Atlas Editions Locomotives - some queries

[Alex TM]

Hi everyone,

 

I have just been given models of three locomotives from the above manufacturer; they are Mallard, Duchess of Sutherland, and a French 'Nord' pacific.  I have a couple of questions about them, for which I have found no useful answers elsewhere:

 

1.  Can anyone tell me what scale they are made too (look around 1:100 to my eyes)?

 

2.  Are they reasonably accurate?

 

3.  What other models, if any, were in the range?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Dava]

They did quite a big range of UK and continental prototypes. Scale nominally 1:100 bt probably varied a bit. They did a 'Flying Scotsman' which I got as the cheapy offer but didn't bother with the rest. They can be found at car boot and second hand sales from time to time.

 

Dava

[Alex TM]

Hi Dava,

 

Thanks for that.  I may have a look around and see what crops up.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Dava]

Atlas also did a 1/220 Z scale 'Mallard', 'Flying Scotsman' and train, in a CD size box, available from China. See recent British Z gauge thread for a photo.

 

Dava

[Theo C. Cupier]

You're right about them cropping up at boot sales, This is a stall at the Westbury Transport Show a few years ago.

I picked up a couple but haven't done anything with them yet.

 

[Steamport Southport]

They also did a Southern Railway Schools 4-4-0.

 

Also a GWR 4-6-0 springs to mind. Castle? I've got a handful stashed away in the loft.

 

 

 

Jason

[Joseph_Pestell]

Loads on eBay.

[cypherman]

Hi all,

Atlas do not nor have ever produced any models. All the models they use are from various manufacturers. For example the model aircraft they have used are for their 1.72 range are all from Oxford aviation. The trains on the other hand I believe are all made by Amercom. They have made both 1/76 and 1/160 scale models. Take a look here.

https://www.amercom-hobby.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=63

It is my understanding that they are all still available.

[Johnson044]

Hi all- not normally my field as I'm usually pretty exclusively 7mm scale but I keep seeing these Atlas Editions models on ebay and I wonder if anyone has any more experience of them? I see the Nord compound atlantic from time to time and it did occur to me that if it IS 1:10 scale, or thereabouts it would make a really good starting point for a 3mm scale GWR "La France". The tender should be easy and it would obviously need new frames, wheels and motion- but the footplate upwards and the front bogie and possibly the cylinders look pretty good. Before I go and add to the household atoms (admittedly I could hide this fairly easily) does anyone know (a) what these are made of - die cast? plastic? and (b) does anyone have a good idea as to whether they really are anywhere near 1:100 scale?

[Steamport Southport]

Definitely plastic and almost certainly TT.  Not 00 or H0 and far too big to be N.

 

They are NOT related to the Amercon/GBL models which were copied from RTR models.

 

 

Very poor though and I would be surprised if they were accurate. The Duchess being particularly poor ISTR. Wouldn't pay more than about a couple of pounds to be frank. A cynic would say the plinth is good....

 

 

 

Jason

[Ohmisterporter]

Seen plenty of these in charity shops. The Nord Pacific seems to crop up most often for some reason.

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, Ohmisterporter said:

Seen plenty of these in charity shops. The Nord Pacific seems to crop up most often for some reason.

 

I think it was one of the earlier ones in the "subscription".  Most of those were British.

 

You got the first one which was Flying Scotsman or Mallard for something like 99p. Then you ended up getting sent others you didn't want and trying to cancel was virtually impossible. Eventually you managed but not before you've got about seven of the things....

[Johnson044]

Thanks folks. The quality between models really seems to vary and in many cases creating something decent from them does look like an uphill struggle. However, the Nord Atlantic to my eyes doesn't look too bad, and the resemblance to La France is very striking. The tender is obviously not the GWR type that was used- a pity, because the mouldings do look good. There are a couple under a tenner on Ebay at the moment so I think I'll get one and have a dabble in 3mm. Have a relative who's of the 3mm persuasion and has a layout to test it on, should I ever finish it. If it checks out reasonably well dimensionally then a suitable tender seems to be achievable (maybe butcher a Tri-ang one or could perhaps use the Atlas City of Truro one but there  does seem to be something slightly strange about it) and maybe the valve gear from a big N gauge loco? I almost wonder if the wheel centres could be used with some new metal tyres pressed on?

[Johnson044]

Here's La France- probably many detail differences but also many similarities. The trailing wheels seem bigger on La France and the upper part of the cab is different

[Johnson044]

I've received the Atlas Nord Atlantic - £4 plus P&P from Ebay. Mixed feelings. Dimensionally it seems to check out very well with 3mm to 1' scale. Tender is quite good but irrelevant - although it shares the bogie frame moulding with the loco. Strangely a bit wide in the gauge - about 15.5mm but the body width looks about right.

 

Chimney is truly vile. The cylinders and valve gear are pretty horrid too. Bogie frame detail is good and I think the driving wheel centres could be used with some new tyres - Ultrascale do bespoke EM standard ones for about £3 each, so I'll look at getting some of those.

 

As this moulding has a big carbon footprint, including many air miles and would probably otherwise go to landfill it will be nice to try to make something of quality (hopefully!) out of it.