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Silver Sidelines

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The ex GWR ‘B’ Set Airfix model coaches date from 1975. Almost forty years later and the coaches reappeared as Hornby R4293. The coaches must have proved popular and in the intervening years similar models have been available first from Mainline and later Dapol.

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Bachmann 9017 on Airfix ‘B’ Set passing Hornby Crimson ‘B’ Set

The ‘B’ Set coaches were operated in pairs. As fitted with standard Airfix (or Hornby) couplings the gap between the coaches is hugely too large.

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Original Airfix/Hornby Couplings Left, Bachmann Mini Long Couplings Right

One relatively easy way of closing the gap is to substitute Bachmann Mini Long Couplings (36-026), with the wings cut off.

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Original Airfix/Hornby Left, Bachmann Mini Long 36-026 minus wings Right

The original Airfix/Hornby couplings are a simple push fit. Fitting the Bachmann couplings requires removal of the small keeper plate on the underside of the coupling pocket. I used a tiny screw driver for the purpose. In addition the wings on the Bachmann coupling need cutting off, and the hole for the fixing screw needs to be reamed to a sightly larger diameter. This coupling modification works for all models including the Mainline and Dapol varieties.

Airfix provided free running nylon wheels on pinpoint steel axles. The Mainline and Dapol models seemed to use the same wheel type. I am not sure what Hornby provided when new. All my ‘B’ Set coaches are now fitted with Hornby R8234 14.1mm diameter metal wheels which are a straight replacement for the older nylon types.

 

The liveries of the different models seem to be a bit of minefield, not helped in my case by not having seen any of the coaches in the flesh.

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Airfix muddy Maroon top left, Hornby Crimson top right, Mainline Lined Maroon at the bottom

I am happy with the Mainline BR lined maroon coaches, the shade of maroon and the size and shade of the lining fitting well with other model types. I am also relatively happy with the Airfix BR muddy maroon which with its ‘matt’ finish seems to me to represent the weathered look of the 1950s period. I am less sure of Hornby’s choice of crimson which at times seems rather garish and reminiscent of Royal Mail.

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Bachmann 3205 on Mainline BR lined Maroon passing Hornby Crimson

Our perception of different colours is heavily influenced by the surroundings and I would say that Hornby’s crimson appears to me much more acceptable in the view above.

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One I sold earlier - Dapol E24

I have included an image of Dapol’s BR lined maroon model, E24. I did not keep this model. Superficially it is the same as the earlier Mainline model. However the shade of maroon is different and I thought the lining too heavy and too orange. I was not happy at running the Dapol and Mainline models together.

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The 1960s – Heljan Hymek on Bachmann BR Mk1 Suburban’s

I am guessing that ex GWR ‘B’ Sets would have been withdrawn during the early 1960s. Perhaps they were replaced by BR Mk1 suburban coaches cascaded down from the suburbs?

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Bachmann Mk1 Suburban – original coupling Left, Mainline coupling Right

My Bachmann Mk1 suburban coaches came with a grotesque plastic hook and bar coupling. Replacement with an original Mainline hook and bar coupling makes an instant improvement.

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Bachmann large hook and bar Left, Mainline hook and bar Right, Bachmann Mini Small 36-025 Centre

However the Mainline hook and bar coupling is still quite heavy and plastic. I would try using Bachmann Mini Couplings Long and Short (36-026 and 36-025 respectively). The ‘short’ couplings are too short whilst the ’long’ couplings still leave quite a gap between coaches.

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Bachmann Mini Long Coupling 36-026 offset/positioned inboard

One answer is to offset or move the coupling inboard. I did this previously for the Bachmann/Mainline Collett coaches with their Mini Short couplings. This time it was with their Mini Long couplings.

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Bachmann Mk1 Suburban, Mainline Coupling Left, Bachmann Mini Long Coupling (offset) Right

This way I achieved almost the same degree of ‘close coupling’ as when using the Mainline plastic hook and bar coupler and with a far less obtrusive coupler.

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Hornby BR Crimson compared to Mainline BR Lined Maroon

Finally another view – I would like to think around 1960.

  • Like 7

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Silver Sidelines, I hope you may be interested in my coupling mods.  I'm hoping to have 3' radius curves on my new layout and have been experimenting.  Obviously many people have to use tighter curves than 36" but you can probably move the couplings further outboard.

