NIR Mk 2 Coaches

[Dhu Varren]

I am currently finishing off a batch of NIR Mk 2 coaches in InterCity/Corporate livery, but I can not find any information about the interior layout of the Mk 2f 'Grill/Bar/Dining Car' 546. I am also looking for details of the interior of the Executive Brake Generator Van 913. The only information I have on 913 is that there were 'loose chairs' as required, but no numbers or types of chair.

Any information on either of these vehicles would be greatly appreciated.

[DiveController]

David, put up some pictures when you're done please Would be great to see them.

[Blaine]

For 546, given most of the interior is hidden behind the sealed up windows, is there any need to model the interior. Not as if the model is 2 inches from your face....

[Dhu Varren]

For 546, given most of the interior is hidden behind the sealed up windows, is there any need to model the interior. Not as if the model is 2 inches from your face....

 

Modelling 546 without an interior is an option as a last resort, if no information is forthcoming. However, if possible, it is nice to get it right, visible or not.

[geraghtyg]

OK, this is my first post on these forums and although I don't know a huge amount about the interior of Executive Brake Generator Van 913, I have some interesting info about the exterior that could make for a very interesting project. Executive Brake Generator Van 913 began life in BR as a Brake First Corridor, a Mk2b. When purchased by NIR in 1981, it became a standard generator corridor brake second. In 1989, it was converted to an Executive Brake Generator Van. This is where it gets very interesting. If you go to around 3:21 on this video

, you will see a Dublin to Belfast Enterprise arriving into Drogheda in 1993. Executive Brake Generator Van 913 is the first coach. You can see the vented windows. Now, if you fast forward a little to where the train is departing, you get to see the other side of the coach. You will see that it has Mk2d/e/f style windows!!!! The toilet window is still of the earlier type. This is because Air Con was fitted. It also makes for a highly unusual and unique coach.

In 1995, it then became a generator brake first open and I believe it reverted to being a standard pressure vent vehicle.

So not much help on the interior but interesting info on the interior, I guess.

[Glenderg]

A wonderful introduction to the board geraghty. Great bit of poirot work!

[Dhu Varren]

At last, finally on the home straight. Most of the batch of coaches are now just about complete, with just small touch-ups required, and a couple requiring numbering. Three are waiting for decals, and two are going back to the paint shop for stripping and repainting, due to unsatisfactory paintwork. Flush glazing to be fitted later.

 

Generally very pleased with the results. Stripes decals are home produced, except for 904 which is Model Irish Railways. NIR, numbers and InterCity decals are from Railtec.

 

The InterCity decals initially received from Railtec were too large for the full livery with the black band along the bottom, and were totally the wrong shade of blue. However, with a lot of communication with Steve at Railtec, the decals were revised, made smaller and the shade of blue changed. Full marks to Railtec.

 

Ex FK, now Standard Class 922

 

 

 

SO Standard Open 932

 

 

 

Ex FK, now Standard Class 925

 

 

 

SO Standard Open in Enterprise/Intercity livery (experiment using one piece decal)

 

 

 

Restaurant Car 947

 

 

 

FO First Open 901

 

 

 

Generator Van Executive Class 913, awaiting numbering

 

 

 

Buffet Car 548, in Corporate livery, awaiting numbering

 

 

 

FO First Open 904, partially numbered & waiting for number 4s

 

[Railer]

Wow, loving the detail you are putting in to get an exact NIR Mk2 rake. I didn't know NIR ever had Mk2Ds. Though they were all B and C versions and only the Gatwicks being E types. Were the NIR Mk2s air braked unlike IEs Mk2s?

[josefstadt]

There were no MkIId type coaches, the NIR fleet consisting mainly of MkIIb/c types with some MkIIf vehicles (incl the 'Gatwick' stock). 904 was a MkIIf - according to Irish Railways Traction & Travel (ITG 1994) it was formerly British Rail First Open 3367 which dated from 1973. All NIR MkII stock was air braked.

