The New Zealand British Rail Mark 2 carriages were built by British Rail Engineering Limited for British Rail in the early 1970s. From the mid-1990s, 150 were exported to New Zealand. After being rebuilt, refurbished and re-gauged, they entered service with a variety of operators on New Zealand's railway network. The carriages generally replaced older NZR 56-foot carriages, some of which had been in use for almost 70 years.

History In Britain

The British Rail Mark 2 was the second design of carriage by British Rail (BR). The first was built in 1963.

Between 1964 and 1975, 1,876 Mark 2 carriages were constructed at Derby Litchurch Lane Works. There were seven sub-classes, 2 & 2A to 2F. The Mark 2D to 2F classes, built from 1971 onwards, had air conditioning and could be distinguished from earlier sub-classes by having sheet glass windows. All of the carriages imported into New Zealand were from these latter three sub-classes. When introduced they were used on all mainline services in Great Britain. They were superseded by British Rail Mark 3 carriages.

In New Zealand Because of construction constraints, most railway lines in New Zealand have a limited loading gauge. Great Britain uses , but its loading gauge is only slightly larger than New Zealand's . This means that British Rail rolling stock like the Mark 2 carriage can run on most New Zealand lines after gauge conversion. To fit the New Zealand loading gauge, the Mark 2s were lowered on their new bogies by .Intelligence Railway Gazette International December 1996 page 786

New Zealand rail operator Tranz Rail and heritage operator Mainline Steam Heritage Trust bought 69 Mark 2 carriages (one damaged by fire after arrival) in 1996. Eight were extensively refurbished for the Wellington–Palmerston North Capital Connection, classified S (for Scenic), with new Japanese bogies and new auto plug doors and interiors. The refurbishment proved more costly than expected, and the remaining carriages were laid up until a rebuilding programme began for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority for Auckland suburban trains. Classified SA/SD, these have two sets of sliding doors each side and are operated by Transdev Auckland for Auckland Transport in push-pull mode, with DC (four-car sets) or DFT (six-car sets) locomotives leased from KiwiRail. The SD carriages include a driver's cab and operate in a similar manner to DBSOs in the UK.

In the southern autumn of 2006, Mark 2E and 2F carriages formerly operated by One were imported into New Zealand. They were bought by Greater Wellington Regional Council for operation by Tranz Metro on the Metlink Wairarapa Connection between Wellington and Masterton and were rebuilt at Hillside Workshops in Dunedin, classified SW, SWG and SWS.

Six more were bought by Greater Wellington Regional Council for trains between Wellington, Upper Hutt and Plimmerton, top-and-tailed by EO electric locomotives. These were refurbished by Hillside Workshops and classified SE, SEG and SES.

In late 2009, all S, SE and SW carriages were required to be modified so that their pneumatically operated interior doors open automatically if the compressed air supply is lost. This was identified as an issue after the locomotive on a Wairarapa Connection train derailed when it hit a landslide on 23 July 2009, resulting in the locomotive having to be shut down and cutting the compressed air supply to the SW carriages in the process. The doors stuck in position, and three people were required to open them manually, sparking safety concerns that the carriages could not be evacuated quickly in the event of a fire.

In service Capital Connection The eight S (Scenic) carriages operated on KiwiRail's Capital Connection service between Wellington and Palmerston North, each seating 60 (except the servery car, S 3200, which seats 31) in both alcove and airline-style arrangements. These were the first British Railways Mark 2 carriage rebuilds, and they retain the original window configuration and curved Corten-steel vestibule ends. Seven cars, accompanied by refurbished baggage and generator carriage AG130, entered service on Monday 1 November 1999. An eighth car was added in 1999.

Originally painted in the Tranz Rail Cato Blue livery with grey roofs and black underfloor equipment. For the latter part of their service, the Capital Connection livery was light and dark blue. The S-class carriages were retired on 30 July 2023 but were kept in reserve and used on a number of occasions. They were then offered for sale. The carriages were then sold to the Pounamu Tourism Group, and transferred to Mainland Rail (see below).

Since 2023, the SR (Scenic Regional) class carriages have operated on the Capital Connection service, painted in the Capital Connection livery of light and dark blue. The SR class are former Auckland Transport SA and SD class carriages used on the Auckland suburban network, retired in 2014-2015. They were relocated from storage in Taumarunui and were refurbished to a similar design of the new Te Huia Hamilton to Auckland train under the Upgrade New Zealand Programme. Classified SRG (Generator carriage), SRC (Café carriage) and SR (Regional carriage). The first set of seven refurbished SR carriages entered service on 31 July 2023.

Wellington suburban The SW (Suburban Wairarapa) type is owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council, leased to Transdev Wellington to operate on Metlink's Wairarapa Connection between Wellington and Masterton.

There are 12 SW, three SWS and three SWG carriages in three sets, of three to eight cars depending on the service, with the consist made up of an SWG, an SW, an SWS, and then the remaining SW cars. Some trains have luggage/generator van AG 222 to supplement or replace the SWG.

