№ M3919 is a BR Mk 1 Tourist Second Open (TSO) coach which was assembled at Eastleigh Works and originally numbered № S3919. The order lot which included № S3919 was issued in April 1953, with order completion noted in January 1955 with № M3969.
British Railways Southern Region rebogied № S3919 with Commonwealth bogies (to improve the coach ride characteristics) and also fitted Air brakes. At some point the coach was transferred to the London Midland region of British Rail (BR) which saw the coach renumbered from № S3919 to № M3919
The coach was authorised to become a Class 90 Driver Training Train Coach numbered as DB977624, but the conversion was cancelled.
Purchased from Etches Park, Derby, № M3919 passed into preservation during 1990.
Whilst it was known that the coach was from the ‘Southern Region’ of BR, the discovery of green paint and underlying Primrose during overhaul work indicates the livery history of the coach is a follows:
- Crimson & Cream, also known as Blood & Custard livery when built, with Gold/Yellow & black lining.
- Light green, (malachite green?) painted sometime after April 1956.
- Darker green, a dark malachite/coaching stock green painted sometime after April 1956.
- British Railways post 1956 Maroon (not confirmed, but theoretically possible).
- BR Blue & Grey post 1964 Corporate livery.
- Preserved & Current livery: a version of BR Maroon.
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- A close up of BR Mk1 TSO Coach M3919 gutter showing that the vehicle had been painted green then blue and finally its preserved livery of BR maroon or a variation of it. Photo: D.Millard
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- A close up of one of the window bars of BR Mk 1 TSO Coach M3919. This view shoes that the coach was painted in Crimson & Cream prior to being repainted into BR Southern Region green. Photo: D.Millard
Interestingly the numerically adjacent coach, № 3918 can be found preserved at the Rushden Transport Museum, Rushden, Northamptonshire.
№ M3919 is owned by the Northampton & Lamport Railway Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
Donations and volunteers wanting to help restore, maintain and operate the coach are welcome.
Please see https://www.nlr.org.uk/nlrps/volunteering-nlrps/ for more details on becoming a Volunteer Working Member or https://www.nlr.org.uk/nlrps/memberships/ if you would like to show your support by being a member of the railway.
№ M3919 arrived in 1990 and was deposited on two rails laid on their sides,
it has since been restored, fitted with vacuum brakes and repainted into BR maroon livery.
| Coach | BR | BR Mk1 TSO | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built: | 1953 or 1954 | Works №: | 3919 | ||||||||
| Builder: | BR Eastleigh (bodywork & assembly) BR Ashford (underframe) |
Type: | BR Mk1 TSO | ||||||||
| Diagram №: | 93 (New AC204) | Weight: | 32 / 33 ton | ||||||||
| Length: | 64 ft 6 in over body | Lot №: | 30086 | ||||||||
| № of Seats: | 64 Second Class | Load Capacity: | N/A | ||||||||
| Made Redundant / Withdrawn: | N/A | Date Preserved: | 1990 | ||||||||
| Arrived at NLR: | 30th March 1990 | Current Status: | Under restoration | ||||||||