 

Dhu Varren, lovely work on the carriages!

Edited March 9, 2015 by josefstadt

[Dhu Varren]

Thanks for the comments guys. Interestingly, to have an almost ready to run NIR coach that is easily obtainable, just get an Airfix/Dapol/Hornby Mk2d or Lima Mk2f 1st class coach, remove or hide the BR number and InterCity logo, renumber as 904, and hey presto, a genuine NIR coach. 904 ran in NIR service for a while still in BR blue and grey livery.

[Kirley]

Nice work on the carriages DJ, very crisp finish.

[Noel]

Dhu Varren they look really superb. The finish quality looks so precise and sharp. Looking at the photos that is the best repaint project I have seen. I looks better than quality RTR finishes and all lines are straight as a laser.

 

[DiveController]

They're a great job, David. You've really outdone yourself with them

[Sulzer201]

Fantastic looking coaches, superb skills.

[Glenderg]

I'm going to bump this post as I too am looking for any photos of 546, the oddball MK2f buffet coach. Also, so you can see tidy work by DV on the first page

 

The other one, NIR 547 had the Mk2b bodyshell with the larger windows, and I have plenty info on that.

 

"Interestingly, both NIR Mark 2 Restaurant Cars have now been preserved – 547 by the RPSI, and 546 (now re-fitted with 4’ 8½” gauge bogies and reverting to its original number of 5970) by Riviera Trains for special charter trains in Britain."

 

http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/carriages/mk2_547.html

 

Here are a few photos of her in current condition

 

 

 

Can anyone confirm that the window layout from that period represents what she looks like now?

 

Richie.

[DiveController]

Excellent rake. One could do worse than to use these as an example of what to build/respray

[NIRCLASS80]

What paint colours did you use on these coaches?

[Dhu Varren]

14 hours ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

What paint colours did you use on these coaches?

I used BR Grey (from the old blue/grey livery) for the grey. The blue is Revell 52, which is a dead ringer for the blue of the MM NIR locos. So much so that when I renumbered 8113 to 111, I only had to respray the cabs, as the  paint colour matched the rest of the body perfectly. 

[Robert Shrives]

Railtec now do  lovely set of bodyside transfers  which saves spraying the  blue - stripes with or without white stripes as well.   This a no number version but others available.  

 

Robert 

[NIRCLASS80]

2 hours ago, Dhu Varren said:

I used BR Grey (from the old blue/grey livery) for the grey. The blue is Revell 52, which is a dead ringer for the blue of the MM NIR locos. So much so that when I renumbered 8113 to 111, I only had to respray the cabs, as the  paint colour matched the rest of the body perfectly. 

Thanks for the paint colour info. I will give them a try.

[murphaph]

When were the grey ones with the blue stripe repainted to the later livery (corporate is it?)? Pictures I have seen suggest it was done in the late 80's already. Did any of the earlier ones survive into the 90s? I kind of prefer the earlier livery as it is kind of reminiscent of BR blue & grey which I have a soft spot for.

[hexagon789]

8 hours ago, murphaph said:

When were the grey ones with the blue stripe repainted to the later livery (corporate is it?)? Pictures I have seen suggest it was done in the late 80's already. Did any of the earlier ones survive into the 90s? I kind of prefer the earlier livery as it is kind of reminiscent of BR blue & grey which I have a soft spot for.

I think I posted about this in the thread on NIR 111 Class liveries, if not let me know and I can check the journals tomorrow

[murphaph]

There's this mention of a new livery in that thread:

"Looking again at the journals, the new NIR InterCity livery is mentioned as being introduced progressively in the Feb 1989 issue.

Turning back to the 111 Class, 113 is mentioned in the Oct 1989 journal as having been 'repainted in the new "InterCity" livery - a deep medium blue with yellow end panels and red buffer beams'."

I guess that's it, right? So do we have any idea when the last mk2s were repainted?