Highfield Models

[jcm@gwr]

Morning guys,

 

I was wondering how many of you know/remember these kits?

I've got a couple, NER 10T Goods Brake Van (already built) and

the GWR 1st-3rd H107 (started, sort of!).

 

My question is, I picked up a clerestory, bogie coach at Kettering

the other week, and it appears to be the same style of build (i.e.

vacuum or blow moulded styrene), does anyone know what the

range of models included?

 

This one appears to be finished (and I use the term loosely!) in

teak, and like the others I have, is only a body kit (more scratch

-aid really). It has a couple of Lima continental bogies complete

with plastic wheels!

 

I would like to put better/more correct bogies on, but to do that it

would useful to know which coaches they might have produced.

 

Looking forward, gratefully, to any info, Jeff

[decauville1126]

 

 

 does anyone know what the

range of models included?

 

 

Somewhere I've got one of their Wisbech & Upwell tram loco body kits (not sure of it was for the Y6 or J70) to go on a 4-wheel Lima shunter chassis. Pretty basic if I remember but then vacuum forming was the 'new' technology for us modellers at that time.

[jcm@gwr]

I agree, they are/were pretty basic,

nowadays they would probably be referred to as scratch-aid.

 

But, my NER Brake has turned into quite a reasonable model,

and was well received at the club.

 

It was also great value, I got it at a toy-fair on the Bluebell for

less than a fiver!

 

Jeff

[PatB]

I remember them. They were a means by which the impecunious 0 gauge modeller could accquire coaches which weren't Triang or Lima. I had the brake van (built on a butchered Triang mineral chassis IIRC) and a pair of panelled non-corridor coaches (possibly North Eastern) painted LMS maroon and running on, again, butchered Triang chassis. I was 11 at the time so the presence of coil sprung B4 bogies under pre-grouping stock didn't worry me too much.

 

I had the Highfield catalogue at the time. The only other coach I specifically remember was a (LSWR?) push-pull with centre gated vestibule. There were others but it was a long time ago and memory has faded.

[PatB]

Just remembered, I had a panelled full brake as well, also possibly NE. Also painted LMS maroon, running on Triang B4s and attached to a rake of Lima "LMS" Mk1s.

[jcm@gwr]

Thanks Pat,

 

Wow, a catalogue!

I'm guessing that you haven't got it anymore,

or can remember any other coaches listed.

 

From what you're saying, I'll take a guess

that a lot of his coaches were NER types.

 

All I have to do now is track down which one!

 

Jeff

[PatB]

Thanks Pat,

 

Wow, a catalogue!

I'm guessing that you haven't got it anymore,

or can remember any other coaches listed.

 

From what you're saying, I'll take a guess

that a lot of his coaches were NER types.

 

All I have to do now is track down which one!

 

Jeff

 

Catalogue possibly overstates the reality somewhat. It was two or three sheets of A4 (or 1978 equivalent), typewritten, with hand drawn illustrations, duplicated on a Banda machine and folded into a booklet.

 

Sorry I can't be more specific about exactly which coaches were offered. As I said, it's a long time ago now, with a lengthy period taken up with other interests in the middle. It's not impossible that the non-corridor coaches I had were originally intended as clerestories but that the clerestory was discarded as being too fiddly to cut out (it was bad enough doing all the windows), although I don't remember cutting a clerestory extension off the ends, so maybe not.

[jcm@gwr]

The coach ends do not have a profile,

the raised clerestory part of the roof starts slightly

inboard from the end of the roof.

 

Also, the raised part is quite shallow, only as high

as the lower part of the cut-outs (vents?).

The rest is an addition, so you could have just

left it off and it wouldn't look out of place (just a

guess of course)

 

Jeff

[duncan]

I have a full bogie brake, but mine looks more LNWR, certainly when painted.

Edited March 16, 2015 by duncan

[boeing7572t6]

Hi Jeff,

What I think you have is model H105. This is described as "LNER-GE First-Third" by Highfield.

It seems to be a GER Lav Composite dating from 1890s. Historic Carriage Drawings by Nick Campling covers them on pages 108/9. This suggests they ride on Fox 8 ft bogies. I built one in the seventies and it can be made to look ok. Funnily enough, in a moment of madness I bought  a batch of them on e..y, and have started another. Although they are very basic I think they can be built to give a pleasing model of an unusual prototype. If I knew how I would post a pic of my long completed one.

Hope this helps.

Bob

 

PS I also have an H110 " GER Royal Saloon ", which is a clerestory coach.

Edited March 16, 2015 by boeing7572t6

[jcm@gwr]

Hi Bob,

 

That sounds very likely to be the one I have,

as it seems to have an unusual set up of

compartments and bits of corridor, plus a

pair of lavs. near the middle.

 

Thanks, Jeff

[Marshall5]

I built the 4wh N.E. milk van and a pair of G.W. fourwheelers - one was a brake end. On scratchbuilt chassis they looked quite reasonable by the standards of the day.  One didn't have a lot of choice!   Ray.

[jcm@gwr]

Ray,

 

To be honest, I still think they can look quite good.

Esp. if you do a good job of the underframe, and

adding the detailing extras you can get nowadays.

 

I also think that there is a gap in the market for this

kind of kit (scratch-aid), as it's a very cheap way of

getting started, plus the satisfaction of building it!

 

Jeff 

[boeing7572t6]

Hi Bob,

 

That sounds very likely to be the one I have,

as it seems to have an unusual set up of

compartments and bits of corridor, plus a

pair of lavs. near the middle.

