Collector's Corner Graham Farish

[Il Grifone]

It wasn`t only Graham Farish rolling stock that suffered from die cast floor warping.I had a Peco wonderful wagon kit which i built in the 1960`s & on inspection in the 1980`s,the floor had bent  up into a  banana shaped curve.I was most surprised.I don`t know if i`ve still got it packed away in my HD collection.

 

   Ray.

 

Now you mention it, somewhere I have a Peco CONFLAT that has cracked across the middle. Most makes suffered from this, pre-war castings especially, even many years after manufacture. My Trix Princess* was about fifty years old when I first spotted distortion of the casting.

 

*I just have the loco body and tender. I assume the loco chassis broke up long ago before I acquired the rest - the tender is OK however.

[sagaguy]

Sorry,forgot to mention,mine was a CONFLAT as well.

 

 

    Ray.

[Il Grifone]

Sorry,forgot to mention,mine was a CONFLAT as well.

 

 

    Ray.

 

Perhaps they had a duff batch - I've not had this trouble with other Peco wagons.

[Philheathfield]

Hi all, new member here I have 1 of these King Charles 1 by graham farish.

I have just advertised it on Ebay with spare southern livery shaft driven tender. Hoping to raise some money to start a build with my son. All seem straight with no warping. Take a look, I'm interested to find out more about this little bit of history

[5050]

Hi all, new member here I have 1 of these King Charles 1 by graham farish.

I have just advertised it on Ebay with spare southern livery shaft driven tender. Hoping to raise some money to start a build with my son. All seem straight with no warping. Take a look, I'm interested to find out more about this little bit of history

Hi Phil, welcome.  Can you post a photo of the loco and tender? 

 

We like photos.

[Philheathfield]

Looking as appears pretty much complete although southern tender has middle axle missing and had motor swap unfinished

[Philheathfield]

I do apologise, am trying to add attachment but working with an iphone I don't seem to be able to reduce image to less than 1MB

[5050]

Just unearthed this little gem from the club library.  Possibly dating to early/mid 50's?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reference to 'non-bogie' coaches is interesting and a close look at the Passenger Train illustration shows 4-wheelers.

 

And just what did a 'Colliery Furnisher' supply?!  Holdsworths were still around for several years after we came to Wakefield in 1971.  They were a 'proper' ironmongers shop!  But no hint of model railways as far as I can recall.

 

And an address in Manchester?

[Il Grifone]

Very interesting! The four wheel coaches appeared about the same time as the 'Black 5' (1949?), but I think they disappeared, when the bogie coaches appeared a year or two later.

 

AFAIK many of the listed wagons never saw the light of day. Again AFAIK, the range consisted of brake van, goods van, single plank open, bolster wagon (the previous one with a bolster), five plank open, seven plank open and steel mineral. (Possibly a three plank?) Apart from the brake van, which was only in bauxite (at least I've never seen any other colour) they were available in dark brown (SR?) bauxite or grey. No lettering was actually applied (I've never seen any lettered anyway).

The couplings seem to suffer from indecision some are flat and others bent downwards, so that the hook is horizontal. They can be found in both conditions. I always assumed that they should be flat, but had been bent to couple with other makes.

 

The note that only sets are available would suggest this was an early advert from the late forties.

 

Over 6/- a yard for brass 2 rail track was hardly cheap! Neither brass nor steel are ideal rail material, but it was probably all that was available. Raw materials were in short supply at the time.

 

I don't know about Manchester, but I only knew of one stockist in Bristol and they had very erratic supplies. (I was after a van for ages and was happy to get a couple of the Formo version* - still 4/6d). Alas, disappointment as they derailed on my Dublo pointwork and were relegated to decorating a siding. I didn't have the tools (or the ability) to replace the wheels, which run on nasty inside bearings of tinplate. Why they went to all the expense of retooling, I don't know, as the original wagons run happily without derailing. Perhaps the mazak disease which often affects the separate axle guard assembly was already raising its ugly head. Strangely the bodies do not seem to suffer.

 

* This must have been about 1956 or '57.

1596

Edited March 2, 2015 by Il Grifone

[Golden Fleece 30]

Having just purchased a Formo 0-6-0 and tender (awaiting its delivery) I thought I would try to find some info, but, nothing really about the loco  but I did see mention of the BR crests.  It was the Heraldic society who told BR they could not use a Left and Right later crest but the early one was always okay.  The reason the Heraldic society was involved was because the later type had a CROWN in the design which meant it had to be registered.  As the early one was a lion and wheel with no reference to royalty/sovereignty etc the Heraldic society were not interested and BR could have any number of permutations if they so wished.  Once a crown etc is used then only 1 can be registered hence soon after, the right side of locos/tenders had them facing backwards.

