Welcome to Issue 7. This has been a long time in ... - HaRakevet

Metropolitan RC&W Coaches
Nos. 504 and 505 were built in 1921, not 1922. They were originally
constructed as Brake Tri-Composites (1st/2nd/3rd) with a single open end
platform, being rebuilt to Brake/3rd in 1935-6. Ray is of the very
reasonable opinion that, in their original form, they were Intended for
the exceedingly sparse service between Rat ah and Beersheba where they
could accomodate all classes of passengers without recourse to
strengthening (.and adding to train weight; by tacking on an extra coach
or two. Since this mixed-train service was withdrawn as early as 1927, it
seems likely that demand never exceeded the capacity of one of the Brake
Tri-Compos.
Israel Railways Coaches:
PR Brake Tri-Composite No. 504 built by
Metropolitan RC&W in 1921, showing the open end
balcony. (Photo: Crown Agents, collection of
Paul Cotterell).
Nos. 7I - 84 were built by Carel Fouche.
No. 82 had its seats re-upholstered in plush material in 1967 for use as
a reserved seating coach. However, this did not justify its upgrading, and
it was returned to ordinary use after a month or two.
Nos. 638 and 640 - 2 have had their seating rearranged to provide more
legroom, and tables have been fitted - these coaches being upgraded for
reserved seating accomodation. They, too, have had their seats reupholstered
in plush instead of the plastic covering to be found in the
ordinary coaches, and headrests have been fitted. In the case of 638 and
642 the tables have upward-folding leaves (leafs ?> to make it easier to
get into and out of the seats. One drawback to the. new arrangements is
that most of the seats no longer correspond to the windows, so many
passengers see little of the passng scenery. (Shades of the BR "Sprinters"
!)
Dates for these conversions are: 636: August 1989; 640 : 1980; 641: 1964;
642: June 1989. At the time of writing, several IR coaches are in the
process of being fitted with air-conditioning and heating units.