SW carriages have 64 seats in both alcove and airline-style arrangements with a single toilet at the north end (next to the A2 door), automatic doors and a public address system. SWS carriages have 37 seats (31 plus six that can be folded away to fit up to four wheelchairs), with a space for a servery (not used), a wheelchair hoist on each side, an audio induction loop system, and an accessible toilet. SWG carriages have 37 seats, a luggage compartment and a diesel generator to power the carriages.

They are in Metlink livery.

The SE (Suburban Express) type is similar to the SW, owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council. They were brought into service as part of a number of temporary measures to increase capacity until arrival of the FP/FT class "Matangi" units in 2010–2012, with the intent that they may be eventually transferred to the Wairarapa Connection service. They were operated as a single consist by Tranz Metro on peak express services top-and-tailed by EO class electric locomotives.

There are four SE, one SES and one SEG carriages, which received a less thorough rebuild than the SWs and retain their BR airline-style seating. The SES is accessible like SWS carriages but lacks the servery. In November 2011, they were taken out of service due to frequent faults of the run-down electric locomotives pulling them and the availability of sufficient Matangi units to replace them.

In December 2012, it was announced that they would be reintroduced on the Wairarapa Connection to alleviate capacity issue and rolling stock constraints. After minor modifications, the SE carriages would be introduced on the Wairarapa line in July 2013. They were criticised by train users for their smaller seat pitch, poor lighting, and lack of tray tables and power outlets. This led Greater Wellington to make additional modifications to the carriages over Christmas 2013 by installing a number of tables and removing a row of seating to increase space between the seats.

They are in the Metlink livery of dark blue and grey, with lime green highlights.

Mainland Rail The original Capital Connection S class carriages, retired in 2023, were sold to the Pounamu Tourism Group, a company offering rail tours. The carriages were relocated to Hillside Engineering in Dunedin for refurbishment. Ownership of the carriages was subsequently transferred to Mainland Rail, which is one-third owned by Pounamu Tourism. Mainland Rail has stated they intend to use the carriages for long-distance services:

The Whale Train: Christchurch - Kaikoura. The Mountaineer: Lyttelton, Christchurch - Arthurs Pass The Mainlander: Christchurch - Dunedin - Invercargill

KiwiRail rebuilds During early 2018, six former Auckland SA carriages were relocated by KiwiRail from Taumarunui to the Hutt Workshops in Wellington, three of which are for overhaul as additional luggage vans to be classified AKS for KiwiRail including the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine. A further twelve of the carriages have been refurbished into the SR class for KiwiRail on the Auckland-Hamilton service, Te Huia. There are two trains running the route with four carriages and a 147-passenger capacity, a spare rake of carriages for spares.

From March 2018, three SA carriages were overhauled and converted into luggage vans for KiwiRail division Great Journeys New Zealand. into the AKS luggage vans at the Hutt Workshops. The first of the new AKS luggage vans was photographed in the Great Journeys of New Zealand livery on the Hutt Workshops traverser,. During 2022 three former Auckland SA carriages were overhauled and reconfigured into Kitchen carriages, one each for the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine and classified AKF.

Te Huia

The 145-minute Te Huia passenger service from Hamilton to Auckland's Strand Station via Papakura Station and Puhinui Station, Auckland commenced on Tuesday 6 April 2021 as an 80-minute journey to Papakura, having been delayed from 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, late delivery of bogies, and an urgent and unexpected track replacement program in Auckland. In 2022, the journey was extended to Auckland's Strand Station to address deficiencies in the original service including the slow connecting time on all stops commuter services to central Auckland and connecting the Te Huia service to Puhinui Station, a short bus journey from Auckland Airport.

The disposition of the eleven overhauled SR (Scenic Regional) carriages are 5x SR, 3x SRC and 3x SRV, plus two un-overhauled Auckland SA carriages held in reserve; namely carriages SR 5847, SR 6061, SRC 5889 and SRV5893.

There are two trains made up of four carriages each, having the capacity for 150 passengers. Trains set off at Frankton, stopping at the new Rotokauri Transport Hub and Huntly station, before reaching Papakura. They will be operated by KiwiRail on behalf of the Waikato Regional Council The three refurbished SDs and seven SAs have been overhauled by KiwiRail in the Hutt Railway Workshops. They are hauled by DFT locomotives.

SR (Suburban Regional) are former Auckland SA carriages.

SRC (Suburban Regional Catering) are former Auckland SA carriages, now with a cafe, servery and wheelchair hoist and wheelchair help points.

SRV (Suburban Regional Vehicle) driving carriages with generator sets, which are former Auckland SD driving carriages.

Great Journeys of New Zealand AKS class luggage van: three former Auckland SA carriages were overhauled and reconfigured in 2018 as additional luggage vans to be classified for the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine. fitted with a crew compartment, improved catering provision storage, recycling storage facilities, luggage and cycle racks. AKS 5828 and 5926 were trialled in late 2019 and early 2020. AKS 5658 was delayed waiting for new bogies. All three are now in service on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine.