First Open


A First Open or FO, is a type of railway carriage used by British Rail and subsequent operators since privatisation. They were first produced as British Railways Mark 1, and subsequently Mark 2, Mark 3, and Mark 4 variants were produced. This type of carriage is an "Open coach" because of the arrangement of the seats inside - other types of carriage may be corridor based variants or have a brake compartment.

Mark 1

First Open carriages were introduced from 1951. The first three, for the London Midland Region, were the only Mk1 FO with no centre door, seating 42 in a 2+1 format. The second batch, built from 1954, had a centre door in the centre seating bay, splitting the middle window into two thin panes. Carriages from 3020 had a separate centre vestibule with doors and reduced-width bays, still seating 42 in 2+1 format. BR1 type bogies were fitted as standard except on 3076–3080, a test batch built with Commonwealth bogies to improve ride quality. The ride quality of the BR1 bogie became poor after some use and, in 1961, changes were made. 3101–3151 were built with Commonwealth type bogies which became standard for a time, with the weight increasing by 5 tons. BR1 and Commonwealth bogies usually run at a maximum of. Later, B4 bogies were fitted to further improve ride quality with a maximum of. These carriages were fitted with Pullman gangways on standard frames and fitted with buck-eye couplers as standard. Buck-eye couplers can be dropped and buffers extended to allow use of screw coupling fitted locomotives. Vacuum brakes and steam heating were fitted as standard. A number of Mk1 FO were later fitted with air brakes in the late 1960s and 1970s, some retaining vacuum brakes and being dual braked.

Orders

Livery

The livery initially for Mk1 coaches for British Railways in 1951 was crimson lake and cream with black and gold lining, all new Mk1 FO coaches were delivered in this livery up until 1956. In 1956 the standard livery changed to maroon with black and gold lining except for the Southern Region stock which adopted an unlined dark malachite green. The Western Region on the other hand adopted chocolate and cream to sufficient stock to operate its named trains like the Cornish Riviera Express and Torbay Express being two examples. The Southern Region introduced the yellow UIC cantrail stripe denoting first class in 1960 for boat train coaches. Yellow UIC cantrail stripe was later introduced on other regions from 1963. In 1965 Rail Blue was introduced as trailed on XP64 stock the year before and lasted for another 20 years.

Mark 1 FO conversions

In 1976, 13 First Open were converted to Restaurant Second Open No Kitchen 1058-1070 RSO, 12 were later converted to Second Open 3600-3610 SO in 1981-82, 5 of the remaining SO in 1987 were converted back to First Open 31xx FO.
FORSOSOFOFORSOSOFO
3128105836003143106536093143
31351059360131353144106636023144
3136106036053145106736103145
313810613607314610683606
313910623147106936043147
314110633608314810703611
314210643603

Departmental use

Mark 2

The first Mk2 First Open were built to Mk2c design in 1970, followed by Mk2d from 1971 complete with air conditioning, with the ETH supply becoming standard along with a motor-alternator to provide the lighting, heating and air conditioning. The Mk2e was introduced in 1972-73 with introduction of fluorescent tubes for lighting with the major change being the more compact toilet. The final development was the Mk2f being introduced in 1973-75 which the interior design from the prototype Mk3s with improved seating and air conditioning through body side heaters. All the Mk2 veterans are fitted with B4 bogies with a maximum of.

Orders

Mark 2 FO conversions

FODepartmentalNotes
3152Mk2cDB977547Brake Force Runner
3153Mk2cDB977551Mobile Track Assessment Brake Force Runner
3160Mk2cDB977589Brake Force Runner
3162Mk2cDB977549Mobile Track Assessment Brake Force Runner
3164Mk2cDB977390REC Barrier coach later Crewe Works Test Train coach
3165Mk2cDB977546Brake Force Runner
3169Mk2cDB977550Mobile Track Assessment Brake Force Runner
3189Mk2dDB977986Track Recording Train Coach later Structure Gauging train coach
3250Mk2e99666Ultrasonic Test Coach
3407Mk2fDB977983Hot Box Detction Coach later Electrification Measurement Coach

Mark 3

First Mk3 prototypes were built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works in 1972 for the new Class 252 and were built to with BT5 bogies with a maximum of. Production built Mark 3 stock for class 253 and 254 InterCity 125 were built at Derby Litchurch Lane in 1975-82 with BT10 bogies with a maximum of seat 48 and referred to as a trailer First. Mark 3a is the production built loco-hauled Mk3 built by BR at Derby Litchurch Lane introduced on the West Coast Main Line from 1975.
From 1979, seven First Open were used on the Glasgow to Edinburgh push pull service 11004-11010 with 11022 added later as 11004 was involved in the Polmont rail accident in 1984. ScotRail later down graded its First Open in 1986 to Open Composite were renumbered 119xx. Two First Open 11021 and 11032 were fitted with BT15 bogies along with 11058 fitted with BTS bogies in the mid-1980s.
With a further order for 38 Mk3b built at Derby Litchurch Lane in 1985 and were delivered new in InterCity livery with a number receiving names and being used on services on the West Coast Main Line offering a first class Pullman service.
NumberNameNumberName
11073William Ewart Gladstone11084William Roscoe
11074Thomas Brassey11085Sir John Barbirolli
11076John Lennon11086Henry Dalton
11077Sir Richard Arkwright11087Sir William Fairbairn
11078John Owens11088Sir John Brunner
11079Francis Egerton11089George Stubbs
11080Emmeline Pankhurst11091Sir Stanley Matthews
11081Elizabeth Gaskell11092Ernest Rutherford
11082James Joule11093LS Lowry
11083Kitty Wilkinson11094Arnold Bennett

Orders

Mark 3 FO conversions

Built in 1991 and 1992 by Metro-Cammell as the main coaching stock for InterCity 225 sets, Mark 4 coaches were provided from-new with controlled-emission toilets and power-operated plug doors. They are fitted with Swiss-made SIG BT41A bogies and have a design maximum speed of, though for operational reasons their normal maximum speed in service is.

Orders

Mark 4 FO conversions

Original NumberNew DesignationNew NumberOriginal NumberNew DesignationNew Number
11200FO1142711235FOD11323
11202FO1140411236FOD11327
11203FOD1130211238FOD11315
11204FO1140511239FO11424
11205FO1140611240FO11411
11206FOD1132611242FO11420
11207FOD1131411243FOD11329
11208FO1141511245FOD11321
11209FO1141211246FO11414
11210FOD1131311247FOD11319
11211FOD1130311248FO11430
11212FO1141311249FOD11330
11214FO1140111250FO11419
11215FOD1130111251FOD11318
11216FO1140211252FO11426
11217FOD1130711253FOD11324
11218FO1140811254FO11416
11220FO1142111255FOD11320
11221FOD1131111256FO11407
11222FO1141811257FOD11304
11223FOD1131711258FO11403
11225FOD1131211259FOD11309
11226FO1141711260FO11410
11227FOD1131611261FOD11305
11228FOD1132211262FO11409
11230FO1142311263FOD11308
11231FOD1132511272FOD11310
11232FO1142211274FOD11328
11233FO1142811275FO11429
11234FO1142511276FOD11306