The Blue Pullman hits British rails again this week....sort of...

[Galteemore 1,965]

Not quite sure what I think of this..

.

[jhb171achill 4,045]

ICR in RPSI livery.....!

 

I actually like it!

[DJ Dangerous 811]

A few re-gauged Class 43's would look well with the RPSI sets!

[Mayner 2,504]

CIE seriously considered buying and re-gauging the  original "Blue Pullmans" sets from BR in the early 70s instead ordering the "Supertrain" sets from BREL.

Edited November 6, 2020 by Mayner

[Mike 84C 218]

That looks rather tasty! The Blue Pullman livery always looked very attractive.

[Robert Shrives 802]

Inside it is a bit of a mismash but the train has created a first ... a Guards trailer first - also guards office enlarged and to ensure catering is top notch the buffet car has been rebuilt to a Trailer Restaurant Kitchen  - all seats out and enlarged prep and kitchen fitted. The windows in the saloon end are mainly plated over. 

The Mismash I am told is seat coverings are a bit mixed up but nothing a bit of cover shunting can fix unless it is part of a social distancing master plan.   No yellow end having had front lighting upgraded to searchlight standards  and gained the cyclops top head light.   Currently another short rake being used for training  with PUL 1 back undercover after first outing canned by LD2 in the UK - potential for mid Dec run from press reports. 

Certainly captures the spirit of the former pullman with a self contained luxury train, I really hope it gets nationwide use. 

Robert  

[NIR 218]

For me it was all about the front end, a design classic

[jhb171achill 4,045]

Where will it operate?

I still hold out hope for an ICR in classic black’n’tan and a Mk 3 set in GSR maroon; Belmond missed a trick there!

[Niles 119]

Wasn't there a mk2/3 set in this livery back in the mid 2000s or so? Class 47 hauled.

Gotta love the sight of a freshly painted carriage, looks smashing.

Edited November 6, 2020 by Niles

[Georgeconna 1,331]

That does look the biz.

[Robert Shrives 802]

9 hours ago, Niles said:

Wasn't there a mk2/3 set in this livery back in the mid 2000s or so? Class 47 hauled.

Gotta love the sight of a freshly painted carriage, looks smashing.

Yes  A short life effort by FM rail IIRC it ran a few trips but business ran out of money, pretty certain some of the stock ended up with DRS. 

Robert 

[hexagon789 292]

On 6/11/2020 at 9:19 AM, Mayner said:

CIE seriously considered buying and re-gauging the  original "Blue Pullmans" sets from BR in the early 70s instead ordering the "Supertrain" sets from BREL.

All of them or bits of them?

I imagine they would've tried for a homogenised fleet of say four 8-car sets as the Western Region was considering before withdrawal.

The 2+1 seating would probably also have been replaced in Second Class I would've thought.

And finally, new bogies rather than simply stretching them to 5' 3" given the poor riding qualities of the bogies fitted.

 

On 6/11/2020 at 1:00 PM, jhb171achill said:

Where will it operate?

St Pancras to Manchester I believe via almost the original route of the Midland Pullman (there's a large gap between Matlock and Buxton on the original route).