Prototype factfile

Traditionally, catering facilities aboard passenger trains had largely consisted of separate kitchen and dining vehicles to cater for First and Third Class passengers. As BR expanded its Mk 1 portfolio in the late 1950s, shifting attitudes towards eating and drinking on the move negated the need for such an elaborate arrangement. Instead, a demand for greater convenience – for staff and passengers – led to the provision of combined buffet and unclassified dining facilities. A number of different Mk 1 buffet cars emerged during the Fifties, with one of the most successful being the RB (Restaurant Buffet). A prototype was constructed at Eastleigh in 1956, followed by production batches from the works of Birmingham RC&W and Pressed Steel between 1960-62, with a total of 128 examples being built. Spread across each of BR’S regions, the carriages provided sterling service, even if the quality of BR’S fayre diminished to the point of national embarrassment. Popular jokes about BR sandwiches were not without basis, but things did improve with the creation of the Intercity brand. Indeed, faced with a shortage of catering cars to run with air-braked and air-conditioned Mk 2 and Mk3 stock, BR turned to the Mk 1 RBS and began a refurbishment programme in the late 1970s, creating the RBR Restaurant Buffet (Refurbished). The upgrade work consisted primarily of the installation of air brakes, plus a number of internal improvements, including fluorescent lighting and modernised, low-maintenance décor. The buffet counter and kitchen facilities were also streamlined, making life easier for staff. The majority of the RBRS were employed on the Midland and Eastern Regions while new HSTS and Mk 2 buffet conversions were under construction. Their use on express services continued into the 1990s and a good number of these vehicles are still in use today, within main line charter stock and on preserved railways.