Mk1 coaches post-privatisation

[aem7ac]

Hello all,
I have been reading other threads on this forum about Mk1s (specifically the WCRC CDL debacle thread). Some posts have involved the coaches' service history, and I began to do some research.
Were there any private operators with loco-hauled Mk1s as part of their fleet?
Wikipedia mentions the Mk1-based multiple units, but it also seems to somewhat infer that loco-hauled Mk1s operated revenue passenger trains post-privatisation.
Additionally, the Wikipedia page for the Class 175 cites a 1999 announcement from First North Western that claims the incoming Class 175s will replace Mk1 rakes.
I assume this is a mistake for Mk2s? I'm an American in his twenties, so I'm not quite familiar with this history.
Photos would be appreciated for any post-privatisation Mk1 operations.
Thank you!

 

[eldomtom2]

Mk1s had mostly disappeared from regular revenue service by privatisation, but they still turned up sometimes, often hired out by spot-hire companies. Here are some links to photos on Flickr:

• Riviera Trains Mk1 rake used for FA Cup special, 2001
• Mk1 full brake in Holyhead-Manchester train, 2000
• Two Mk1s top-and-tailed with Class 31s on Bletchley-Bedford service, 1999
• Mk1 full brake in FGW service, 1999
• Mk1 RMB on Liverpool Street-Norwich service, 1999

 

[Cowley]

Hello all,
I have been reading other threads on this forum about Mk1s (specifically the WCRC CDL debacle thread). Some posts have involved the coaches' service history, and I began to do some research.
Were there any private operators with loco-hauled Mk1s as part of their fleet?
Wikipedia mentions the Mk1-based multiple units, but it also seems to somewhat infer that loco-hauled Mk1s operated revenue passenger trains post-privatisation.
Additionally, the Wikipedia page for the Class 175 cites a 1999 announcement from First North Western that claims the incoming Class 175s will replace Mk1 rakes.
I assume this is a mistake for Mk2s? I'm an American in his twenties, so I'm not quite familiar with this history.
Photos would be appreciated for any post-privatisation Mk1 operations.
Thank you!

Welcome to the forum!

As @eldomtom2 listed above there were still mk1s around in the year 2000 and yes, The North Wales Coast route was one of the areas where you could ride in them behind class 37s before they were replaced by the class 175s.

Although this film doesn’t always show the railway enthusiast fraternity in a particularly good light (it is in my opinion quite amusing though ). There’s lots of footage of the last days of those locohauled services and the characters that devoted their lives to chasing them:

 

[43096]

Mk1s had mostly disappeared from regular revenue service by privatisation, but they still turned up sometimes, often hired out by spot-hire companies. Here are some links to photos on Flickr:

• Riviera Trains Mk1 rake used for FA Cup special, 2001
• Mk1 full brake in Holyhead-Manchester train, 2000
• Two Mk1s top-and-tailed with Class 31s on Bletchley-Bradford service, 1999
• Mk1 full brake in FGW service, 1999
• Mk1 RMB on Liverpool Street-Norwich service, 1999

And to add to that, a Mark 1 BSK on the North Wales Coast in 1999

 

[StephenHunter]

The charter companies today are legally TOCs in their own right.

 

[The Puddock]

Mk1s had mostly disappeared from regular revenue service by privatisation, but they still turned up sometimes, often hired out by spot-hire companies. Here are some links to photos on Flickr:

• Mk1 RMB on Liverpool Street-Norwich service, 1999

The Anglia mk1s were leased to the company rather than spot hired. They were withdrawn in 2000.

Another one not on the list was the ScotRail franchise, which operated a small fleet of generator equipped mk1 BGs for the Caledonian Sleeper trains until late 2000, when they were replaced by the converted mk2 BUO vehicles.

 

[sprinterguy]

Another one not on the list was the ScotRail franchise, which operated a small fleet of generator equipped mk1 BGs for the Caledonian Sleeper trains until late 2000, when they were replaced by the converted mk2 BUO vehicles.

The BGs used on the sleeper trains post-privatisation were not generator fitted.

The generator fitted vehicles were used on the Inverness and Aberdeen sleepers between 1992 and 1994, and had passed into railtour use by the time National Express took on the operation.

 

[aem7ac]

Thank you everyone for all the information!
So FGW, FNW, Anglia, and NX ScotRail all operated them (at least not on spot hire) into the very early 00’s.
Who were the usual spot-hire suspects? I have a hunch that the Riviera and Fragonset sets in the pictures given by @eldomtom2 were Virgin CrossCountry services?

 

[43096]

Thank you everyone for all the information!
So FGW, FNW, Anglia, and NX ScotRail all operated them (at least not on spot hire) into the very early 00’s.
Who were the usual spot-hire suspects? I have a hunch that the Riviera and Fragonset sets in the pictures given by @eldomtom2 were Virgin CrossCountry services?

The Fragonset Class 31s were for Silverlink. The Riviera Mark 1 set I’d be less certain on: it could be a charter (and therefore not applicable) but could also have been for Wales & Borders.

 

[aem7ac]

The Fragonset Class 31s were for Silverlink. The Riviera Mark 1 set I’d be less certain on: it could be a charter (and therefore not applicable) but could also have been for Wales & Borders.

I read the Fragonset one as Bletchley to Bradford; I now see it’s Bletchley to Bedford so that makes a lot more sense.

 

[norbitonflyer]

• Two Mk1s top-and-tailed with Class 31s on Bletchley-Bradford service, 1999

Bedford, I think!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Bedford, I think!

Definately - (I arranged it !) - they were covering for major shortages with those awful class 117 DMU's !!!

 

[randyrippley]

Were mk1 used on the Bristol-Minehead Butlins specials around 15-20 years ago? Top-and-tailed with 31s

 

[sprinterguy]

Were mk1 used on the Bristol-Minehead Butlins specials around 15-20 years ago? Top-and-tailed with 31s

No, that used air-con mark 2s in Intercity livery.

 

[Helvellyn]

First Great Western had some Motorail vans completely rebodied for an attempt at re-introducing Motorail on the Night Riveria. Don't think it lasted too long and the vans carried the green gold band livery (not green fag packet with lots of stripes).