Driving Brake Standard Open
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| British Rail DBSO | |
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 DBSO 9701 arriving at Colchester station on 12th June 2003. This vehicles carries Anglia Railways turquoise livery. |
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| In service | 1979- Present |
| Manufacturer | Originally - BREL Derby Rebuilt - BREL - Glasgow |
| Family name | British Rail Mark 2 |
| Number built | 14 rebuilt |
| Number scrapped | 1 |
| Fleet numbers | 9701–9714 |
| Operator | Network Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 66 ft 0 in (20.12 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 9½ in (3.90 m) |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Weight | 33 long tons (34 t/37 ST) |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Braking system | Air |
A Driving Brake Standard Open or DBSO is a type of railway carriage, converted to operate as a control car. Fourteen such vehicles, numbered 9701 to 9714, were converted from Mk. 2F Brake Standard Open (standard class coaches with brake van) carriages. Modifications included adding a driving cab and TDM equipment to allow a locomotive to be driven remotely. Using a system known as push-pull, the driver in the DBSO can drive the locomotive, even though it is at the rear of the train.
[edit] Operations
The vehicles converted in two batches. Numbers 9701-9710 were converted in 1979 for use on the newly introduced Glasgow-Edinburgh InterCity ScotRail push-pull service with specially modified Class 47/7 locomotives. A further four, nos. 9711-9714 were converted in the period 1985-1986. The fourteenth DBSO, no. 9714 was a replacement for no. 9706, which was derailed and damaged beyond repair in the Polmont rail crash after it hit a cow.
When first introduced, the DBSO fleet had half-cabs and retained their end gangways. They were later rebuilt to have full-width cabs, with the removal of the end gangways.
In the late 1980s, with the introduction of Class 158 diesel multiple units on the Glasgow-Edinburgh corridor, the DBSO fleet was transferred en-masse, and converted to use the TDM system used by the AC electric locomotives used on the London Liverpool Street-Norwich services on the newly electrified Great Eastern Main Line. The Mk. 2E/2F coaching stock used on the route was based at Norwich Crown Point and rakes were marshalled into semi-permanent formations (numbered AR01-AR13). Traction was provided by Class 86/2 electric locomotives.
Following privatisation of the British Rail, the London-Norwich route became part of the Anglia Railways franchise. From 1997 onwards, a new livery of turquoise with a white stripe was introduced onto all Anglia stock. However, rake AR01, containing DBSO 9710 retained its old InterCity livery.
In April 2004, the Anglia franchise became part of the new 'one' franchise. The thirteen surviving DBSOs were still in service, although they were gradually replaced by Driving Van Trailers (DVT) cascaded from Virgin Trains. One DBSO, no. 9710, has had the new 'one' Anglia livery applied by means of adhesive vinyls, whilst retaining the InterCity livery underneath.
However, many of the new Mark 3 sets being received by Anglia were not originally accompanied by DVTs. For this reason a small number of DBSOs were retained until enough DVTs had been received. The last DBSOs were withdrawn from mainline service in December 2006. Some vehicles will probably see further use by charter operators, with no. 9713 already moving to Crewe for assessment by Riviera Trains. Two others, nos. 9704 and 9709 moved for storage with FM Rail, but since this company's collapse have been moved for secure storage. In addition, one unspecified DBSO has been reserved for preservation by the Railway Heritage Committee.
In February 2007, Network Rail took delivery of four DBSOs, nos. 9702, 9703, 9708 and 9714. These will be converted to allow test-trains to run in push-pull mode, therefore eliminating the need to operate two locomotives (one at each end of the train).
ex Riviera/Anglia MK2 driving trailer 9712 has been sold to Northern Ireland Railways for use on the ex Gatwick set to convert it to push-pull operation using 111 class locomotives. It will be 8918 on NIR
[edit] Fleet details
Full details of the DBSO fleet are given below:
| Key: | In Service | Withdrawn | Under repair | Preserved | Scrapped |
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| Numbers | Built | Converted | Current/Final Livery | Operator | Withdrawn | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBSO | BSO | ||||||
| 9701 | 9528 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | ’one’ | 12/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Kineton |
| 9702 | 9510 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | Network Rail | 01/2006 | Under repair at Derby |
| 9703 | 9517 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Network Rail Yellow | Network Rail | Operational | In Service with Network Rail |
| 9704 | 9512 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | FM Rail | 07/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Long Marston |
| 9705 | 9519 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | ’one’ | 01/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Kineton |
| 9706 | 9514 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | InterCity ScotRail | British Rail | 11/1984 | Scrapped following accident |
| 9707 | 9511 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | ’one’ | 01/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Kineton |
| 9708 | 9530 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | Network Rail | 12/2006 | Under repair at Derby |
| 9709 | 9515 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | FM Rail | 07/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Long Marston |
| 9710 | 9518 | 1974 Derby | 1979 Glasgow | ’one’ | ’one’ | 08/2005 | Secure storage at MoD Kineton |
| 9711 | 9532 | 1974 Derby | 1985 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | ’one’ | 12/2006 | Secure storage at MoD Kineton |
| 9712 | 9534 | 1974 Derby | 1985 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | NIR | 04/2006 | Overhaul for NIR at Marcroft Engineering Stoke on Trent |
| 9713 | 9535 | 1974 Derby | 1985 Glasgow | Anglia Railways | Riviera Trains | 01/2006 | Under repair at Crewe Carriage Shed |
| 9714 | 9536 | 1974 Derby | 1986 Glasgow | Network Rail Yellow | Network Rail | Operational | In Service with Network Rail |
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