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is my Formo loco, it was in such good condition I will have to leave it along with the cast Formo name on.  The camera has amplified the noise, it is quieter than what the video gives out.  It just needs some Kadee couplings fitting and its ready to join the fleet. She is pulling 4 Exley SR suburbans and a Lima SR horsebox.

 

[5050]

That's a nice find and in excellent condition too.  Can't say I've ever actually seen one - especially in operation.  Seems to have no difficulty in moving the train which can't be all that free running (well, by today's standards anyway!).  I suppose that BITD it would have been considered relatively 'super detailed', especially for a commercial offering.

[Il Grifone]

She appears to run better than my two They are both a bit noisy, but possibly still need running in? One I acquired new as old shop stock as part of a set Loco, 4 wagons (Van, wooden and steel minerals and brake van) plus an oval of track - similar to Dublo except the base is wider. The two will connect without problems, but the geometry is different - 12 curves to a circle and a larger radius. The two straights (plain and power connector - a length of twisted twin flex) are also different in length. AFAIK  this is the full extent of the Formo range.

 

Is the Southern lettering original, as I have only ever seen them with the BR 'cycling lion' emblem?

 

EDIT The 'new' one had no problem with my test train of about 20 wagons. All pin point axles, but there is a slight slope in my test track and the curves are Trix fibre 15.75" radius.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Il Grifone

[D51]

There is an excellent article on the use of Peco Setrack and Peco Streamline live frog points along with C and L chairs and code 83 rail to provide a modern 3-rail track, in the current (February 2016) issue of the Hornby Railway Collector.

 

Note that it is not possible to use Peco Streamline flexible track with this method as the solvent will not work with the flexible plastic base, but it is ideal with the hard plastic used for Peco Setrack and Peco Streamline points. 

[Golden Fleece 30]

Hi

 

D51, The article in the Hornby magazine was regarding my layout, York Central.

 

32A, as D51 has said it is all Peco track and I used C and L code 83 flat bottom rail with associated chairs.  The bullhead rail was to fiddly to insert all the chairs on easily.  The flat bottom one looks fine as it is still smaller than the running rails so not as over powering as using the code 100.  I did try the screw in the board method but if a rail expanded and distorted I could not de-solder anything as that heat would prevent a straight line, plus chairs on the sleepers looks neater.  Attached is the double junction from the main lines to the station, scissors junction along with some track.  Also a link to a drivers eye view around the layout.

 

5050, I only run Exleys on my layout and they are as free running as todays models (most better) and so they should be as they are fitted with modern Bachmann bogies.  A handful of Exleys had a very good bogie style for a short period and these have been kept.

 

David,  I am led to believe that this loco may be a repaint and if it is it is a very good one.  If that is the case then one day I may consider putting a BR emblem on the tender.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Golden Fleece 30

[beeja40]

As a child of the 40's, I was lucky enough to have Hornby Dublo to run.

More recently I have been buying Graham Farish oo locos as I like the weight of the die-cast bodies.

First purchase was a pannier tank. Under load, the fibre gear slipped. What to do as I am unaware of spares for it? The answer was a modified Dublo R1 gear which works well.

Second purchase was a later G.W.R. prairie tank. All this needed was Dublo couplings to be fitted.

Two years ago, I came across a Bulleid spam can. I had been "got at" and came with a tri-ang princess loco and tender chassis. It now has a modified Dublo West Country chassis with an XO4 type five pole motor. It is very smooth in operation and looks great in B.R. green livery as Port Line.

A black 5 happened along next, which had a replacement motor in the tender driving through the standard drive coupling but via a plastic tube coupling that slipped! I found that an Airfix 5-pole motor when placed on its side just fits under the tender top. With a suitable coupling it now runs well but is noisy.

Finally, replacing the one I had as a kid, that never worked, I have acquired a King. It has its original motor, as yet untested, and a chassis like a banana!

But that's a job for later.

Nice models and all is not lost when they don't go!

