Tourist Standard Open

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Mark 2A TSO 5278 "Melisande" at Cheltenham Spa on 18 September 2004, whilst forming a charter service to Swindon.

Mark 2F TSO 6035 at Carlisle on 27 August 2004. This vehicle is painted in Arriva Trains Northern livery.

Tourist Standard (or Second) Open, abbreviated to TSO, was a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" is as opposed to a normal SO (Second 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 Standard which became the standard format for Regional and InterCity Travel. With the TSO been a Mk1 design it did suffer problems with the Underframe. In the event of an accident the Bodywork would sheer off the Underframe with the possibility of increasing casualties compared to a Mk3 Design.

There are no Mk1s TSO on the Mainline Network anymore 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 been Severn Valley Railway, Great Central Railway and East Lancashire Railway.

Mk2 Coaching Stock TSOs were mainly deployed on various long distance routes, notably 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 strengthen 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 windows (Except at End Doorways), Air Conditioning and Central Door Locking.

Gatwick Express up to early 2006 used Mk2 TSOs for London Victoria - Gatwick Airport.

There is only one regular service now operated by Mk2 TSOs, which is the daily return service from Rhymney to Cardiff Central via Bargoed and Caerphilly. Other than this, they are only used on Summer Saturday services to Fishguard operated by Arriva Trains Wales and Excursion trains.