S&T Dept. Generator Van & Staff Coach.
Location : New Cross Gate Down Yard.
Date : 19/07/1987.
Vehicle : Staff & Generator Coach.
Number : KDB 977167.
TOPS Code : QPW.
As with the previous upload this vehicle too was formerly a BR Mk1 BSK (Brake Second Corridor) numbered 35400. It was a later built example with heavyweight Commonwealth bogies allowing for 100mph running and from lot no.30699 built by BR Wolverton Works in 1962-63 (no's 35294-35400). Just half of this batch were rebuilt with dual heat but 35344 to 35400 were not thus condemning them to early withdrawal as steam heat only stock started to be phased out in the early 1980's. 35400 was thus withdrawn in December 1983. The British Railways Board then allocated it to 'Project Mercury' which was a joint venture between Mercury Communications Ltd (later becoming Vodafone) and British Rail to create a UK fibre optic cable network using BR cable troughing beside railway lines. The British Rail Signal & Telegraph Department were to oversee the project and they soon created a substantial dedicated fleet with departmental vehicles such as this one and a number of different wagon types which received a distinctive pale blue livery. 35400 thus became KDB 977167 in June 1984 and survived into privatisation owned by Railtrack Plc before passing to Balfour Beatty Engineering Ltd numbered BDC 977167. After being taken out of service it remained stored at their Ashford Plant Depot for a number of years before being sold in January 2013 to the East Somerset Railway for spares recovery. It's final move was to Booth's Scrapyard, Rotherham in July 2013 for breaking up.
The view here of it at New Cross Gate Down Yard was while it waited attention at the nearby C&W Works for shunting accident damage repairs as can be seen by the buffer override dent and a coupling hook has bent the corridor door plate.
S&T Dept. Generator Van & Staff Coach.
Location : New Cross Gate Down Yard.
Date : 19/07/1987.
Vehicle : Staff & Generator Coach.
Number : KDB 977167.
TOPS Code : QPW.
As with the previous upload this vehicle too was formerly a BR Mk1 BSK (Brake Second Corridor) numbered 35400. It was a later built example with heavyweight Commonwealth bogies allowing for 100mph running and from lot no.30699 built by BR Wolverton Works in 1962-63 (no's 35294-35400). Just half of this batch were rebuilt with dual heat but 35344 to 35400 were not thus condemning them to early withdrawal as steam heat only stock started to be phased out in the early 1980's. 35400 was thus withdrawn in December 1983. The British Railways Board then allocated it to 'Project Mercury' which was a joint venture between Mercury Communications Ltd (later becoming Vodafone) and British Rail to create a UK fibre optic cable network using BR cable troughing beside railway lines. The British Rail Signal & Telegraph Department were to oversee the project and they soon created a substantial dedicated fleet with departmental vehicles such as this one and a number of different wagon types which received a distinctive pale blue livery. 35400 thus became KDB 977167 in June 1984 and survived into privatisation owned by Railtrack Plc before passing to Balfour Beatty Engineering Ltd numbered BDC 977167. After being taken out of service it remained stored at their Ashford Plant Depot for a number of years before being sold in January 2013 to the East Somerset Railway for spares recovery. It's final move was to Booth's Scrapyard, Rotherham in July 2013 for breaking up.
The view here of it at New Cross Gate Down Yard was while it waited attention at the nearby C&W Works for shunting accident damage repairs as can be seen by the buffer override dent and a coupling hook has bent the corridor door plate.