GWR Autocoach Poll

[Neal Ball]

You have left off the option of a 70-footer, despite the existence of 92 at Didcot (and the SRM, which spent rather longer as a trailer). So, I'm afraid I can't join the poll.

Added 92. Details of the Didcot carriage here:

 

http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/coaches/92/92.html

[Neal Ball]

The list of options has been changed, but in doing so I managed to delete the question. Please vote again, by deleting your vote and starting over. Sorry for the hassle, but we have more / earlier options.

[The Johnster]

Thanks for the increased choice of prototypes, Neal; revoting duly done!  I might add the codicil that the price I would be willing to pay, while taking into account the increased unit costs of a small production run, is also dependent on the level of detail, and that I for one would also be interested in a matchboarded trailer, A7 being my ideal candidate; a 3D print of a matchboard trailer body is available from Rue_d'Etropal as a scratchbuild aid.  I know little of the practical difficulties of tooling for plastic models, but would imagine that a straight sided matchboard body is simpler and probably cheaper to tool for than one with tumblehome and panelling.

 

The long and short as far as I am concerned is that I model South Wales in the early 1950s, and this was a time and location of very considerable biodiversity in terms of auto trailers, but types I know worked from Tondu are particularly of interest to me, so diagram N is already sold to this customer!

[Miss Prism]

biodiversity

 

An apt describer of GWR coaches!

[Steamport Southport]

Aren't Kernow doing the Steam Railmotor?

 

Surely they've done most of the hard work already.

 

 

 

Jason

[lofty1966]

Aren't Kernow doing the Steam Railmotor?

 

Surely they've done most of the hard work already.

 

 

 

Jason

They probably haven't even started

[Steamport Southport]

They probably haven't even started

 

It was definitely scanned as I saw the photos.

 

 

 

Jason

[NCB]

I have the old Airfix model, a good one for when it was produced but these days expections are a lot higher. I'd go for the A27; covers most of the grouping era onwards, and different enough from later versions.

 

Nigel

[Neal Ball]

Looking at the Poll this evening, we have 57 members voting for a potentially new Autocoach, with a 70ft model coming out top. 

 

Although I think its fair to say that Polling is pretty evenly spread, with a slim majority going for a 70ft.

 

The consensus is for the GWR 1930's shirt button era.

 

But overwhelmingly people don't want lights. I am surprised, is not the increased cost, or the fact that even today the majority of members are DC, rather than DCC?

 

I'm not sure the preferred costing is realistic for a model that (could) be released in 2019. The majority have suggested up to £60 - yet the current BR(W) Autocoach is available on-line at £55. I would have thought a new Autocoach released to modern standards in a couple of years time would be at least £70 

 

Clearly only my thoughts and interpretation. It would still be good to see a new Autocoach.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Neal Ball

[TheSignalEngineer]

Unless you run in the dark, I regard lights in coaches as a waste of time. In steam days they were usually only turned on for tunnels (if the Guard remembered to do it) and were so dim that in daylight you couldn't tell from outside if they were on or off.

[Neal Ball]

Unless you run in the dark, I regard lights in coaches as a waste of time. In steam days they were usually only turned on for tunnels (if the Guard remembered to do it) and were so dim that in daylight you couldn't tell from outside if they were on or off.

 

 

You might say its a bit of a gimmick in DCC, but my impression was that a lot of people are adding them.

 

I suppose why I have been interested in lights in carriages over the years come from seeing the trains at Pendon. I think all of them are lit on the Dartmoor scene.

[Miss Prism]

Only one train is lit on Dartmoor I think.

[88D]

Only one train is lit on Dartmoor I think.

And only lit in the night scene?

[Miss Prism]

And only lit in the night scene?

 

I haven't been for a while, but the usual procedure is/was to run the lit train round twice, once with the layout lights off and once with the layout lights on.

[The Johnster]

Unless you run in the dark, I regard lights in coaches as a waste of time. In steam days they were usually only turned on for tunnels (if the Guard remembered to do it) and were so dim that in daylight you couldn't tell from outside if they were on or off.

