Hornby R4975 BR Mk1 Corridor 2nd Class Coach Number S24310 BR Green - OO Gauge

PROTOTYPE DETAILS

British Railways Mark 1 is the family designation for the first standardised designs of railway carriages built by British Railways (BR) from 1951 until 1974, now used only for charter services on the main lines or on preserved railways.

Following nationalisation in 1948, BR had continued to build carriages to the designs of the "Big Four" companies (the Great Western, Southern, London Midland and Scottish and London and North Eastern railways), and the Mark 1 was intended to be the standard carriage design for use across all lines, incorporating the best features of each of the former companies' designs. It was also designed to be much stronger than previous designs, to provide better protection for passengers in the event of a collision or derailment.

The design was used for hauled passenger stock, multiple unit carriages, and non-passenger carrying stock.

An unusual feature of the design was the bodyside tumblehome curvature, of 28 ft (8.53 m) radius and just noticeable; the windows had flat glass and consequently the upper quarter was separate and in a different plane from the lower glazing, with an intervening transom, and the steel panels were recessed on either side of each window opening to accommodate the difference between the flat glass and the curved sides. The opening portion of the windows were provided with sliding ventilators, with an external aerofoil for draught-free ventilation, the correct opening position being marked by a pair of arrows.

Restored Mark 1 carriages have entered service on many of the UK's heritage railways, such as "The Jacobite" and the "Mid-Norfolk Railway". The long service life of Mark 1 carriages means that a heritage railway can (potentially) recreate an authentic period train of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, or early 1990s, when painted in a suitable livery.

MODEL SPECIFICATIONS

There are others with which to make a rake of MK1 BR(S) Coaches, including catering coaches, by Hornby.