 

Thanks, Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I'm sure we have nailed the id of your coach down.

Looking at my H105, the layout is, starting at one end, baggage compartment, 1st class with 7 seats,1st class with 6 seats and a short corridor alongside connecting 7 seat compt with the central toilet. After the toilets (1x 1st cl, 1x 3rd) there is a longer corridor on the opposite side for 3x 3rd compts and finally an end 3rd which has a connecting door to the corridor allowing access to the toilet. The Campling book I mentioned has an excellent drawing in 4mm of exterior and internal arrangement.

Having thought longer about the Highfield range, in addition to the GER  coaches I have mentioned, they did a pair of NER non corridors, a pair, I think, of LSWR coaches and some freight vans.  Certainly a NER brake van, probably a milk van, but others I can't remember. Of course they also did the GER Tram loco (Y6) and the Sentinel (Y1/3)  designed to sit on a Lima shunter or bogie chassis. I still have my Y6.

I agree with previous comments, they were an inexpensive intro to O gauge and could "scrub up well"

Cheers,

Bob

PS The Y1 and Y6 do crop up fairly regularly on ebay, the coaches less often.

Edited March 17, 2015 by boeing7572t6

[jcm@gwr]

Hi Bob,

 

That describes the layout of mine perfectly!

 

One of the guys at my club is going to check

his reference books (I have only GWR books).

 

I had picked a couple of pairs of bogies at the

Reading show, and 1 pr. happens to be 8'!

 

The only downside is that I'm going to have to

try and paint the teak finish!

 

Cheers, Jeff

[boeing7572t6]

Hi Bob,

 

That describes the layout of mine perfectly!

 

One of the guys at my club is going to check

his reference books (I have only GWR books).

 

I had picked a couple of pairs of bogies at the

Reading show, and 1 pr. happens to be 8'!

 

The only downside is that I'm going to have to

try and paint the teak finish!

 

Cheers, Jeff

Jeff,

I don't know what era you model but these coaches lasted until 1950s BR.

When the GER was absorbed into the LNER in 1923, this kind of secondary stock was not deemed worthy of teak finish and painted in "Stratford Brown", a sort of muddy nondescript brown. BR continued with this scheme, some being left with LNER lettering and some had their numbers repainted in BR  style.

That said, teak does look nice, and just to add another option the GER replaced teak with Crimson Lake.

Bob

[Rambler]

There was a kit for a Hull & Barnsley four-wheel goods brake among the Executors Stock at the recent Kettering Show. I passed up on it, on the basis that I've got a couple of Connoisseur NER goods brakes to build, and Parkside have just brought out a kit for an LNER van.

[jcm@gwr]

I obviously didn't look hard enough at that section,

I got the coach from the same hall, lower level.

[jcm@gwr]

I went to Ally Pally yesterday and picked up 2 more kits!

Admittedly they are both NER milk vans (26', 4 wheeled),

but I was trying to pace myself, (there were also about 5

various coach kits as well, but a bit overpriced IMHO)

 

Jeff

[Moxy]

I've just found this thread, didn't realise Highfield had released such a wide range of kits.

 

If anyone is interested in the GE Tram & the Sentinel, they are still available from Frizinghall Model Railways, link here

 

http://www.modelrailshop.co.uk/category/508/FMR_KITS

 

HTH

 

thanks

 

Moxy

[Poggy1165]

 

The GC brake to the left in this photo is a Highfield body married to a Peco chassis and roof. There are a number of fairly egregious errors in this excuse for a model, but it was intended as a quick job to get things going when I was short of brake vans.

 

For comparison is the CL version of a GP kit which I picked up (as it stands) on the executor and trustee stall at an exhibition. While neither van is perfect, the GP version is obviously superior.

 

Just in view on the extreme left is an ongoing build, a marriage of all that is good in a Bill Bedford kit with all that is good in a GP kit. An expensive option, but when finished it will certainly knock the Highfield botch into a cocked hat. Having said that, the Highfield body ain't that bad, and if I'd built a proper chassis for it would probably be OK. I may try that one day, when I have a spare month.

[jcm@gwr]

Thanks guys,

 

Moxy, I checked FMR, and they only had 1 in stock

for both the GE Tram and Sentinel, so I ordered the

GE Tram! (my son can have a go at building it for his

first 0 gauge loco).

 

Poggy, as you said, 'they're not that bad', from the

photo it looks fine to me.

You get the satisfaction of creating something, as well

as the fact it is a cheap entry to the Senior Scale!

 

Cheers, Jeff

[jcm@gwr]

Well, my Y6 kit turned up today, had a quick look!

It's certainly a lot more comprehensive than I expected.

 

It includes glazing, handrail wire, 1 sheet of brass etch

and a bag of whitemetal bits, I've got the Lima bogie

(with upgraded motor), just need paint and transfers.

 

Oh, and some spare time!

 

But, I think I'll have to build this one, it looks a bit more

involved than the usual Highfields standard of kit.

 

Jeff

[jcm@gwr]

Right, me again!

 

Having started the first of my NER (LNER) Milk Vans,

I've realised that I don't have enough info/pics to be

able to build the chassis/underframe.

 

The only info given is 'Built at York 1901', Nos:-384, 385, 386

25' over beams, 14' 6" wheelbase, 3' 6" wheels.

It also suggests using van type axleguards with long springs.

 

Thanks, Jeff

 

[Poggy1165]

Best bet might be to contact the North Eastern Railway Association. They have an amazing amount of prototype information available, and might well be able to assist.