Internal User Coaching Stock c1970-1997

041379 pictured at York Leeman Road Engineers Yard in use as a Stores Van. It was still located there in 2014 Brian Loughlin

083602 is pictured in the up side dock at Three Bridges Station. It was still in this location during 2021 but had become almost completely overgrown. Charles Cross

Those who first took an interest in coaching stock following publication of 'The Coaching Stock of British Railways' books in the 1970s soon discovered that other carriages also existed on the BR network. The majority of these were what were then described as 'Departmental Coaching Stock'. Details of these were progressively given in the 'Railway Observer' but it was not until the 1980's that comprehensive listings appeared.

Departmental Coaching stock that did not normally move or had its movements confined to a particular depot or yard was numbered in one of the six digit regional internal user number series commencing with '0'. There was not a great number of Coaching Stock vehicles in the Internal User series in the early 1970s on other than the Southern Region and to a lesser extent on the Western Region. However, the number increased during the late 1970s and 1980s as tighter control of rolling assets identified more vehicles to be Internal Users.

Each region had its own range of Internal User numbers. Those on the London Midland Region were numbered in the 02xxxx series. Those on the Eastern / North Eastern Region were numbered in the 04xxxx series. Those on the Western Region were numbered in the 06xxxx and 07xxxx series. Those on the Southern Region were numbered in the 08xxxx series. Those on the Scottish Region were numbered in the 09xxxx series.

It should be noted that the original North Eastern series started with 042000 but generally ceased when the Eastern and North Eastern Regions were amalgamated. The Eastern Region series had started with 040000 with this series continuing after amalgamation. By the late 1980s this series had reached 041999 and subsequently 042xxx numbers were re-used.

The Western originally had sub-series for different departments but from 1979 all new allocations were numbered upwards from 060900. The Scottish Region similarly had sub-series for different departments and continued with these until privatisation.

The aim of this conundrum is to give details of the Coaching Stock numbered in the Internal User series during the 1970s and later with details of its location when in use. Several vehicles were located in very obscure locations which enthusiasts rarely if ever visited and were thus only very occasionally reported. Although change of location was unusual it did happen. In the accompanying lists the only, or final, location where each vehicle was used is shown. Other locations were used are also shown but storage locations whilst awaiting disposal are not. Disposal details are not included neither is the period vehicles were present at the location shown.

These lists are still 'work in progress' so in no way can they be considered definitive. Thus, please make contact Peter Hall if you believe any vehicles have been missed, the location or other details are not correct or you can add further information or can contribute interesting pictures.

Clicking on the links below or above takes you to the page where the lists can be accesssed.

BR design Internal User Coaching Stock

GWR design Internal User Coaching Stock

SR design Internal User Coaching Stock

LMSR design Internal User Coaching Stock

LNER design Internal User Coaching Stock

Pullman Car Company design Internal User Coaching Stock

Only four Internal User numbered items of coaching survive on National Rail Infrastructure, of which two have been grounded. A list of these can be found here.

This page is maintained by Peter Hall.