BR 25498 Corridor Second

BR 25498 Corridor Second
BR Corridor Second 25498
Built By	BR York
Status	In service
Number	M25498
Livery	BR Crimson & Cream
Other numbers	E25498
History
Built	1958
Diagram	146
Lot	30374
Type	SK
TOPS code	AA21
Seats	48
1983	Entered preservation
Carriages

25498 is a BR Mark 1 Corridor Second (SK). The SK was the most prolific of the Mark 1 passenger stock, with more than 2,200 built. The layout included eight compartments with a central cross-vestibule and two toilets in one of the two end vestibules. Those in the Western and Southern regions seated eight per compartment, while those on Midland and Eastern routes were provided with armrests and seated six per compartment. Early examples featured veneered walls, while later batches used formica laminates. The SKs were an early candidate for withdrawal, being replaced by Mark 2 Open, HST sets and Networker Turbo units.

Contents

Service and preservation

25498 was built at York in 1958 to Diagram 146 (AA201), Lot 30374. It was equipped with BR1 bogies and had a running weight of 34 tons. Being destined for use in the Eastern Region, it had the smaller 48-seat capacity. It also included cast aluminium exterior doors, one of few examples on the SVR to be so fitted.

The coach entered service in the Eastern region in that year as E25498, where it remained allocated throughout BR service.

Some evidence of 25498's use in service was found during subsequent restoration at the SVR. It appears that the first livery included the upper half being covered with grained imitation wood paint (presumably the LNER scumble-grained mock teak), over which layers of BR grey had subsequently been applied. Paper stickers found in the doors referred to use on 'Continental Boat Trains', and also to a football special between Liverpool Lime Street and Nottingham at £4.00 per head.

25498 was still in BR(E) service on the day it was examined at Heaton Depot, Newcastle by members of the L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund as a prospective candidate for preservation as a replacement for their first BR Mk 1, E24726. It was then given special protection by the depot staff until its forward movement to the SVR, with the arrival from Heaton taking place on 16 May 1983.

25498 initially entered SVR service in BR's in blue and grey livery. It received a quick 'spray repaint' in Bridgnorth cattle dock in late August 2004, followed by re-bedding the windows in early 1989 (25498 has the earlier pattern of windows with the glass set in mastic and pressed against the outside steel plate; some Mk1s had the windows set in from the outside to help prevent leaks and rust formation). Later in 1989 25498 was withdrawn from service for a six-week overhaul at Bridgnorth. It required welded repairs to seven locations on the bodyside panelling, and also renewal of the entire roof tank filler pipe layout which had collapsed during painting. Internally several damaged pieces of upholstery were replaced and all the seats were shampooed, while externally it was repainted in BR Crimson and Cream livery.

In 1996 several other coaches suffered blown fuses. The cause took some time to identify, but was eventually traced to a wiring problem in 25498 where jumper cables had been fitted in reverse. This meant that it was working against the controller in the guards' van, although it only became apparent when the coach changed ends on the set.

25498 was 'stopped' for repairs in late 1999. The work began at Bewdley in 2000 and included welding work on the bulkhead ends, gangway areas and some of the door edges. Internally it received a full plumbing refit of the lavatories. The ceilings were repainted in white gloss, door lock exams were carried out, and new bottom panels in varnished plywood fitted on all six doors. 25498 then moved to Kidderminster for finishing off, including a full exterior repaint.

During summer 2003 returned to Kidderminster for bogie repairs, steam-heat overhaul, buckeye and drawgear attention and its lavatory tank dump-valves overhauling. In late 2005 it received further minor repairs and a repaint at Kidderminster.

In 2007 the original owning group, L.M.S. & B.R. Coach Fund, donated all its vehicles and merged with the Severn Valley Railway Rolling Stock Trust, now the SVR Charitable Trust.

25498 was 'red carded' in March 2010 with excessive wheel flats. Financial constraints at the time meant that it was February 2011 before the coach could be sent to Bristol Barton Hill for tyre turning. On return, the doors were rebuilt and the coach received a full repaint and interior refurbishment at Kidderminster.

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  25498 in service during March 2015

In early 2017 25498 underwent an overhaul at Kidderminster Carriage Shed (rather than the Carriage Repair Works), including roof repairs, overhauling of door locks and repaint. It is a regular in Set C, the BR Crimson & Cream running set and carries the number M25498.

See also

• List of carriages

Links

• 25498 on Railway Heritage Register On-Line
• 25498 on svrtrust.org.uk Now defunct, via the Internet Archive