Tourist Standard Open

Infobox DMU
name = British Rail Tourist Standard Open


imagesize = 240px
background = #0033cc
caption = Mark 2A TSO 5278 "Melisande" at Cheltenham Spa on 18 September 2004, whilst forming a charter service to Swindon.
Manufacturer = BR Derby, Doncaster, York, Ashford, Eastleigh, Wolverton, BRCW & Cravens and Metro-Cammell.
Operator = British Rail
Formation =
Built =
LinesServed =
InService = 1952-
CarLength = 64 ft 6 in
CarWidth = 9ft 3in
CarHeight = 12 ft 9½ in
Weight = 39.9 tons
Capacity =
MaxSpeed =
Gauge = RailGauge|sg
Traction =
Engine = |

Tourist Second Open or Tourist Standard Open, abbreviated to TSO, was a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" is as opposed to a normal SO (Standard Open) coach, giving less legroom but 64 seats not the 48 of an SO. They were used generally on cross-country and Summer Saturday trains due to their high seating capacity. The TSO retained the traditional 2+2 seating format in Second Class which became the standard format for Regional and InterCity Travel.

In 1987, British Railways changed the title to Tourist Standard Open. The TSO designation remains in use for Mark 3A & Mark 4 Open Standard carriages.cite book | last = Fox | first = Peter | coauthors = Hall, Peter & Pritchard, Robert | title = British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2007 | publisher = Platform 5, Sheffield | year = 2007 | isbn = 978 1902 336558]

Mark 1

The Mark 1 TSO suffered problems with the underframe common to Mk1 designs. In the event of an accident, the bodywork would sheer off the underframe with the possibility of increased casualties compared to a Mk3 Design. There are no Mk1 TSOs on the Mainline Network any more with the exception of Charter Trains which are advertised with private companies. However, they remain popular with preserved railway lines in the UK, with major users being Severn Valley Railway, West Somerset Railway, Great Central Railway and East Lancashire Railway.

Mark 2

Mk2 Coaching Stock TSOs were mainly deployed on various long distance routes, notably the Cross Country Route and had a similar layout to the previous Mk1 design. Early versions of the Mk2 were very similar to the Mk1 apart from the bodyshell which was strengthened and made from steel to reduce the risk of crumpling on impact. Later versions had no middle doors to make space for more seats and created less noise and made the internal environment warmer. Later designs also had no opening windows (except the droplights on the end doors), air conditioning and central door locking.

Gatwick Express, up to early 2006, used ex-Mk2F TSOs for London Victoria - Gatwick Airport.

There are no regular trains operated with Mk2 TSOs nowadays - the last service utilising this fleet operated between Rhymney and Cardiff in South Wales. Occasional excursion trains still use a few members of the once widely-operated fleet.

Mark 3

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 an anathema. 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 one corridor connection at one end. The other end of the coach has no corridor connection, just a small window. Mark 4 TSO vehicles are numbered in the 12200-12232 (TSOE), 12300-12331 (TSOD) and 12400-12538 (TSO) ranges.

References