Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs
Prototype Era
Era 5 (1957 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest
The first phase of building British Railways' Mark 1 catering vehicles followed the traditional pattern of dining that had been catered for since Edwardian times, with large Kitchen Cars preparing multiple course dining for consumption in both First and Third Class Dining Cars. However, during the early 1950s it became apparent that social patterns regarding rail travel catering were changing as a direct consequence of WWII attitudes towards dining.
The catering department of British Railways was experiencing a demand from travellers for cheaper and lighter meals as well as an increase in social drinking that was not related to dining. This change in dining patterns meant that the use of a Buffet vehicle, rather than a full Kitchen Car/Dining Car combination, was sometimes a better option and the third phase 1957-62 Mk.1 building program provided many of BR's vehicles with buffet facilities. Not just in addition to full meal provision, but also replacing it. Three prototype catering vehicles were built by Eastleigh to basic requirements set out by the Hotels and Catering Services Department of British Railways, with each stage of construction incorporating feedback from restaurant car staff- these being M1546 Kitchen-Buffet (RKB), W1900 Unclassed Restaurant (RU) and E1700 Buffet-Restaurant (RB).
The RB kept the same kitchen, staff area and seating type as the other two vehicles, but by sacrificing ten seats, the pantry was extended, and a new service counter was introduced for the serving of light refreshments. Propane gas units were introduced for gas cooking. This meant reducing the reliance on electric power which allowed for a smaller dynamo and battery. Access to the water tanks was also improved, along with door access for the catering staff; the single 24Ó doors being replaced with a 'door and a third' arrangement that offered a second 9Ó wide door alongside the main door.
The prototypes were a success and 128 vehicles were ordered, built in four lots between 1960 and 1962 by Pressed Steel and Birmingham RC&W. But in a change from the prototype, some of the window sizes were altered and the serving area was rotated through 90 degrees to become longitudinal.
By 1977, British Rail had come to realise that the existing Mk.1 catering stock would have to be retained for a longer period on long haul services than originally anticipated, especially as the APT and HST programs were behind schedule. The catering fleet was suffering as vehicle availability decreased and services increased, leading to a lack of morale among catering staff and an increase in public dissatisfaction with on-train catering.
In 1960, 850 catering vehicles covered 794 daily booked services but by 1977 this had dropped to 460 vehicles covering over a thousand daily services. Following a high profile public opinion survey, BR realised that catering needed to become part of the corporate InterCity image and an accelerated program of refurbishment ensued. The onboard equipment and interior layout needed to be standardised to ensure that spares were readily available to keep the vehicles in services and that serving patterns were consistent across the fleet to improve working conditions for staff.
The resulting fleet refurbishment of all catering vehicles was based on alterations to the diagram 24 vehicles and was grouped under diagram 33 RB(R). Doors were installed between bars, pantries and kitchens which allowed for manning by fewer staff and interiors were improved by raising illumination levels through fluorescent lighting and removing bulkheads, using brighter colours and having 'wipe-clean' surfaces and seating.
With no Mk.2 catering cars being built from new, Mk.1 restaurants and buffet vehicles were included in Mk.3 rakes on the major main lines until the Mk.3 catering coaches became available. Certain services continued to use them into the early 1990s; The Clansman and the Holyhead trains had RBRs in 1990/1991 and Norwich services still had them in 1993 according to the coaching stock book. Once the Mk.2f RFBs were fully in service, especially on Intercity cross country services, there was no further need for Mk.1 stock and the vehicles were relegated to charter stock.
* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.
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Hornby
R4350
RailRoad BR, Mk.1 Corridor Composite Coach - Era 5
Hornby
R4351
RailRoad BR, Mk.1 Corridor Second Coach - Era 5
Hornby
R4352
RailRoad BR, Mk.1 Corridor Brake Second Coach - Era 5
