Tourist Standard Open
Encyclopedia
Tourist Second Open or Tourist Standard Open, abbreviated to TSO, is a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" was originally as opposed to a normal SO (Second Open) coach. Both types have the same number of seating bays per coach, but the TSO has four seats across, arranged 2+2 either side of a central aisle, while an SO has 3 seats across, arranged 2+1 with an offset aisle. Both offer the same legroom, but there is slightly less width per passenger in a TSO.
Even though the designations would appear to suggest that the SO was the standard type and the TSO a variant, in reality the TSO has been the default design of open coach on British Railways since the dawn of the Mk1 era, built in large numbers, with comparatively few SO vehicles constructed, mainly for use as Third/Second/Standard class restaurant cars.
In 1987, British Railways changed the title to Tourist Standard Open, when "Second Class" became "Standard Class" across the network. The TSO designation remains in use for Mark 3A
and Mark 4
Open Standard carriages., even though no SO coaches have been constructed since the Mk2a build in the mid 1960s.
No Mk1 TSOs are still in use with franchised TOCs, however a number are still in active service with railtour and charter operators. They are also found on almost all mainland UK standard gauge heritage/preserved/tourist lines.
The Mk2 TSO was a direct development of the Mk1 version, and the early Mk2 TSOs (Mk2 and Mk2a) had an almost identical layout, including the pair of toilets either side of the gangway at one end and the two identical four-bay saloons separated by a just-off-mid-coach transverse vestibule, with further transverse vestibules at the outer end of each saloon. Unlike those in the Mk1 TSOs, the Mk2 saloons were not further subdivided. The Mk2b design saw the centre vestibule abolished, although the mid-coach divider was retained to still give two saloons of four bays each. The space saved by the abolition of the centre vestibule was used to re-locate the toilets, with one now placed at each end, with the entrance vestibules beyond them. This enabled the fitting of wide wrap-round end doors in place of the traditional narrow ones. The basic layout of the Mk2 TSO remained unaltered from the 2b to the 2f, although finish, materials, seating, and ventilation arrangements changed with each new build. Full details of the various changes are listed in the Mk2 Development Table in the main Mk2 article.
locomotive and eight air-conditioned Mk2 coaches.
The final mainstay of Mk2 operation, using Mk2e and Mk2f vehicles, were the inter-regional express trains on the West Coast Main Line (hauled by a variety of diesel and electric locomotives), and the Cross Country network, where they were usually hauled by Class 47 locomotives.
Gatwick Express
, up to early 2006, used ex-Mk2F TSOs
for London Victoria - Gatwick Airport.
One of the few franchised services now operating Mk2 TSOs is the express Holyhead to Cardiff and return service operated by Arriva Trains Wales that began in December 2008. Prior to this, the fleet operated between Rhymney and Cardiff in South Wales. Occasional excursion trains still use a few members of the once widely-operated fleet. Mark 2 coaches have also found favour with some heritage railways, one notable user being the Mid-Norfolk Railway
, who have the NRM-owned prototype coach, and the Wensleydale Railway
, who operate a small fleet of Mk2 a/b vehicles.
No HST
carriages are designated TSO. They are classified as TS Trailer Second, reflecting the HST's initial DMU status.
The loco-hauled Mark 3 carriages (officially designated as Mark 3A or 3B) include vehicles classified as TSOs. They are referred to as Open Standard, the original meaning of TSO having become obsolete as no Mk3 SO vehicles were constructed. Mark 3A TSO vehicles are numbered
in the 12000-12172 range.
Mark 4
As with Mark 3A vehicles, Mark 4 Open Standards carry the TSO designation. Further sub divisions exist: TSOE Open Standard (End) and TSOD Open Standard (Disabled Access). The TSOE vehicles are specifically designed to be adjacent to the train locomotive and were built with a single corridor connection at one end only. The other end of the coach has no corridor connection, just a small window, although the structural arrangements to allow a corridor connection to be added if required at a later date are present. Mark 4 TSO vehicles are numbered in the 12200-12232 (TSOE), 12300-12331 (TSOD) and 12400-12538 (TSO) ranges.
