Name: Accurascale ACC2701-EXL Mark 2c FO - DB 977390
Brand: Accurascale
SKU: ACC2701-EXL
Price: 89.93 GBP

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 7 (1972 to 1982) British Rail Blue (TOPS)
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation

Manufacturer description

As ‘Sprinterisation’ started to bite from the mid 1980s, the Mk.2c fleet was increasingly sidelined with many examples withdrawn or sold abroad. This proved to be a boon for the departmental businesses which engorged themselves, primarily as brake force runners, and most retained their original livery until they were finally retired several years later. The First Opens, mostly declassified as Second Open coaches by 1984, seemed to be particularly popular and of the 18 built, seven became departmental coaches, while six were sold for use in Ireland/Northern Ireland. One of the most widely travelled of the BR survivors was DB 977390 (ex-M6410/M3164), which became a QXA brake force runner for the Civil Engineer’s Mobile Track Assessment fleet in early 1987 and usually operated with DB 977339, a former Mk.1 BSK, and either BR High Speed Track Recorder coach DB999550 or the London Underground’s own track recorder vehicle TRC 666. It was one of just two Mk.2c to gain the MTA red stripe embellishment on its standard blue/grey livery. It later moved to Crewe and became part of the depot’s electric locomotive test train, complete with plated bodyside windows. Incredibly it survived the disbanding of this formation and was acquired for preservation, eventually coming under the custodianship of Eastern Rail Services, who kindly allowed Accurascale to survey the almost completely intact BR-period interior of this vehicle as part of the Mk.2 project. It now resides at Great Yarmouth and will eventually be restored to its original external condition.

Never before produced in ready-to-run form in any scale, accurascale is excited to reveal the latest addition to its eagerly-anticipated range of 4mm/OO gauge Mk.2 coaching stock, the late-style Mk.2c variant with their characteristic small 'air con'-style toilet windows. Famously designed to be retrofitted with air-conditioning equipment, a modification that never took place, 150 vehicles were built at Litchurch Lane, Derby, in 1969-70 to five designs (out of 250 Mk.2c in total), primarily for the London Midland Region: Tourist Second Open (TSO), Corridor First (FK), Open First (FO), Brake Corridor First (BFK) and Brake Open Second (BSO). In the 1980s four further types were introduced, SK and SO (declassified from first class), Corridor Composite (converted from FK for Scottish Region services) and a mini buffet with trolley space, known as TSO(T). All nine of these versions will feature in our production.

Catalogue listing

Brand

Accurascale

Product Code

ACC2701-EXL

GTIN

0794712458227

RRP

£89.93

Release date

December 2023

Model details

Coupling type

Tension lock

DCC status

Working Interior Lighting

Tooling date

2023

Livery

Blue Grey (Departmental)

Scale

OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)

Chassis construction

Plastic & metal

Coupling mount

NEM pockets

Minimum radius

Radius 2

Finish

Pristine

Running number

DB977390

Features

Interior lighting

Prototype information

Type of vehicle

Coach

Builder

BREL Derby Litchurch Lane Works

Build dates

1963 to 1975

Wheel configuration

B4 or B5 Bogies

Main duties

Local, Regional & Express Passenger

In service until

Present

Operated by

Anglia Railways
Arriva Trains Wales
British Rail
Caledonian Sleeper
Direct Rail Services
First Great Western
Gatwick Express
GNER
Great Western Trains
Network Rail
ONE
Railtrack
Riviera Trains
ScotRail
Virgin Trains
Wessex Trains
West Coast Railway Co.

Coach type

Mark 2

TOPS classification

(FO) First Open

Supplier Links

Accurascale website

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Related products

Accurascale Mark 2c FO – DB 977390 is a 4 mm/OO‑scale model of a British Rail Mark 2 departmental coach. The vehicle is presented in the Blue Grey (Departmental) livery and includes working interior lighting. It is classified as a First Open (FO) coach and carries the manufacturer part number ACC2701‑EXL. The model represents the British Rail Blue (TOPS) period.

The prototype, DB 977390, was built as a Mark 2c First Open in 1969‑70 at Litchurch Lane, Derby. After the introduction of “sprinterisation” in the mid‑1980s, many Mark 2c coaches were withdrawn from passenger service and transferred to departmental duties. DB 977390 entered the Civil Engineer’s Mobile Track Assessment fleet in early 1987 as a QXA brake‑force runner, often working alongside DB 977339 and a track‑recording coach. It later joined the Crewe electric‑locomotive test train and survived the disbanding of that formation before being preserved by Eastern Rail Services. The vehicle now resides at Great Yarmouth, where it is slated for restoration to its original external condition.

This is the first time the Mark 2c FO has been produced as a ready‑to‑run model in any scale. Accurascale’s range will include all nine versions of the late‑style Mark 2c, each featuring the small “air‑con”‑style toilet windows that were intended for a never‑implemented air‑conditioning retrofit. The 150 vehicles built for the London Midland Region comprised Tourist Second Open, Corridor First, Open First, Brake Corridor First and Brake Open Second, with additional types introduced in the 1980s. The DB 977390 model offers an almost completely intact British Rail period interior and will eventually be restored to its original external appearance.