Right: The interior, with seats appropriately trimmed in one of the "Festival of Britain" first-class moquettes, laid up for Golden Arrow service on the Bluebell Railway in 2019 (Richard Salmon)
These were the days before the widespread availability of comfortable air travel. Piston-engined aircraft such as the Boeing Stratocruiser (operated by BOAC) could make the London to New York journey in 17 hours with refuelling stops. However, any self-respecting transatlantic traveller would choose the United States (built 1952 for the United States Lines and holder of the Blue Riband) or the two pre-war built Cunarders. It was only the emergence of the British-built, jet-engined Comet 4 airliner (BOAC) and Pan American's Boeing 707, with their 6-7 hour eastbound crossing inaugurated in 1958, that began tempting travellers in numbers away from the sea voyage.
It was BR(S) practice to allocate coaches to sets. However, these FO vehicles were generally "loose" (non-allocated), being used as required on Western Section/South Western Division boat train duties.
3069 was converted to air braking and electric heating in July 1967, ready for the new timetable. Its BR1 bogies were replaced by B4 types in April 1970.
For the July 1967 - May 1968 timetable, 3069, along with 3064, was allocated to 8-set No.61 for Ocean Liner duties, comprising:
BCK 21265
FO 3064
FO 3065
FO 3066
FO 3067
FO 3069
FO 3070
BCK 21266 NB. Our BCK, S 21271 was allocated to set No.64 at this time.
In the May 1969 through to May 1974 timetables, it is shown in set No.55, which would have been used with others to form a complete train. This set comprised:
BCK 21251
FO 3064
FO 3065
FO 3069
In May 1975 it was shown allocated to SWD (Ocean Liner) duties.
Purchased by the VSOE (Venice-Simplon Orient Express) from BR in 1983 along with 3066, they were held as reserves in case of some of their Pullmans being involved in an incident which might have resulted in them being out of action for an extended period (which would otherwise have impacted on the Venice service). Within a year 3069 was repainted into a "Pullmanesque" livery and named 'Saloon Car No.1'. It served as the "spare" to the VSOE set but saw very little action, as fortunately disaster never struck.
In 1993, 3069 (along with 3066 and 3068) were refurbished (in SR green livery) for use with a baggage van (BG), a kitchen car and a Mk2 BFK as a reincarnation of the Ocean Liner Expresses of old. This train ran successfully from 1994, but was terminated at the end of the 1997 season, due to a change of policy by Cunard, who had sponsored the venture. During this period it also ran a number of excursions for Hertfordshire Railtours, as it was then called, and managed to get as far West as Meldon Quarry on one occasion.
In 1998 the three FOs were sent to Crewe, where (in a blue & cream livery) they augmented the fledgling "Regency Rail" excursion train for a couple of years until superseded in 2000 by the launch of the "Northern Belle". They returned South for storage at Stewarts Lane until 2002 when they were again sold - this time to Riviera trains, based first at Old Oak Common, and latterly at Eastleigh. During this period they were painted in crimson lake & cream livery, and branded for Riviera's "Royal Scot" service.
In 2017 No. 3069 was withdrawn from main-line service and sold to a private owner. Following maintenance work undertaken both at Williton on the West Somerset Railway and also at Cranmore Train Services, the carriage moved to the Bluebell in March 2019 where further work was undertaken prior to entry into service at the end of November that year, painted in BR(W) chocolate and cream livery to run with the Pullman stock. It carried roof boards as 'Sapphire' for use on the Bluebell's dining train.
Left: In Brown and cream livery, No. 3069 is shunted onto the Golden Arrow set for the first time, in November 2019 (Martin Lawrence)
At the start of 2022 it was repainted into Carmine and Cream since, with the restoration of Pullman Car 54 nearing completion which would replace it in the Pullman train, 3069 will then be used on the Wealden Rambler afternoon tea train.
Type: FO (First Open), Diagram 73 (later AO 231)
Built: 1955, at BR Doncaster Works (Lot 30169)
Original No: S3069
Later Nos/name: 99540 'Alnwick', 99569
Seating: 42 1st class
Length: 64' 6" over body
Weight: 33 Tons
Withdrawn: 1982
Sold by BR: 1983
Owner: Private
To Bluebell: March 2019 (on loan)