 

I experimented with some Bachman DMU couplings (sorry don't have part number but they're on eg the Class 104 DMU).

 

I took off the bottom part of the old Airfix coupling and glued the 'NEM box' of the Bachmann one underneath what was the top part of the Airfix coupling box.

 

rev%20B%20set%20coupling%20underside_zps

 

 

rev%20B%20set%20coupling%20topside_zpswv

 

This side on view shows the closer coupling arrangement and on the far left you can see an original coupling.

 

rev%20B%20set%20coupling%20wide%20view_z

  • Like 1
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  • RMweb Premium

Thanks Metr0Land, that was quick! Looks good. I think the 'magic' in your method is the gluing. What make did you use? A lot of couplings (and coach bogies) are made from a type of Nylon which I find very difficult to join and in the past I have had to resort to drilling and pinning with brass dressmaking pins.

I should add that I favour conversions that are reversible and I would like to think that my coaches could be returned to as new condition should they need to be sold.

 

Thanks again

 

Ray

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  • RMweb Gold

Glad you liked it!  It's always a worry when you 'hijack' someone else's thread.

 

I'm pretty certain it was Evo-Stik but it may have been Bostik - afraid I wasn't keeping copius records whilst I was experimenting with these and 'Tony Wright' couplings and some other bits and bobs.

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  • RMweb Premium

Hello Metr0land

 

The more the merrier.  Good old Evostick - forget the fancy resins.  It is a bit like going back to first principles.  Just need to be careful that you haven't draped too many spiders webs everywhere.

 

Speak again

 

Regards

 

Ray

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The Hornby unlined crimson is correct for the early 1950s (and up to about 1960 before everything was repainted in lined maroon) - it is the suburban/local equivalent of express plum and custard. And yes, it was a very bright shade and it weathered to a sort of orange.

I have an idea that the B sets had a bar coupler between the two cars and did not have intermediate buffers, but I am not certain about this. Does anybody know for sure, one way or the other?

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  • RMweb Gold

40 years, some of the RTR GWR coaches are really getting on in age. The original coupling distance is extraordinary, you could almost fit a 4-wheeler coach in there :-) Nice fixes gents, makes a big difference.

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  • RMweb Premium

Thanks Mikkel -  it could be all about viewing distances.  Children from the 50s and 60s had plenty of space for model railways.  Perhaps today models are all about dioramas where there is a concentration on the model details and not the operation.

 

Regards

 

Ray

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Ray, an interesting point. And the digital camera has made a difference too, I expect. We tend to see everything through a lens these days!

 

I sometimes force myself to leave the camera alone and just watch and operate my layouts, there's a nice peacefulness in that.

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  • RMweb Premium

Very good Mikkel

.... And the digital camera has made a difference too, I expect. We tend to see everything through a lens these days!

Agree

 

Regards

 

Ray

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Hi Silver Sidelines

 

I am repainting/upgrading a couple of B-sets for a friend - a couple of things I found:

 

The 'short' buffers are right for the outer ends (brake ends).  The inner ends generally did not have outside buffing gear, but often a single centre buffer (like older SR EMUs had) and were coupled with a variety of bar couplings

 

Bogies also vary with possibly three different types on different batches and during the vehicles' life

 

BR livery is as already stated on your thread - the issue is weathering especially of red paint

 

So I am keeping the short bogies (rewheeled as you have), I will weather the underframes and roofs, the bodies are already repainted and renumbered and we've installed a few passengers

 

I found (on Google) a couple of cracking photos of the variation in coupling arrangments - type in b set couplings into Google (images) and towards the top are two really useful photos...

 

The other thing about these ex-Airfix coaches is the generic underframe - lacking full brake gear and dynamo...

 

Nice job on yours btw.  Hope that's helpful

 

Nick

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  • RMweb Premium

Hello Nick

 

Yes - very helpful.  I hadn't thought of looking on Flickr.  I keep forgetting that more and more people are uploading old photographs.


.  Hope that's helpful

..

As already noted above there is a lot of information on RMweb about the B Sets.  The Airfix models were excellent for 1975.  I guess the lack of detail on the underframe was not a great issue where the coach was parked up against a platform and then perhaps whisked  off into hidden sidings.

 

I shall look forward to seeing the results of your detailing.

 

Thanks again

 

Ray

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