[Golden Fleece 30]

I am looking for a Farish Spam can to do the same as you Beeja40 but they are not too common. My Pannier and Prairie are on Dublo chassis's bit the King and Black 5 don't appeal to me. I did get a Black 5 but sent it back as it was all cracked and after seeing it close up it was not for me.

[beeja40]

I am looking for a Farish Spam can to do the same as you Beeja40 but they are not too common. My Pannier and Prairie are on Dublo chassis's bit the King and Black 5 don't appeal to me. I did get a Black 5 but sent it back as it was all cracked and after seeing it close up it was not for me.

The spam can is well worth the effort and looks far better (in my humble opinion) than the Wrenn offering.

I have considered putting the GF pannier on a Dublo chassis. I've recently modified an R1 chassis by moving the front axle forward for the correct wheelbase for a GWR 56xx tank which is now fitted to a re-made. Gem white metal body kit. A pleasing result and more useable on HD or peco track than the recommended tri-ang/Hornby chassis

[Il Grifone]

Unfortunately early Farish suffers from the dreaded 'mazak pest' very seriously. I steer clear for that very reason. I do have most of the wagons and a collection of Pullman cars. The wagon bodies all seem to be sound, but the same can't be said of the underframes or the Pullman floor castings, most of which show break up, as does a prairie chassis I have (in several pieces!)

 

It has been suggested that castings which have survived to now must be OK. Unfortunately this is not the case a pre-war Dublo Gresley coach bogie I have is beginning to break up despite being apparently perfect. The sideframes have curved inwards and cracks are appearing in the casting and one of the wheels. It probably hasn't been stored under the best of conditions (mea culpa), but this only hastens the inevitable, not causes it. Perhaps I'll try the solution in Rivarossi Memories. (I am still not keen on the carbon tetrachloride involved though.)

 

The Farish Black 5 is not one of their better efforts....

 

EDIT to insert missing 'am'. Firefox keeps momentarily freezing on me and leaving out part of what I'm writing - annoying!

Edited May 4, 2016 by Il Grifone

[Golden Fleece 30]

I too have recently just moved the front wheels on a Dublo R1 chassis to put under a 4F. Also the rear wheels on a Castle moved back for a B17. I prefer Dublo chassis's but there is a limit to what you can do with them. I did once use a Dublo W/C chassis for a Britannia swapping the wheels for Dublo A4 ones. The A4 chassis got the boxpok ones as I used that for a Wrenn Spam Can body. I have just turned an R1 chassis into a 4-4-0 for a Schools moving the rear wheels back.

[Il Grifone]

I keep meaning to shift some axles about to correct/modify wheelbases, but never seem to get around to it....

[beeja40]

The R1 chassis/motor is a good and reliable piece of kit. The wheel size is very useful. I am mid way through using a chassis (with wheels moved forward) in a "K's" pannier tank. The body was bought on eBay and duly dunked into boiling water to separate the parts for rebuilding.

Next on my possible list is an old Kitmaster standard 2-6-0 loco. Wheel size is the same and I have the valve gear from a HD 8f to add on.

There is also a possibility of a 9f using a couple of R1 wheels.

More in the realms of fantasy, I came across a picture in an O.S.Nock book "The GWR Stars, Castles and Kings" of a possible second GWR pacific. So far, I have put castle wheels and valve gear onto a Duchess chassis. The body will be a marriage of a (damaged) chopped HD Duchess and Lima King.

So much to do - so little time to do it!

[sagaguy]

So much to do - so little time to do it!

So true,i do know the feeling.

 

                      Ray.

[5050]

I am looking for a Farish Spam can to do the same as you Beeja40 but they are not too common. My Pannier and Prairie are on Dublo chassis's bit the King and Black 5 don't appeal to me. I did get a Black 5 but sent it back as it was all cracked and after seeing it close up it was not for me.

I have a blue body and tender if you're interested.  They are part of my (rather nebulous) 'historic' collection of bits but if they are of more use to you then I'll be prepared to let them go as i doubt if I would ever do anything with them.  Please PM me to discuss.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I have sent you a PM 5050.

 

Here are my Pannier and Prairie tanks. The 61xx really needs some false frames at the front and rear to close the daylight gap.

 

The 94xx is fitted to the R1 chassis which has had Mazak wheels fitted and the 61 to an A4 chassis with Castle cylinders.

 

Also included are two Gaiety models, one on a Tri-ang chassis the on the Dublo R1 again. The Tri-ang one has had the wheels re profiled to go through modern Peco track.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Golden Fleece 30