Kit Built Vs RTR BR Mk1 Coaches

[Chrismontgomery8]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm new to the forum and I have recently started modelling in 2FS, apologies if this subject has raised before I did a quick search but nothing came to light straight away (Man Look)

 

So for those of you out there in the know, I am looking to see if I can find how good/bad RTR BR Mk1 coaches are when compared to an Etch built coach, from what I can see so far there isn't a great deal of difference in cost, the only impact it has really is the amount of time it takes to build an etch kit compared to buying one off the shelf.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, images would be welcomed if available.

 

Chris 

[garethashenden]

I have no personal experience with them specificity, however, the kits will be 1:152 whereas RTR will be 1:148. This will have an effect on how they look with other models. If you're mostly using diesels or converted RTR steam then the RTR coaches are probably better, they'll match each other. Or, if you're mostly using kit/scratch built locomotives then the kits will match.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Chris,

 

In terms of accuracy, finish and available range Farish Mk1s are excellent IMO, so a fair bit will come down to the quality of the kit (which did you have in mind?) and your skill at putting it together and painting it.

 

Also there's the question of scale as explained by Gareth.

 

So I'm not sure a "definitive" answer to your question is possible. Why not get hold of a Farish Mk1 and decide for yourself?

 

Cheers

 

Ben A. (N gauger who dabbles in 2mm)

Edited April 20, 2015 by Ben A

[bécasse]

Another issue to consider is how many of these coaches you are going to run together. One coach trains formed of Mk1 BR stock were pretty rare, the normal minimum was probably a 3-set (BTK,CK,BTK) and that was more common on the Southern than elsewhere.

 

Getting a rake of similar scratch/kit-built carriages, especially flush-sided ones, to look good together is surprisingly difficult, even for very skilled modellers, whereas the task is much easier when you use good proprietary ones like the modern Farish vehicles.

[Chrismontgomery8]

Thanks very much for the replies guys,

 

I think the way forward is to buy some RTR for the time being as my loco's are or will be converted RTR items, in which case it makes sense to do the same with the coaches, with the possibility of adding missing detailing as I see fit later down the road.

[Chris Higgs]

As designer of the BR Mk1 coach kits available from the Asssociation, here is my two-penneth.

 

The kits were created before the current incarnation of Farish Mk1s, and its quite probable they would never had been done if the Farish ones had existed at the time. The RTR models are excellent, and really the only points I would fault them on is that the flush glazing does look a bit prismatic as it is quite thick, and that the bogies stick out further than they should because of the long pinpoint axles used by RTR manufacturers. On the first point, not much you can do, and it's not as bad as the Dapol equivalents - I really don't like my one Dapol Manusell for this reason. For the second, you can always fit Assocaition bogies if you want.

 

The last point where I might still use a kit is for consistency. If you wanted to build a Mk1 coach not in the Farish range from a kit, you will struggle to get it to match the RTR ones. Farish have not left many gaps in the range, and I have also thought about etching coach sides with window holes into which the Farish window glazing could be fitted.

 

If you were planning to build a large range of pre-nationalisation coaches from kits, then I might consider building Mk1s also from kits, just to get a matching looking set of stock. Especially so if the other coaches are to 1:152 scale.   

 

Chris

[John57sharp]

Thanks for this info, I was going to ask a similar question, so I'll just ask whether there is anything further to add given that the last update was over 2 years back?

 

 

Cheers

John

[2mmKiwi]

Here is an example of a converted Farish MK1, part of a 10  coach set for The Cornishman. It has had a respray on the roof and under frames, some weathering, coupling blocks and N gauge couplings removed and replaced with micro trains z scale knuckle couplings

[Joseph_Pestell]

Here is an example of a converted Farish MK1, part of a 10  coach set for The Cornishman. It has had a respray on the roof and under frames, some weathering, coupling blocks and N gauge couplings removed and replaced with micro trains z scale knuckIMG_7088.JPGle couplings

Those couplings look good. What is the minimum radius that you can operate with them?

[Chris Higgs]

Here is an example of a converted Farish MK1, part of a 10  coach set for The Cornishman. It has had a respray on the roof and under frames, some weathering, coupling blocks and N gauge couplings removed and replaced with micro trains z scale knuckIMG_7088.JPGle couplings

 

The roof and underframe respray makes all the difference. I doubt if I know anyone who could line a kit-built coach to the standards that Farish achieve.

 

Chris

[2mmKiwi]

Hi - I run them on the minimum radius curve of 600mm, there are no issues with the couplings 

 

 

Those couplings look good. What is the minimum radius that you can operate with them?

[2mmKiwi]

I have also added joining concertina gangways to my coach along with name boards and passengers. I think that with a few modifications the Farish coaches allow consistency to be achieved on a long rake.

[John57sharp]

They look a treat on that bridge.

 

Cheers

[nick_bastable]

I have also added joining concertina gangways to my coach along with name boards and passengers. I think that with a few modifications the Farish coaches allow consistency to be achieved on a long rake.

that looks really good please start a thread and with luck there will be some more photos of the layout?

 

Nick

[Nig H]

Here is a pic of a Farish mk1 and below it one of my coaches built from Bill Bedford sides, for comparison. If I wasn't a coach nut, I'd stick with the latest Farish coaches.

 

 

Nig H

[Coal Tank]

Yes more photos of your model

[Fingers]

Here is an example of a converted Farish MK1, part of a 10  coach set for The Cornishman. It has had a respray on the roof and under frames, some weathering, coupling blocks and N gauge couplings removed and replaced with micro trains z scale knuckIMG_7088.JPGle couplings

 

Just picked up on this thread and am impressed by the improved look of the coach by taking couplings off bogie and body mounting. Which particular type of coupling did you use and is there a chance of a couple of photographs showing the underside. I dropped a PM but thought I'd cover bases.

 

Paul

[Jim T]

Just to pick up on that, 2mmKiwi, how did you do the window frames on the CK please? Looks fabulous.

[2mmKiwi]

Hi Jim,

The windows are just stock and have had no modifications.

 

Steve