HORNBY R40026 BR, Mk1 Restaurant Buffet, E1664-Era 5 Coach, Red HORNBY BR Mk1 Restaurant Buffet Coach, Red

The standardised railway carriage design introduced by British Railways in 1951, known as the Mark 1 coach, was widely deployed across the nation's railway network and continued to be produced until 1963, with some variants even used into the 2000s. These Mk1 coaches were manufactured in various locations, including Derby, Doncaster, Eastleigh, Swindon, Wolverton, and York.

The Mk1 coaches featured 63ft 5in long underframes with 64ft 6in long bodies, although some were built shorter to accommodate tighter curves where larger overhangs would have otherwise prohibited their use. The steel construction, strong underframe, and buckeye couplings of the Mk1 coaches were credited with a reduction in the number of fatalities on British railways since 1955, making them significantly safer in the event of an accident.

While the Mk1 coaches began to be withdrawn from widespread service in the 1990s, some regions, particularly in the south, continued to use Mk1 base multiple units well into the 2000s. Network Rail still utilizes modified Mk1 coaches for various departmental duties, and rail tour operators continue to use Mk1 coaches on specially organised services.

The Mk1 RB, a Mk1 Restaurant Buffet coach, incorporated a kitchen and a serving buffet counter, as well as seating for up to 23 passengers. This type of catering vehicle represented a shift in the dining patterns of rail travellers, moving away from the traditional multi-course dining that had been offered since Edwardian times.

During the early 1950s, the catering department of British Railways observed a growing demand from travellers for cheaper and lighter meals, along with an increase in social drinking that was not related to dining. This change in dining patterns led to the introduction of Buffet vehicles, which were sometimes a better option than the full Kitchen Car/Dining Car combination. The third phase of the Mk.1 building programme, from 1957 to 1962, provided many of BR's vehicles with buffet facilities, either in addition to or replacing the full meal provision.

The use of propane gas units for cooking in the Mk1 RB coaches reduced the reliance on electric power, allowing for a smaller dynamo and battery. This design feature was a practical adaptation to the changing needs of rail travellers during the post-war era.

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