English Electric Diesels and Coaching Stock

Hi all,

I have an interesting question regarding the coaching stock that English Electric diesels pulled (namely Deltics and Whistlers), besides Mark I coaches. Would the teak-bodied Gresley coaches have ever been seen behind a Class 55 Deltic or Class 40? Also, would the 68 ft LMS dining car have been used behind the Class 40, in express passenger services?

I spent many an hour 'spotting' at Doncaster in the early 60's, never saw a deltic hauling teaks, but the prototype 'Deltic' may have
run with them on it's promotional trips, you may have to spend some time digging around photo archives & see what comes to light.

Production deltics have hauled teaks, but only on preservation specials.

Interesting questions gp792, unfortunately, I doubt that the teak-bodied Gresley coaches were still around in the days of the Deltics and Class 40's, the coaches came under the jurisdiction of British Rail from the steam days of LNER and the coaches were then repainted blood and custard and then BR Blue before the vast majority of them were scrapped from passenger work, so, if any of them were still operational they would have been in different liveries than the teak colour.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

Had a quick look on Wikipedia and it seems most of the Gresley teak coaches were out of mainline service by the mid-60's and the PIII LMS coaches a year or two later.

Will have to check when I get home as I do have some early diesel pictures in old Bradford Barton books which certainly show LMS coaches in express formations, albeit on the Highland Main Line.

Don't forget that the Gresley buffets were still used up to 1975, painted blue and grey - these would have been hauled by 40s and 55s on occasion. Also there were some Gresley sleepers in use to 1970, and blue painted blue Gresley full brakes were used in parcels trains up to the mid-1970s too.

I was going to mention the Gresley buffets (I think there were some Thompson ones around as well.)

Here's a collection of pics of the Gresleys: https://www.flickr.com/photos/55746092@N00/galleries/72157625508515265/

Paul

I find it quite interesting that the teak-bodied Gresley coaches were in service into the mid-70s; I thought that they would have been withdrawn by the 60s. Thinking about the Gresley coaches brings up a question about the twin and triplet coaches; how would the twin sleepers and triplet buffet/kitchen cars be set up?