Restaurant Miniature Buffet
The Restaurant Miniature Buffet (or RMB) is a British Railways Mark 1 railway coach. It is a Tourist Standard Open (TSO) coach with two full seating bays next to the centre transverse vestibule removed and replaced with a buffet counter and customers standing space, and one bay on one side (same side as the buffet counter) removed and replaced with a store cupboard on the other side of the centre vestibule. They were built in five lots from 1957 to 1962.
| Lot No. | Diagram | Built | Builder | Qty | Fleet numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30485 | 97 | 1957–1958 | York | 12 | 1801–1812 | No store cupboard, 48 seats, BR1 Bogies |
| 30507 | 98 | 1960 | Wolverton | 15 | 1838–1852 | 1851 fitted with B5 Bogies for EMU use, the rest fitted with Commonwealth bogies |
| 30520 | 99 | 1960 | Wolverton | 25 | 1813–1837 | Commonwealth bogies |
| 30670 | 99 | 1961–1962 | Wolverton | 12 | 1853–1864 | Commonwealth bogies |
| 30702 | 99 | 1962 | Wolverton | 18 | 1865–1882 | Commonwealth bogies |
| British Rail Restaurant Miniature Buffet | |
|---|---|
 RMB M1848 on the East Lancashire Railway | |
| In service | 1957– |
| Manufacturer | York Works (12) Wolverton Works (70) |
| Family name | British Railways Mark 1 |
| Constructed | 1957–1962 |
| Number built | 82 |
| Fleet numbers | 1801–1882 |
| Capacity | 48 or 44 seats |
| Operator(s) | British Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3.90 m) |
| Maximum speed | 90–100 mph (145–161 km/h) |
| Weight | 34.5–38 tonnes (34.0–37.4 long tons; 38.0–41.9 short tons) |
| HVAC | Dual steam and electric – ETH 3, Cooking by bottled gas |
| Bogies | BR1, Commonwealth or B4 |
| Braking system(s) | Vacuum, air, or both |
| Coupling system | Drop-head knuckle coupler on draw-hook (dual) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
Quite a few still operate on the national network on Railtours, but not on service trains. A lot have made it into railway preservation and are used by many heritage railways in the UK. Even though the first batch had no store cupboard 1807 on the Watercress has been fitted with one and B4 Bogies.
List of Preserved RMBs
| Number | Location | Livery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1802 | Midland Railway - Butterley | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1803 | Dean Forest Railway | Chocolate & Cream | Awaiting Overhaul |  |
| 1804 | West Somerset Railway | BR maroon | Operational |
Part of 'Quantock Belle' dining train |
| 1805 | Swindon and Cricklade Railway | Being repainted to BR Maroon [1] | Operational | Being repainted as of 18 May 2019.  |
| 1807 | Watercress Line | Malachite Green | Operational |  |
| 1808 | Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Chocolate & Cream | Operational | .jpg.webp) .jpg.webp) |
| 1809 | Colne Valley Railway | Crimson & Cream | Stored | |
| 1811 | Great Central Railway (Nottingham) | BR maroon | Operational |
Previously based at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, where it was painted in Chocolate & Cream. Moved to Ruddington May 2009, where repainted into current livery. |
| 1812 | Ribble Steam Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational |
Owned by the Furness Railway Trust. Previously based at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. Moved to Ribble during November 2009, and entered service there in 2017 after refurbishment. |
| 1813 | Riviera Trains | Chocolate & Cream | Operational - Main Line |  |
| 1815 | Bere Ferrers | Chocolate & Cream | Static - Restaurant | |
| 1816 | Battlefield Line Railway | Maroon | Static - Used as store |  |
| 1818 | Bluebell Railway | Malachite Green | Under Overhaul |  |
| 1823 | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational |
Main line registered for Esk Valley Line only. |
| 1824 | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway | Crimson & Cream platform side, Plain Maroon other side |
Static - Catering Vehicle at Oxenhope Station. | |
| 1826 | Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1829 | East Lancashire Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational |  Previously based at Dean Forest Railway, where it was used as Staff coach for 'Royal Forester' dining train. Moved to ELR December 2017 where repainted into current livery. |
