One of the most common type is the Restaurant-Buffet (refurbished) car or RBR which was derived from two different but similar types of coach refurbished in the 1970s in an effort to extend their lives due to the late arrival of new stock. The interiors were refreshed and improved lighting installed to make the stock more attractive – it should be noted that interior improvements were often undertaken at different times in the vehicles’ history. Standardisation of the kitchen equipment eliminated awkward incompatibilities between vehicles too. Private operators have made their own changes making reference photographs important.
Hornby announced a Diagram 24 RB and Diagram 33 RBR for its 2020 catalogue which was released late in the year. It represents one of the two types of Mk.1 RBR coaches and has wide operational scope including extensive use as catering and service cars by private operators, as demonstrated in this episode of D&E Files.
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LNER puts remaining ‘91s' into warm store
The ongoing pandemic restrictions and major engineering works have resulted in the complete withdrawal of the last remaining ‘Electras’ from passenger service, although the plan is to resurrect them in the summer.
Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet (RBR) cars
A SURPRISING number of Mk.1catering cars have survived to see service on the privatised railway, in private operator and charter trains. They may turn up on anything from an enthusiast special to higher-end dining trains and have been formed in trains as prestigious as the locomotive-hauledBlue Pullman’ set, the ‘Great Britain’ tours operated by West Coast Railways and the ‘Northern Belle’ tour train.
Powerscene
Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.
End for Freightliner Class 86/6s
The company’s Class 86/6 fleet down to just two examples as seven locos are stored.
Service reductions as Covid cases increase
An increase in Covid-19 cases in early January saw the governments in Ireland and Northern Ireland impose stricter lockdown measures that impacted on public transport.
East West Rail funding go-ahead
Although it was expected, £760 million of funding has now been confirmed to build the Western Section of the East West Railway scheme.
Class 92 revolution
Despite its complex shape and high detail ratio compared to other modern six-axle locomotives, Revolution Trains chose the Class 92 to be its first 'N' gauge locomotive model.
Travellers-Fare with Hornby's Mk.1 Restaurant-Buffet car
Hornby expands its range of retooled ‘OO’ gauge Mk.1 coaches with a brand new tooling for the Diagram 24 Restaurant-Buffet car (RB) and the Diagram 33 refurbished version (RBR). It models the vehicles in both original form, finished in BR maroon and Southern Region green, together with the RBR refurbished coaches. They remained in frontline service well into the 1990s, including Cross-Country workings.
Bottling it!
A dig into the Rail Express archive has revealed some rarely-seen photographs of the former rail-connected Express Dairy bottling plant in South West London, which today is the site of a large mosque.
1990s ‘N' gauge Class 950
Work on the ‘N’ gauge Class 950 Track Recording Unit project, a conversion based on a standard Graham Farish Class 150/1 model, is concluded by finishing the model in 1990s condition.
Time And Again
Get ready for a whole new DAYS!
BAKING SODA BREAD
WITH JUST A HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS AND NO YEAST, TR ADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD IS SIMPLE TO M AKE, ESPECIALLY WITH EXPERT INSTRUCTION
SBARRA PUNISHES TEN-MAN SPITFIRES
SUBSTITUTE Joe Sbarra salvaged a point for Solihull Moors with a stoppage-time equaliser to deny an Eastleigh side who played the entire second half with ten men after Joe Partington had been sent off on the stroke of half-time.
SPITFIRES STUNNED IN FIGHTBACK
WEALDSTONE advanced to the fourth round after a stunning fightback that saw them score four times without reply in the second half after trailing 3-0.
WE AIM TO KEEP FANS BEAMING!
BEN STREVENS says Eastleigh are determined to build on their positive start so their fans really have something to shout about when the turnstiles re-open.
DOUBLE TIME
Hornby eyes Euros for the kids alongside the seniors
ARDINGLY AUTO JUMBLE
IT’S THE WEEKEND SO A QUICK CHECK – KEYS, CHECK; WALLET, CHECK; VAGUE IDEA OF WHERE I’M GOING, CHECK; HAND SANITISER AND FACE-MASK FOR THIS BRAVE NEW WORLD, CHECK. AT LONG LAST, AN EVENT TO ATTEND – LET’S FIND OUT HOW DIFFERENT THIS’LL BE.
CLUB 10 TT
Racing against the clock on Zwift’s Tick Tock
The Shadow Factories
From laundries and bus depots to garages and hotels, Southampton’s secret network of manufacturing facilities helped the RAF win the Battle of Britain
BLINDED BY THE BRIGHT LIGHTS
Paul Benson was working as an accountant in the City of London when he skived off work to accept the offer that changed his life.