What Is This Mk1?

[Bad Wolf]

I went to Peak Rail couple of month ago and I was shown around heritage shunters trust (HST) and in the corner was this Mk1 coach and i think it's one of the Mk1 that was used to carry Gold

[Andy W]

Spot on. Former bullion van 99204. I think this one was last used as a departmental internal user at Stafford.

[1H was 2E]

They were classified SLB, presumably to look innocuous; but I don't think they were primarily to carry gold. There was one that occasionally worked out of Euston at the front of booked trains, and although some secrecy surrounded its use (and my colleague in the Trains Office who rode it as courier was probably chosen for his inscrutability) I think this one was mainly used to carry coin. They were converted from BSKs and retained one compartment and the lavatory, leaving an enormous area for the 'bullion'.
One was later used by the MoD for some secret purpose one can guess at, and this was painted in RfD livery. that still exists, too, on the Northampton and Lamport railway.
Bearing in mind that on heritage railways siding space is at a premium and passenger capacity is the priority it's a mystery to me why 2 railways think these vehicles, seating capacity 6 (8 with the armrests up) are worth having......

[Danby Wiske]

it's a mystery to me why 2 railways think these vehicles, seating capacity 6 (8 with the armrests up) are worth having......

They have to get their takings to the bank somehow - maybe they're being optimistic!

[Bryan]

On that train of thought, what would you do with rolling stock such as the Pigeon Van, Full Brakes and any freight stock.

Preserved railways are much more than just running steamy things dragging coaches around.
All those poor deluded souls who bought an old wagon or coach need somewhere to keep it and may also have some position on the railways concerned.
If a vehicle is seen to be being worked on rather than being neglected it is more likely to be allowed to stay.

The vehicle in question, does it have a use at the moment possibly as a component store?
Being a former Bullion van I would imagine the carrying capacity may be slightly more than an equivalent Brake or GUV.

[thesignalman]

They were classified SLB, presumably to look innocuous; but I don't think they were primarily to carry gold. There was one that occasionally worked out of Euston at the front of booked trains, and although some secrecy surrounded its use (and my colleague in the Trains Office who rode it as courier was probably chosen for his inscrutability) I think this one was mainly used to carry coin. They were converted from BSKs and retained one compartment and the lavatory, leaving an enormous area for the 'bullion'.

When I worked on the WCML they worked as separate, very short trains which were given high priority and their working closely monitored. There were some very large letters on the roof - I can't remember whether it said "BULLION" or something else but this was for the benefit of emergency helicopter identification. So there was certainly no stealth or security about the operations at that time.

I have no idea what they conveyed - as suggested coins sounds likely. But then again at that time we had a regular service from the printing works at Hemel Hempstead which brought thousands of Postal Orders in a BG and that didn't warrant the same level of protection so maybe the bullion trains conveyed something more valuable than coins.

John

[1H was 2E]

Re. the Hemel Hempstead traffic; the BR standard BGs used were described as 'high security BGs' and they had all windows over-panelled and, I think, the gangways removed. They used to be seen standing alongside the parcels depot at Hemel but may have been used in ordinary parcels trains. I can certainly remember the SLBs at the front of a set poking out of the Down side Shed at Euston. When I worked at the Division, both vehicles seem to be a 'taboo' subject. But then, when I was on train surveys we did get refused when we tried to busk a lift back to London on the up West Coast Postal. Buster Edwards has a lot to answer for, despite Phil bloody Collins saying it was only an anti-establishment non violent crime.

[thesignalman]

But then, when I was on train surveys we did get refused when we tried to busk a lift back to London on the up West Coast Postal. Buster Edwards has a lot to answer for

I, too, was declined a ride on the Up Postal once.

I have my suspicions that the incident with the Up Postal may have been what brought about the separate Bullion Van working but I wasn't there in those days.

However, I was working the night of the intended second "Great Train Robbery" when an attempt was made at Kilburn to repeat things with the Up Postal, right down to the displaying of false signal aspects. Fortunately, the driver of a Down train spotted them on the gantry and we had them nabbed before the Postal got there.

John

[Mickey]

During the early 1980s when i was at Junction Road s/box on the North London lines the Bullion train (headcde 1G70) use to come over from Willesden occasionally heading for the ECML at Harringay Park Junction usually made up of a loco (Brush type 4 or class 47) a freightliner container and a windowless B.R.Mk1 BG conveying a guard with several BTP on board as well.

If these Bullion trains are stopped out of course between 2 s/boxes or in a signal section for no apparent reason the signalman is suspose to immediately inform the control and the BTP a legacy nodoubt from the Great train robbery of 1963.

Talking of the Great train robbery of 1963 there was a radio programme on BBC radio 4 the other Saturday evening dealing with the robbery as we near the 50th anniversary of it happening, Bruce Reynolds (the mastermind behind this job 1931-2013) said during an interview that he was always sorry about driver Jack Mills being coshed over the head that night.

[1H was 2E]

Sometimes the answers take a long time. And sometimes probably never,
The high security BGs from Hemel Hempstead conveyed Postal Orders from the printers there (remember when you had to prove you were Posh to open a bank account, so POs were very popular).
I spoke to my former colleague who, I'm sure, sometimes acted as courier on the SLBs. He, sadly, can't remember any details, or even SLBs, giving advanced age as the reason. So first hand memories of things even only 40 years ago are disappearing - even though that seems very recent.

[StevieG]

A previous thread on (those?; Other?) 'Bullion Trains', is here : -

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7941&hilit=1G70

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I worked a bullion train, only once, we were told, if we came to a red signal, not to stop, pass at Danger, but at greatly reduced speed and continue until the line was blocked, only time we\I was ever told that, saw more police that day, than I have for the rest of my life

manna