Thompson Vestibuled Main Line Stock (retooled)

[brushman47544]

I wonder how long before we see these?

 

If Bachmann has any sense, not until all the "old" tooling models already in stock have been sold. Once the new ones arrive, the old ones will most likely need to be discounted to sell. There's plenty of other more useful coaching stock to come first anyway, e.g. the Portholes, SR PMV etc.

Edited September 24, 2013 by brushman47544

[davidw]

If Bachmann has any sense, not until all the "old" tooling models already in stock have been sold. Once the new ones arrive, the old ones will most likely need to be discounted to sell. There's plenty of other more useful coaching stock to come first anyway, e.g. the Portholes, SR PMV etc.

Surely depending on your modelling region?

[Fat Controller]

Surely depending on your modelling region?

By the mid-1960s, the WR had acquired an allocation of them, used both on 'internal' services and inter-regional ones.

[brushman47544]

Surely depending on your modelling region?

 

True. I was merely reflecting that for modellers in general Bachmann has a number of other coaches further along the production cycle than the new Thompsons and one reason for that may be that there are still lots of the current Thompsons still in the Bachmann warehouse looking for buyers.

[davidw]

Yes I agree spoke with their rep at the Bristol show re the port holes - where they'd discovered a fault. But he did indicate that for Stanier port holes and Thompson's  maroon versions are coming...  No real surprise. 

[frobisher]

If Bachmann has any sense, not until all the "old" tooling models already in stock have been sold. Once the new ones arrive, the old ones will most likely need to be discounted to sell.

Mind you isn't that the retailers' problem and not Bachmann's?

Edited September 24, 2013 by frobisher

[TheSignalEngineer]

By the mid-1960s, the WR had acquired an allocation of them, used both on 'internal' services and inter-regional ones.

There's a nice shot in TI about mid 1960 taken July 1959 I think. It shows D6301 piloting 5028 on the Cornishman at Newton Abbot. The first coach is a maroon Thompson followed IIRC by a choc/cream Mk1.

[the penguin of doom]

Yes I agree spoke with their rep at the Bristol show re the port holes - where they'd discovered a fault. But he did indicate that for Stanier port holes and Thompson's  maroon versions are coming...  No real surprise.

 

Smashing.

 

That's my particular era sorted then. Might even have a Stanier porthole to replace an earlier conversion.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[davidw]

It's a shame that RF's and RTO's aren't in the line up as well as the current diagrams

[brushman47544]

Mind you isn't that the retailers' problem and not Bachmann's?

 

Not if Bachmann has boxes of them in the warehouse and retailers are not ordering any more as they've found it difficult to shift the models already on their shelves. I have noticed recently that even Hattons and other box shifters are showing some items as out of stock when the Bachmann and Hornby websites show them as available.

[Dunsignalling]

By the mid-1960s, the WR had acquired an allocation of them, used both on 'internal' services and inter-regional ones.

Maroon, by then, though. There was often a SK stabled at Yeovil Junction for strengthening purposes after the WR takeover.  

 

John

[davidw]

Lovely shot of a train with leading Thompson coaches  has been referenced on the modellersunited site:

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/9693369538/in/set-72157634818536176

 

Location Abergele.

Edited August 27, 2015 by davidw

[frobisher]

Not if Bachmann has boxes of them in the warehouse and retailers are not ordering any more as they've found it difficult to shift the models already on their shelves.

Then as Bachmann you'd have to ask yourself why are we updating a clear "non-seller"..? The question probably answers itself.

 

In the case of the Thompsons, according to Bachmann's site, the existing tooling is no longer available apart from the BG which isn't being updated. So I think my point stands.

[TheSignalEngineer]

There's a nice shot in TI about mid 1960 taken July 1959 I think. It shows D6301 piloting 5028 on the Cornishman at Newton Abbot. The first coach is a maroon Thompson followed IIRC by a choc/cream Mk1.

