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British Railways - Standard Steam Stock (Mk.1)
16263 - Corridor Composite (CK) (1963)
Richard Salmon

Type: CK (Composite Corridor), Diagram 126
Built: 1963, at BR Litchurch Lane Works, Derby (Lot 30730)
Original No: E16263
Other Nos: Sc16263
Seating: 24 1st class, 18 2nd class
Body Length: 64' 6"
Weight: 37.5 Tons
Withdrawn: 1983
Preserved: 1991
To Bluebell: 25/4/1991

Coaches such as this, from the early sixties, are the core of most steam railways' carriage fleets. We are lucky on the Bluebell to have rather more pre-nationalisation vintage stock running than most others. However, a carefully restored and well-maintained Mk.1 coach has an important role to play in the recreation of the last years of the steam era.

One of the CKs built for the Eastern Region, this coach featured three-a-side seating with armrests in the second class compartments (BR Diagram 126). On restoration this will be modified to the Southern Region arrangement of four-a-side, to be compatible with our other stock. This has also, incidentally released some arm-rest hinges, which are being used to reinstate arm-rests on another vehicle currently being restored.

As built, the compartments either side of the centre vestibule were designated non-smoking. The centre second class compartment had an inward-opening window to allow stretcher-case passengers to be accommodated. This will probably be replaced by a conventional window unit (as on S16210) to reduce the corrosion problems associated with the original.

It is intended to restore this vehicle at some time in the not too distant future, since we shall need the first-class accommodation it provides. Experience has shown that 4 first class compartments is about right on our trains, and so Southern Railway and BR CKs both fit the bill nicely.