Hornby BR Blue TPO

[Rai]

While going through some old modelling things I found a BR Blue TPO but looking around online the r numbers match to either a Gresley sleeping car, a LMS TPO or a LMS composite coach. So I was wondering if Hornby ever made a TPO in BR blue or if I've just got a repainted version. My plan is to repaint it anyway to early BR days so any help in finding paint matches and transfers would be greatly appreciated, it also has onboard lighting but it needs replacing by the look of it and was wondering what the best way to replace it would be because I would really like to have the lights working on it. 

 

Thank You

 

Rai 

[33C]

Yes, they did make a blue/grey TPO. R6943. I have a boxed one and it looks nice in that livery!

[JohnR]

They made two!

 

This was the first they made in Blue Grey

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/item_details.asp?itemid=269

 

Then they tooled up one supposed an LMS one, which also appeared in Blue/Grey

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/item_details.asp?itemid=147

 

[The Johnster]

The original Triang operating TPO from about 1956 was based on an LMS vehicle and presented in Royal Mail red livery but with the then standard generic B1 bogies and plastic moulding that represented the underframe detail.  This is the basis of the model featured in JohnR’s second link.  The first is based on a model originally in Triang’s Transcontinental range, and is completely fictional as a UK model. 
 

 

[JohnR]

36 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

The original Triang operating TPO from about 1956 was based on an LMS vehicle and presented in Royal Mail red livery but with the then standard generic B1 bogies and plastic moulding that represented the underframe detail.  This is the basis of the model featured in JohnR’s second link.  The first is based on a model originally in Triang’s Transcontinental range, and is completely fictional as a UK model. 
 

 

 

The 1956 Triang model was a 7" "shorty", last produced in 1972. Hornby then used the Transcontinental coach in Blue/Grey, and then tooled up a more accurate ex-LMS one in 1978, which has recently been available in the Railroad range in a fictional GWR livery, as well as a "Sodor Mail" livery. 

 

[The Johnster]

I stand duly corrected; thank you, JohnR. 

[Legend]

13 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

I stand duly corrected; thank you, JohnR. 

 Easy mistake to make Johnster . The original one as you said dates from 50s . I had one in maroon about 1965 . I think it did go blue/grey probably around 68/69 . Then it got deleted and was replaced by the Transcontinental  one repainted blue/grey . Then the new one was brought out in 78 and has seen LMS GWr BR Maroon . I had forgotten it appeared in blue/grey too . 

[Rai]

Turns out I have the triang repaint not the continental. So if I wanted to repaint it what would be the colour if I wanted to go for a 1950's TPO? And where would I get the paint from?

[Dodgydruid]

I have several of the LMS maroon types which is useful as they have the offset gangway's, only one I have of the blue and grey streamlined TPO's as yet.

 

Am actually working on building little nets for my TPO's, I have some nice chromed wire from my home brew ecig building days and going to use a thicker titanium wire to build a frame and then using some modellers net create the actual net itself, with a piece of card plastic to represent the hatch that used to be opened prior to deploying the net because you didn't want to be heading up to Scotland with a pair of great big holes in the coaches hehe

 

These older TPO's were always seen with quite bright lighting, my friend who worked on TPO's til their end said before they put fluorescent bulbs in, they used a special bright incandescent bulb that burned very brightly for the sorting posties hence why films of them in action showed the upper sidelights glaring with light from within.

 

My BR blue and grey one will be kept as standard and will be setting up the hook and net apparatus, there is a lot of pressure to bring back the TPO's as the intricate and efficient network that it worked with, had a noticeable difference on postal times in the UK.  

[sandwich station]

Here is a picture of the 3 types being discussed together. As you can see the original Triang LMS one is to short but is the only one that has offset gangways. I believe the transcontinental based one is completely fictitious. The Hornby one at the bottom is the only one of the 3 that prototypically has the 2 nets on the same side.

 

 

[sandwich station]

Here is the Hornby LMS version in BR maroon from the Night Mail Express Set, which you can find second hand from time to time.

 

 

[hallmodelspares]

Also a bright red one in a set with a support coach which is more modern style done in 1990's and also set version with postal sector style livery class 47