Spotted another one in Rex Christiansens's book Railway Roundabout which shows the CCE entering Aberystwyth headed by a Manor followed by a maroon Thompson SK leading the normal rake of Chocolate and Cream Mk1s

[davidw]

According to Bachmann @ Bristol (Thornbury show) these have now left the drawing room and sent to China....

[brushman47544]

According to Bachmann @ Bristol (Thornbury show) these have now left the drawing room and sent to China....

 

So we might see them in 2016 then...?

[leopardml2341]

So we might see them in 2016 then...?

You optimist.

[davidw]

Bachmann have a lot in the pipeline. TBH I'd prefer Thompsons in Maroon and Portholes. i think  like the delivery timescale the once quoted price RRP  of around 30 quid is a tad optimistic.

[trevor7598]

There has been mention on this thread about Thompson coaches on the WR in the 1960s.

I recall from my summer saturdays spent at Reading that quite a few trains had a Thompson

corridor 2nd either at the front of the train,or as the last coach.

It always puzzled me,why ex BR(E) coaches were used as strengtheners when there were still

many Hawkesworth coaches around.

The only explanation for this practice has to do with Buckeye couplings I think.

I also recall, some if not all, the Thompson SK's had a W prefix to their number which indicated

that they were allocated to the WR rather than borrowed.

 

Can anyone come up with the facts ?.

[Ravenser]

There has been mention on this thread about Thompson coaches on the WR in the 1960s.

I recall from my summer saturdays spent at Reading that quite a few trains had a Thompson

corridor 2nd either at the front of the train,or as the last coach.

It always puzzled me,why ex BR(E) coaches were used as strengtheners when there were still

many Hawkesworth coaches around.

The only explanation for this practice has to do with Buckeye couplings I think.

I also recall, some if not all, the Thompson SK's had a W prefix to their number which indicated

that they were allocated to the WR rather than borrowed.

 

Can anyone come up with the facts ?.

 

 

Thompson stock would have buckeyes and Pullman gangways . Hawkesworth coaches would have neither.

 

If you are trying to strengthen a rake of Mk1s - which also have Pullman gangways and buckeye couplings - then a Thompson coach would be a better bet than a GW coach without either , as you'd need to source a gangway adaptor to cope with the British Standard gangways on the GW vehicle

 

That's a guess but a plausible one.

 

On the ex LSW West of England route, the native coaching stock would also have Pullman gangways and buckeyes - so again a Thompson coach would be a better bet as a strengthener than anything GW

[Dunsignalling]

Thompson stock would have buckeyes and Pullman gangways . Hawkesworth coaches would have neither.

 

If you are trying to strengthen a rake of Mk1s - which also have Pullman gangways and buckeye couplings - then a Thompson coach would be a better bet than a GW coach without either , as you'd need to source a gangway adaptor to cope with the British Standard gangways on the GW vehicle

 

That's a guess but a plausible one.

 

On the ex LSW West of England route, the native coaching stock would also have Pullman gangways and buckeyes - so again a Thompson coach would be a better bet as a strengthener than anything GW

I've seen more than one published picture/video indicating that a Thompson SK was kept in reserve at Yeovil Junction c1963/4 which fits your deductions so far as the ex-LSW route is concerned. Those toilet windows are a dead giveaway but, of course, they carried Maroon livery by then. 

 

John

Edited May 6, 2015 by Dunsignalling

[BernardTPM]

If you are trying to strengthen a rake of Mk1s - which also have Pullman gangways and buckeye couplings - then a Thompson coach would be a better bet than a GW coach without either , as you'd need to source a gangway adaptor to cope with the British Standard gangways on the GW vehicle

All GWR mainline corridor stock was fitted with gangway adapters from 1938, so that shouldn't be a problem with Hawkesworth stock.

[micklner]

Got fed up waiting and much cheaper too !! Southern Pride sides on old Bachmann bodies .

 

 

 

 

 

 

[davidw]

Latest BRM indicate these will be next year...

[Willie Whizz]

Latest BRM indicate these will be next year...

It feels like if they take much more time to appear, they will have taken longer to get our hands on since the first announcement than some of the originals lasted in service!!!