BREL International train

BREL's 'International' Train

In 1987 ten unusual coaches were built by BREL at their Litchurch Lane works in Derby. They were designed as a promotional 'International' Train being an opportunity to showcase the talents of BREL with a view to acquiring orders from BR and from other countries.

They were similar to Mk3 coaches with BT10 bogies but had a slightly different body profile and, for the first time on main line stock in the UK, automatic sliding doors but were limited to 110 mile/h.

The coaches were numbered as follows:

99520 (BFK); 99521 and 99522 (FO); 99523 (RUM); 99524; 99525; 99526; 99527; 99528 and 99529 (all TSO)

The interior of the BFK coach featured a double conference compartment with a semi-circular bench-type seat amongst other things.

Rail magazine, issue 62, November 1986 reported on the launch of the train with a press run from Euston to Manchester and return via Birmingham. The coaches were put into service on a Euston-Manchester diagram for a short period later that year and were later used extensively for test loads with the class 89 locomotive.

In 1988 two examples (RUM 99523 and BFK 99520) were taken to the IVA88 exhibition in Hamburg but no orders were forthcoming.

After languishing in Derby for a number of years they were eventually sold to Irish Railways (IE) in 1994 and extensively re-furbished - including the re-gauging of the bogies to 5' 3". Until the middle of 2009 they formed one of the coaching rakes for the services from Dublin to Galway.

They operated Galway line services and were branded 'Cú na Mara', although were generally used in common with Mk3s. They were numbered 6201 to 6208 plus 6401. 6201 was a composite, the others standard class and 6401 is the Buffet Standard. One remained in Inchicore Works in its original BR Intercity livery. Train supply was delivered by 76xx series Mk3 designed brake generator vans.

In November 2008 they were reported as being stored at Dublin North wall as the DMU era ousted loco-hauled stock in Ireland. Numbers 6201, 6203. 6204, 6205, 6206, 6207, 6208 and 6401.

In mid July 2009 some of them had been sold and two (6203 & 6205) were moved to Naas in Ireland and three others (6204, 6206 & 6207) were rumoured to be moving to RAF Spadeadam, Cumbria UK but what happened to them is unclear.

There are some photos here of the two coaches on the move in Ireland.

Look here on Youtube® for a video clip of an express on IE with eight of the former 'International' coaches under '071 BREL Internationals'.

Here are a few photographs of the coaches at the RTC, at Old Dalby, on the WCML and en route to Germany in the late 1980's

Click on the picture for a bigger image - photos are the author's unless otherwise indicated

	One of the International coaches pictured in the EDU at Derby in the late 1980's Author's collection
	A reproduction of the emblem carried by the International coaches - taken from a coaster issued at the time
	A rake of five coaches in the yard at RTC in the late 1980's Author's collection
	The class 89 loco passes Ledburn Jcn with a couple of test cars and six International coaches in tow on 28th April 1987 Martyn D. Hull
	BFK Coach No:99520 at Old Dalby whilst a special train for IVA88 in Hamburg undertook some brake testing prior to going to Germany Author's collection
	The special train for IVA88 waits in the sidings under Shakespeare Cliff at Dover on 23rd May 1988 with the two Internationals nearest the camera.
	One of the coaches chained down to the deck on the 'Nord Pas de Calais' train ferry en route to Germany on 23rd May 1988 - BFK Coach No:99520 nearest the camera.
	On show in the sidings at Hamburg Exhibition site
	The visitors were impressed by the International Coaches
	RUM Coach 99523 being propelled onto the train ferry at Dunkerque on 17th June 1988
	In October 1991 Class 47 No 47 973 'Derby Evening Telegraph' stands outside the compound at the Old Dalby test track with three coaches from BREL's 'International' Train. These were the BFK 99520, a modified TSO and 99523, the RUM Buffet plus R&DD's Lab Coach 15 'Argus'. One of the coaches was fitted with a novel suspension. Steve Andrews

Although the coaches were fitted with BT10 bogies it was possible to fit the newly-designed high speed T4 bogie and in late 1986 opportunity was taken to test the bogie at high speed. Two of these were fitted to an additional un-branded International coach and tested on the ECML at up to 145 mile/h.

	The high speed test train comprising two power cars (Nos. 43109 and 43118), two Laboratory coaches, Lab One and Lab 15 'Argus' a Mk3 TSO and the 'International' coach with the T4 bogies is pictured passing York Yard North on Saturday, November 8 during one of the York-Darlington tests. Peter J. Robinson
	Unfortunately, the T4 bogie was not chosen for fitting to the Mk4 coaches but did find favour on the Mk3 DVT's. BREL
	A Mk3 DVT fitted with T4 bogies heads a southbound working at Crewe in 1999 Author