 

Sometimes you had to look twice from the inside as well.

 

But dimly lit stock, and a pre- tube-lit 40 watt warm filament cast from inside buildings can be very evocative of 1950s rain, which IIRC actually lasted until the wet summer of 1966 which was even after the Beatles had invented colour.  As I model the South Wales valleys, where if it isn't raining it's because it's about to, the impression of a bright sunny day is somehow inappropriate.  My layout is lit by cool blue led lighting arranged to minimise shadows and suggest a dull, cloudy sort of day, and I do aim at some time to model this rainy day scenario, which lit buildings and coaching stock, even if I limit it for simplicity to an auto set!

 

Actual night running is more of a challenge, not only requiring signals to be lit, which isn't that hard, but the train lamps as well.  As these are removable on brackets so that the trains can be lamped correctly (Modelu) with the right headcodes and the lamps changed at the terminus, not to mention brake van tail and side lamps, I cannot see any practicable method of having the lamps lit while retaining their removability (if you can actually retain something you remove, that is).  Either the lamps have to be lit by a light source. and power supply within themselves, which I suspect is nigh on impossible in 4mm scale, or an optic fibre cable has to be fed to the lamps position on the loco or vehicle, not so bad on loco bunkers but what about smokebox tops and buffer beam brackets?  Even then, how do you obscure or extinguish the optic fibre end when no lamp is in front of it?

 

It probably isn't worth attempting unless a new technology entirely becomes available, and given the state of affairs with modern image lighting, which is ridiculously overbright and blue cast and cannot seem to arrange for loco tail lamps to be extinguished while a train is being hauled, I am not holding my breath...

[Castle]

It was definitely scanned as I saw the photos.

 

 

 

Jason

Hi All,

 

No. 93 has definitely been scanned - take that from the horse’s mouth...

 

For purely selfish reasons (ie: it will save me building kits!), I would like either No. 92 or the ex railmotor versions. I would have thought though that a Churchward one to compliment the pre existing Collett and Hawksworth variants in 4mm RTR would be a good idea and have the widest appeal throughout the market as a whole?

 

All the best,

 

Castle

[57xx]

For purely selfish reasons (ie: it will save me building kits!), I would like either No. 92 or the ex railmotor versions. I would have thought though that a Churchward one to compliment the pre existing Collett and Hawksworth variants in 4mm RTR would be a good idea and have the widest appeal throughout the market as a whole?

 

Totally agree with the Churchward thought. I can knock up an A28 or A30 from the Arifix/Hornby offering so something different would be nice to see.

[Happy Hippo]

I know diagram N has been mentioned, but not the fact that one is  still extant at Telford Steam Railway..

[Crichel Down]

My wish list is more specific than the poll list:

 

Diagram N.  This is the model produced by Lionheart (now Dapol) in O Gauge.  I have long wanted one of these in 4mm.  Doesn't need to be RTR; a plastic kit would do.  Bill Bedford was talking about doing one as a 3D printed model, but impact moulded polystyrene (possibly a kit, as mentioned above) would be preferable.  This model would suit all periods from Edwardian to 1950s, and is the best prototype for anyone wanting a wooden-bodied trailer that could have been seen at any time within this long timescale.

 

Diagram U.  Not really a priority, but it is an attactive version of the 70-foot design. 

Edited December 11, 2017 by Crichel Down

[Darwinian]

Surprisingly even split in the poll at the moment. As a 1929-32 period modeller I would like to see any fully panelled trailer (rule 1 would be invoked if necessary). However as my models are loosley based on the ex-Rhymney lines what I really want to see is an ex Rhymney 47'10" pair or an ex-Taff Vale pair.

 

The Rhymney ones are square boxes so would be fairly easy scratch builds if there were some plans. The TVR ones would be a very challenging scratch build.

Something tells me I'll have to develop my scratchbuiliding skills and that my wallet will be safe for many years yet .

Edited December 16, 2017 by Darwinian