Even though the designations would appear to suggest that the SO was the standard type and the TSO a variant, in reality the TSO has been the default design of open coach on British Railways since the dawn of the Mk1 era, built in large numbers, with comparatively few SO vehicles constructed, mainly for use as Third/Second/Standard class restaurant cars.
In 1987, British Railways changed the title to Tourist Standard Open, when "Second Class" became "Standard Class" across the network. The TSO designation remains in use for Mark 3A
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
and Mark 4
British Rail Mark 4
British Rail's fourth design of passenger carriages was designated Mark 4, designed for use in InterCity 225 sets on the newly-electrified East Coast Main Line between London, Leeds, and Edinburgh.-History and construction:...
Open Standard carriages., even though no SO coaches have been constructed since the Mk2a build in the mid 1960s.
Mark 1
The Mk1 TSO contains eight seating bays, three transverse entrance vestibules, and two toilets arranged either side of a central corridor leading to the gangway at one end. The eight bays are distributed along the coach in two saloons of four bays either side of the almost-central door vestibule (this is slightly offset towards one end by the presence of the toilets at the other end), and the saloon nearest to the toilets is further divided into two saloons of two bays each by a transverse partition. The bay spacing is 6'6", this being the standard for Mk1 Third / Second / Standard class, and identical to the compartment spacing in Mk1 side corridor stock.No Mk1 TSOs are still in use with franchised TOCs, however a number are still in active service with railtour and charter operators. They are also found on almost all mainland UK standard gauge heritage/preserved/tourist lines.
Mark 2
Usage
Mk2 coaches gradually replaced Mk1s on crack express services, allowing the older vehicles to cascade down to secondary services and thus enable the steady withdrawal of pre-nationalisation designs. Early Mk2s were then in turn cascaded as later designs took over top-link workings. Air-conditioned Mk2s generally worked in express trains on the great main lines, with pressure-ventilated Mk2s used along with Mk1 coaches on secondary services. Prior to the introduction of the HSTs, the standard Anglo-Scottish express train on the East Coast Main Line would be formed of a DelticDeltic
Deltic may refer to:* Napier Deltic, a diesel engine** British Rail DP1 a prototype locomotive built by English Electric fitted with the Deltic Engine** British Rail Class 55, production locomotives powered by Deltic engines...
locomotive and eight air-conditioned Mk2 coaches.
The final mainstay of Mk2 operation, using Mk2e and Mk2f vehicles, were the inter-regional express trains on the West Coast Main Line (hauled by a variety of diesel and electric locomotives), and the Cross Country network, where they were usually hauled by Class 47 locomotives.
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
, up to early 2006, used ex-Mk2F TSOs
British Rail Class 488
The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport....
for London Victoria - Gatwick Airport.
One of the few franchised services now operating Mk2 TSOs is the express Holyhead to Cardiff and return service operated by Arriva Trains Wales that began in December 2008. Prior to this, the fleet operated between Rhymney and Cardiff in South Wales. Occasional excursion trains still use a few members of the once widely-operated fleet. Mark 2 coaches have also found favour with some heritage railways, one notable user being the Mid-Norfolk Railway
Mid-Norfolk Railway
The Mid-Norfolk Railway or MNR is a heritage railway in the English county of Norfolk. Opening as a tourist line in 1997, it is often referred to as a "New Generation" heritage railway....
, who have the NRM-owned prototype coach, and the Wensleydale Railway
Wensleydale Railway
The Wensleydale Railway is a railway line in Wensleydale and Lower Swaledale in North Yorkshire, England and the name of the company that operates services on the line....
, who operate a small fleet of Mk2 a/b vehicles.
Mark 3
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
carriages are designated TSO. They are classified as TS Trailer Second, reflecting the HST's initial DMU status.
The loco-hauled Mark 3 carriages (officially designated as Mark 3A or 3B) include vehicles classified as TSOs. They are referred to as Open Standard, the original meaning of TSO having become obsolete as no Mk3 SO vehicles were constructed. Mark 3A TSO vehicles are numbered
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
in the 12000-12172 range.
Mark 4British Rail Mark 4British Rail's fourth design of passenger carriages was designated Mark 4, designed for use in InterCity 225 sets on the newly-electrified East Coast Main Line between London, Leeds, and Edinburgh.-History and construction:...