Hornby
R4778
BR, Mk1 First Open, W9353 - Era 7
Hornby
R4771
BR, Mk1 Parcels, W80664 - Era 7
Hornby
R4772
BR, Mk1 Corridor Second, W25923 - Era 7
Hornby
R4773
BR, Mk1 Corridor Composite, W16198 - Era 7
Hornby
R4774
BR, Mk1 Corridor Brake Second, W35024 - Era 7
Hornby
R4775
BR, Mk1 Second Open, W4804 - Era 7
Hornby
R4776
BR, Mk1 Tourist Second Open, W5025 - Era 7
Hornby
R4782
BR, Mk1 Parcels, E80627 - Era 5
Hornby
R4783
BR, Mk1 Corridor Second, E24693 - Era 5
Hornby
R4786
BR, Mk1 Second Open, E4811 - Era 5
Hornby
R4787
BR, Mk1 Tourist Second Open, E4656 - Era 5
Hornby
R40006
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 SK Ballast Cleaner Train Staff Coach, DB 975805 - Era 7
Hornby
R40007
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 SK Ballast Cleaner Train Staff Coach, DB 975802 - Era 7
Hornby
R40008
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 SK Ballast Cleaner Train Staff Coach, DB 975804 - Era 7
Hornby
R4975
BR(S), Mk1 SK, S34310 - Era 5
Hornby
R4976
BR(S), Mk1 CK, S15574 - Era 5
Hornby
R4977
BR(S), Mk1 BSK, S34967 - Era 5
Hornby
R4979
BR(S), Mk1 TSO, S4009 - Era 5
Hornby
R4981
BR(S), Mk1 FO, S3065 - Era 5
Hornby
R4982
BR(S), Mk1 BG, S84289 - Era 5
Hornby
R4934
Hogwarts, Mk1 SK Nos. 99716
Hornby
R4934A
Hogwarts, Mk1 SK Nos. 99721
Hornby
R4935
Hogwarts, Mk1 BSK No. 99723
Hornby
R4935A
Hogwarts, Mk1 BSK No. 99312
Hornby
R4625
BR, Mk.1 Parcels Coach - Era 5
Hornby
R4626
BR, Mk.1 Parcels Coach - Era 4
Hornby
R4629
BR, Mk.1 Tourist Second Open Coach - Era 5
Hornby
R4630
RailRoad BR, Mk.1 Tourist Second Open Coach - Era 4
Hornby
R4789
BR, Mk1 First Open, E3050 - Era 5
Hornby
R4823
BR, Mk1 Brake Second Open, E9248 - Era 4
Hornby
R4822
BR, Mk1 Brake Second Open, W9264 - Era 5
Hornby
R4848
BR, Mk1 Corridor Brake Second, M34466 - Era 4
Hornby
R4847
BR, Mk1 Corridor Composite, M15185 - Era 4
Hornby
R4846
BR, Mk1 Corridor Second, M25633 - Era 4
Hornby
R4825
BR, Mk1 First Open, M3029 - Era 4
Hornby
R4824
BR, Mk1 First Open, W3090 - Era 5
Hornby
R4845
BR, Mk1 Parcels, M80584 - Era 4
Hornby
R4849
BR, Mk1 Second Open, M4365 - Era 4
Hornby
R4850
BR, Mk1 Tourist Second Open, M4428 - Era 4
Hornby
R40026
BR, Mk1 Restaurant Buffet, E1664 - Era 5
Hornby
R40025
BR(S), Mk1 Restaurant Buffet, S1696 - Era 9
Hornby
R40022
BR, Mk1 Brake Composite Corridor, E 21106 - Era 4
Hornby
R40021
BR, Mk1 Brake Composite Corridor, W 21083 - Era 4
Hornby
R4972A
BR(S), Mk1 RB, S1757 - Era 5
Hornby
R4971A
BR(W), Mk1 RB, W1743 - Era 5
Hornby
R4974A
BR InterCity, Mk1 RB(R), IC1653 - Era 8
Hornby
R4974
BR InterCity, Mk1 RB(R), IC1667 - Era 8
Hornby
R40020
BR InterCity, Mk1 Brake Composite Corridor, 21274 - Era 7
Hornby
R40023
BR, Mk1 Brake Composite Corridor, W 21178 - Era 7
Hornby
R40024
Network Rail, Mk1 Brake Composite Corridor, DB 975280 - Era 11
Hornby
R40027
DRS, Mk1 Restaurant Buffet, 1657 - Era 11
Hornby
R40028
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 FO, Brake Force Runner, DB977352 - Era 8
Hornby
R4971
BR(W), Mk1 RB, W1739 - Era 5
Hornby
R4973
BR(M), Mk1 RB(R), M1712 - Era 7
Hornby
R4973A
BR(M), Mk1 RB(R), M1657 - Era 7
Hornby
R4903
BR, Mk1 BTU Tool Van, QQX ADB 975613 - Era 9
Hornby
R4902
BR, Mk1 BTU Staff & Dormitory Coach, QPX ADB 975574 - Era 9
Hornby
R4353
RailRoad BR Mk1 Corridor Composite Coach - BR Chocolate & Cream
Hornby
R4627
RailRoad, BR, Mk.1 Tourist Second Open Coach, BR Maroon - Era 5
Hornby
R4628
RailRoad, BR, Mk.1 Tourist Second Open Coach, BR Carmine & Cream -Era 4
Hornby
R4777
BR, Mk1 Coach Brake Second Open, W9353, Blue & Grey Livery - Era 7
Hornby
R4788
BR, Mk1 Coach Brake Second Open, E9220, Maroon - Era 5
Hornby
R4784
BR, Mk1 Corridor Composite, E15481 - Era 5
Hornby
R4785
BR, Mk1 Corridor Brake Second, E34729 - Era 5
Hornby
R4994
Network Rail, Ex-BR Mk1 Structure Gauging Train Driving & Instrumentation Vehicle, 975081 - Era
Hornby
R40010
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 BSO Landore Breakdown Unit, ADB 975082 - Era 7
Hornby
R4995
Network Rail ex-Mk1 BG Generator Van, 6264 - Era 11
Hornby
R40009
BR R&D Division, ex-Mk1 BSO Laboratory 10, RDB 975428 - Era 7
Hornby
R40217
BR InterCity, Mk1 RBR, E1696 - Era 7
Hornby
R40218
BR InterCity, Mk1 RBR, 1646 - Era 7
Hornby
R40214
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 BCK, Test Coach 'Mercury', RDB975280 - Era 7
Hornby
R40215A
BR, Mk1 BCK, M21033 - Era 4
Hornby
R40215
BR, Mk1 BCK, M21034 - Era 4
Hornby
R40213
Balfour Beatty, Mk1 BCK, Staff Coach, BDC 977165 - Era 9
Hornby
R40348
BR, Mk1 BSO, ADB977135 - Era 8
Hornby
R40342
BR Departmental, ex-Mk1 First Open, 3068/975606 - Era 8
Hornby
R40346
BR Departmental, exMk1 First Open, DB977351 - Era 8