Changes

|image = BR_21254_20150307BR_21254_20150528.jpg|caption = BR Brake Composite Corridor 21254(May 2015)

|carno = 21254E21254|livery = BR Maroon|othernos = W21254, E21254NE21254

|years4 = |events4 = |years5 = |events5 = |years6 = |events6 = }}'''21254 ''' is a '''BR Mk 1 Brake Corridor Composite ''' (BCK) carriage, having two first class compartments seating 12 passengers and three second class compartments seating 18 passengers, as well as a small guard's compartmentat one end of the coach and two toilets in the vestibule at the other end. Only 276 of this type were built; they were often used on overnight sleeper trains.<ref name=StockBook>SVR Stock Book 9th Edition</ref> Around 40 have survived into preservation,<ref>Railway Heritage Register on-line</ref> although 21254 is the only BR example on the SVR.

==Service and preservation==21254 was built at Derby in 1963 to diagram number Diagram 171 lot (AB301), Lot 30731. It entered service in BR's North Eastern region in February 1964 as E21254. During the mid-1960s BR began to use the separate 'NE' prefix, with the coach being re-numbered NE21254 in July 1966. However the change was short-lived as the North Eastern Region was amalgamated into the Eastern Region in 1968, and the coach reverted to its original number 30731in January 1968.<refname=Longworth>Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey[[Bibliography#Other References|Longworth (2013)]] pp. 9, 127-8.</ref> Prior to withdrawal from service in 1981 it was noted in use on the "Night Scotsman" services into Kings Cross. It arrived on the SVR in August of that year, having been purchased by a trustee of [[The Erlestoke Manor Fund]].<ref name=StockBookSVR89>SVR News 89</ref>

It arrived on the SVR on 21 August 1981 from Bounds Green, having been purchased by [[The Erlestoke Manor Fund|Erlestoke Manor Fund]] member Bob Marrows.<ref name=StockBook/> It initially carried BR's blue and grey livery, before being repainted into BR Maroon livery with all maroon ends in November 1985.<ref>SVR News 79</ref> By autumn 1988 it was photographed described as a 'reliable performer', having required only two new windows in March 2015 addition to the repaint.<ref name=SVR89/> During 1991 21254 underwent repairs to the corners and the repair and replacementof most of the doors, followed by a repaint. The work was carried out at [[Bewdley Carriage & Wagon Department|Bewdley paint shop]], the first time a BR Mark 1 coach had been overhauled there as part previously all work on the BR coaches had been carried out at Bridgnorth.<ref>SVR News 99, 153</ref>  In spring 2005 it underwent repairs to the steam heat pipes and also received new buckeye couplings.<ref>SVR News 150</ref> Later in the year it was re-upholstered; unusually this was done while the coach remained in service with one compartment at a time being taken out of service while the seats were sent away to an external contractor.<ref>SVCR News 152</ref> It then underwent a full overhaul, the first since 1991. Work included the replacement of two doors which were deemed beyond repair, and repairs to holes in the roof corners. The internal veneer was stripped and revarnished. While in the BR Maroon paint shop the coach was lifted onto a setof ex-EMU bogies while its own bogies were stripped and refurbished. Other work was done on the steam heating, the buckeye couplings, and braking systems. With painting completed, 321254 re-entered service in Autumn 2006.<ref>SVR News 155</ref> 21254 was withdrawn in 2012 for the wheels in the bogie under the guard's compartment to be replaced. These had incurred wheel flats several years earlier. A full mechanical overhaul of the brakegear was also required, resulting in the coach spending most of the summer out of service.<ref>SVR News 179</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">BR_21254_20150307.jpg | 21254 in use in Set M (March 2015)</gallery> In January 2017 the whole of [[Carriages#The carriage sets|Set M]] was split for buckeye and drawgear exams, after which 21254 was withdrawn for repairs.<ref>SVR News 197</ref> In May 2017 it was undergoing restoration with all 10 doors, including locks, serviced, plus a full repaint.<ref>SVR 'Branch Lines' e-newsletter May 2017</ref>  ==See also==*[[Carriages#BR Designed Coaches | List of carriages]]

*[http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrustrhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=1681 21254 on vintagecarriagestrust.orgRailway Heritage Register On-Line]