

I think the Plym Valley Railway has some in the station buffet (ex mk 1orange plastic seats, not pictures of them)

 

[Rick1984]

Nah..Dry Blackthorn wasn't it?

Whatever they're drinking kind of spoiled the image!