| 1832 | Riviera Trains | Chocolate & Cream | Operational - Main Line | |
| 1833 | East Lancashire Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1835 | Peak Rail | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1836 | Keighley and Worth Valley Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational |  |
| 1837 | East Lancashire Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | .jpg.webp) |
| 1838 | Bluebell Railway | Malachite Green | Operational |  |
| 1839 | Ribble Steam Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational |
Previously based at Steamport Southport. Moved to Ribble Spring 1999. |
| 1840 | West Coast Railways | Lined Maroon | Operational - Main Line | .jpg.webp) Previously based at Mid Hants Railway, and used as part of their Main Line set. Moved to Carnforth circa 2006. |
| 1842 | Mid Norfolk Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational |
Previously in Main Line charter set use. Moved to Dereham June 2014 where repainted into current livery. |
| 1845 | Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway | Chocolate & Cream | Operational | |
| 1848 | East Lancashire Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1850 | Cambrian Heritage Railways | Crimson & Cream | Static - Shop & Cafe at Llynclys | |
| 1851 | Watercress Line | Malachite Green | Operational | |
| 1852 | Great Central Railway | Malachite Green | Under overhaul |  |
| 1853 | Severn Valley Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational | .jpg.webp) |
| 1854 | Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational | |
| 1855 | Severn Valley Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | |
| 1856 | Severn Valley Railway | Maroon | Operational | .jpg.webp) Repainted from previous Chocolate & Cream livery during 2021-2022. |
| 1857 | Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway | Plain Maroon | Operational | |
| 1859 | Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational - Main Line | |
| 1860 | West Coast Railways | Lined Maroon | Operational - Main Line | |
| 1861 | West Coast Railways | Lined Maroon | Operational - Main Line |  |
| 1862 | Midland Railway - Butterley | Crimson & Cream | Operational | |
| 1863 | Crewe LNWR Heritage Company | Chocolate & Cream | Under Overhaul | .jpg.webp) |
| 1864 | Spa Valley Railway | Chocolate & Cream | Operational |
Previously based at Llangollen Railway. Moved to Spa Valley May 2021. |
| 1865 | Swanage Railway | Malachite Green | Static Catering Vehicle | |
| 1866 | Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway | Crimson & Cream | Operational | |
| 1869 | Kent and East Sussex Railway | Forest Green | Operational |  |
| 1871 | East Lancashire Railway | Blue & Grey | Operational |
Named 'Howson Bar', after benefactor whose legacy funded restoration. |
| 1872 | Nene Valley Railway | Blue & Grey | Awaiting Restoration | |
| 1873 | Bodmin and Wenford Railway | Crimson & Cream | Static - Catering Vehicle at Bodmin General | |
| 1874 | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | Pullman Umber & Cream Platform side, Crimson & Cream other side | Static - Catering Vehicle at Wirksworth |  Previously based at Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Moved to Wirksworth May 2022 where Platform side repainted into current livery. |
| 1875 | East Lancashire Railway | Pullman Umber & Cream | Static - Catering use at Rawtenstall Station |
Previously used as a home at Rawtenstall. |
| 1876 | Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational | .jpg.webp) |
| 1878 | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational |
Main line registered for Esk Valley Line only. Previously based at Churnet Valley Railway. Moved to NYMR late 2016/early 2017, and into service there April 2019 after refurbishment. |
| 1879 | Wensleydale Railway | Lined Maroon | Operational |
Previously based at Steamport Southport, Ribble Steam Railway, and Weardale Railway. Moved to Wensleydale February 2010. |
| 1880 | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Blue & Grey | Under Overhaul |
Previously based at East Lancashire Railway. Moved to NYMR April 2019. |
| 1882 | West Coast Railways | Lined Maroon | Operational - Main Line |
Now numbered 99311. |