LNWR 4-COMPARTMENT CORRIDOR BRAKE THIRDS to D.312 and D.313

Philip A. Millard

The LNWR carriage Diagram Books were prepared for the use of the operating department and took no account of features which are often significant to model makers. This means that carriages of more than one external style or panelling arrangement might well be found on the same diagram, which in turn can lead to misunderstandings about the number of vehicles built (and hence likely to be encountered) of a particular type.

These notes explain the situation regarding the Edwardian era design of four-compartment corridor brake thirds to D.313 (cove roof profile) and D.312 (high roof profile).

Sixteen corridor brake-second carriages were constructed in 1905/6 as part of an order for 400 vehicles on capital account authorised by the Board in April 1905. Initially all of them were marshalled into Euston – Liverpool and Euston – Manchester sets. The first eleven carriages were built to SX.83 and B.173 account, and had the then standard cove roof profile. ‘SX’ means ‘special extra’ (i.e. the batch prototype) and ‘B’ numbers are capital account. ‘A’ was renewal account (replacements of existing life-expired vehicles).

These D.313 carriages had double luggage doors and single guard’s doors, with 3 panels adjacent to the corridor windows and 4 panels between the van doors. The corridor side doors were

positioned opposite the compartments, and not opposite the partitions as shown in the 1915 Diagram Book. They were mounted on 8ft wheelbase bogies at 41ft centres. An example may be seen on page 84 of D. Jenkinson’s ‘LNWR Carriages’.

LNWR numbers (second class series) were 296–306, altered to 6660–6670 in the brake-second series after 1910, demoted to third class in 1912, then LMS 6676–86 altered to 6168–80 in the 1933 scheme.

The next batch was B.181 account turned out in December 1906. This consisted of two vehicles, No.294 and No.295, also for Euston – Liverpool sets. However, they were not the same as each other because the design was changed while they were under construction. No.294 was turned out on 14^th December with the cove roof profile, and was probably similar to B.173 account. No.295 emerged on 20^th December and was the very first carriage to have the high elliptical roof profile. In addition, it was fitted with double guard’s doors as well as double luggage doors (in accordance with Drawing No.8020 dated 19^th December 1906, after No.294 had been completed), which meant that the panelling in the van section was altered from 3+4 to 4+3. A photo of the compartment side appeared in Premier News No.84 and is reproduced again here. It will be seen that there were no top lights in the van section. Corridor side doors were positioned opposite the compartments. A similar change to double Guard’s doors was made on the contemporary corridor brake firsts to D.126.