Corridor railway carriages

[www.doyouremember.co.uk]

Many people associate corridor railway coaches with earlier decades than this website covers, but they were in fact in service with British Rail up until the mid-1980s.Even if you've never travelled in one, you will have seen such carriages in old films or news clips. They were partitioned into six separate compartments, each one seating 6 people, with a sliding door opening out onto a narrow corridor than ran the length of the carriage. The compartments had window-blinds that could be drawn down for extra privacy. In earlier decades, scenic pictures were on the compartment walls below the luggage-racks, although by the late '70s these had mostly become replaced with adverts or public info. notices.Compartment coaches offered greater comfort, ensured better peace & quiet, and were also extremely warm in the Winter. However, by the late '70s rising crime-rates meant that they could easily become deathtraps for people travelling alone, particularly women, and were also a gift to fare-dodgers (mind you, they had ALWAYS been this!). They probably also failed to comply with the ever-rising health & safety requirements. British Rail also became aware that the modern style of central-aisle carriage could accommodate more passengers, and increase ticket sales.These classic railway coaches were thus phased out when the last of the locomotive-hauled inter-city trains were replaced by 125s, in late 1986. However, they remain in use on preserved steam railways, and also in Continental Europe. Tickets, please....

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[stoysville]

Re: Corridor railway carriages

Oh! We used to take the Motorail down to Exeter or Bristol (on the way to Woolacombe) in the mid 70s, and I always used to think the carriages smelt great; strange how you remember these things. I'll never forget the 'clickety-clack' sound of the train in those days of innocence. We had our own wooden compartment off the main corridor and my excitement was uncontrollable as we boarded, the rail trip was as exciting as the holiday for me!

[Richard1978]

Re: Corridor railway carriages

I've a few momories of travelling long distance in compartments, as my Dad used to take us on day trips by train every now & again.

i think most went be BR started to phase out the last steam-era rolling stock for newer coaches with a higher degree of crash protection.

Some seemed to be around until the early 1990s, though only first class by then.