Hornby announce SR 58' Maunsell Rebuilt Ex-LSWR Coaches

[barrymx5]

Have I missed the "fix" for wheel dragging? Much discussion in March with the promise of a solution. Or is "Fetting" the answer?

[Dunsignalling]

They never wore green in Southern Region days. They kept SR green (probably with many coats of varnish) until they were painted maroon. 

Bearing in mind that withdrawal of these coaches began c1956, quite a lot would undoubtedly have been scrapped still carrying re-varnished SR paint with BR markings.

 

My own feelings have settled around the possibility that a few (no more than a dozen) late survivors might have been repainted c1958. These would have been all-thirds included in mixed sets, mainly running off ex-LSWR territory. However, despite some of these lasting until 1962, survival of SR paint applied in 1946/7 for 15+ years cannot be ruled out.

 

It would definitely exclude any of the 2-sets, the last of which went (officially) at the end of 1958. Photographic sources suggest they generally ceased to run in traffic in July, with cascaded Maunsell corridor stock appearing on their former duties thereafter.

 

 

John

Edited July 12, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[Oldddudders]

Hattons are now listing further tranches of these, shown as on order, in crimson again and in malachite for the first time. An ebay seller is advertising the new crimson versions right now.

[Derails Models]

Hattons are now listing further tranches of these, shown as on order, in crimson again and in malachite for the first time. An ebay seller is advertising the new crimson versions right now.

 

And now they're on the shelves! All variants just arrived into stock with us, should be arriving at other retailers very soon.

[barrymx5]

And now they're on the shelves! All variants just arrived into stock with us, should be arriving at other retailers very soon.

But do the wheels run freely yet?

[gc4946]

I alerted my work colleague to the impending arrival of R4795, the lavatory 3rd, running number 320, preserved on the Bluebell - he collects anything connected with the railway

 

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/sr-58-maunsell-rebuilt-ex-lswr-48-nine-compartment-third-class-coach.html

 

After many years, the prototype's still awaiting full restoration ...

 

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/320b.html

 

However, I bet at some point the Bluebell will commission a batch featuring the carriage in its blue livery initially applied in preservation to accompany its R2891 train pack

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/Hornby-r2891-bluebell-railway-terrier-425515507

Edited September 2, 2017 by gc4946

[trevor7598]

My R 4795 lav. third 320 arrived this morning.

To my eyes Hornby's rendition of ' malachite ' is good, and yes mine does run freely.

At under £35 + pp, from Derails, b****y good value too.

One gripe ( we must have one of those ), Hornby have used the pre-war ' smoking/non-smoking window decals,

The Bullied style red on white triangle in the one no smoking compartment, would have been more appropriate.

 

Other than that, another masterpiece from Hornby ( my opinion ).

[autocoach]

Just a heads up to anyone thats had issues with these coaches 'dragging' and not running freely. I've found the problem.

 

A customer came to me yesterday with a full rake to try and 'free up' as they basically didn't roll at all, more stopped immediately when pushed. And certain smaller lesser powered locos couldn't handle more than two or three at a time on his layout. 

 

I'll add some before/after pictures once I've modified them, but basically the brake blocks are nearly ALL in contact with the wheel treads when on the track, on some bogies all were, thus preventing free rolling. This is quite unusual in 4mm as the brakes correctly line up with the wheels, but the clearance is not sufficient by at least 1mm. Effectively meaning the brakes were hard on in a scale format which I haven't come across before! This issue is disguised by the fact that when you turn them upside down and spin the wheels, they fall downwards slightly free of the brakes, making you think they don't touch, but when on the track they do. 

 

So, just to make sure I removed the brake block moulding entirely to prove this was the issue (it can be prised off the bogie in one piece with a flat bladed screwdriver after removing the wheels) and sure enough, the bogies roll perfectly without the brake rigging in situ. No issues with wheelsets/bearings at all, purely the binding brakes.

 

I'm not a steam era modeller myself but these are really lovely coaches, genuinely nice. But how this particular fault got past Hornby quality control baffles me, It's spectacularly easy to test if a coach rolls or not. Possibly some shrinkage in the plastic at some stage, but whatever the cause I'll post pics on how to fix it in the next couple of weeks as I know lots of you have been having trouble. 

 

Alex

Alex 

Did you ever publish a solution for the sticky brakes.  

 

After playing around with my Maunsell green pair of coaches, I noticed it was only on the axles towards the end of the coach. The inboard axles were free running when upside down. I don't want to remove the brake shoes on the outer wheel sets so I am looking for a better solution. I have tried some Kadee 231 Greas-em graphite powder to lube but with minimal improvement. I can't find the Teflon lube I have used in the past on my workbench. It is a holiday here in the states and it will be Wednesday at the earliest before I can get to my LHS (Local Hobby Shop) to see if they still carry it. 

[Wickham Green]

Alex 

Did you ever publish a solution for the sticky brakes.  

 

After playing around with my Maunsell green pair of coaches, I noticed it was only on the axles towards the end of the coach. The inboard axles were free running when upside down. I don't want to remove the brake shoes on the outer wheel sets so I am looking for a better solution. I have tried some Kadee 231 Greas-em graphite powder to lube but with minimal improvement. I can't find the Teflon lube I have used in the past on my workbench. It is a holiday here in the states and it will be Wednesday at the earliest before I can get to my LHS (Local Hobby Shop) to see if they still carry it. 

Careful putting lubricants anywhere near the brake shoes / wheel tyres - it'll end up on the track and your locos won't be able to pull ANYTHING !

 

None of my Maunsells ( gangwayed or otherwise ) have suffered from this sticking-brake syndrome so I can't offer a solution - other than to carefully run a fine scalpel blade between the wheel and offending brake block : you want to shave slivers off rather than cutting chunks so the BACK of the blade might be best for scraping ( mind your fingers and other details - of the coach ). IFa wheel set is free with the coach upside down, it should be free in running mode as the axle is in the top of its bearing in each case.

 

Pre-war window labels would ONLY be right with malachite green on those FEW coaches refurbished for Bournemouth or Dover services ..... this does NOT include these rebuilds as a) they were not used on those services ( or anything like ) and b) they'd only just been rebult so weren't ripe for refurbishing again : yes they do seem to have been given these labels when rebuilt ( in Maunsell green ) but very few coaches - of any type - carried them post war ( Maybe, just maybe, their enormous size blocked out too much daylight when the glazing area was reduced with blackout paint ??!? ). Neither post-war labelling nor the earlier etched markings ( many of which DID survive into BR days ) are available from the after-market suppliers : shame on them !

[Budgie]

Neither post-war labelling nor the earlier etched markings ( many of which DID survive into BR days ) are available from the after-market suppliers : shame on them !

Post-war No Smoking labels are available from Replica Railways.

[Wickham Green]

Post-war No Smoking labels are available from Replica Railways.

They're a bit too 'post' ......... post nationalisation rather than post-war Southern ( colours reversed and not quite the same shape ! ) .......

[Steamport Southport]

They've been available for forty plus years from PC Models and now the HMRS.

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/sr-bulleid-loco-and-coach-insignia-150366.html

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Wickham Green]

They've been available for forty plus years from PC Models and now the HMRS.

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/sr-bulleid-loco-and-coach-insignia-150366.html

 

 

 

 

Jason

I have many part used Methfix sheets, thank you ......... but not one of them has the post-war red-on-white triangular NO SMOKING labels  ................ what's more, the FIRST CLASS labels have been the wrong colour for forty plus years ........................... maybe the HMRS will wake up and put things right when the new Southern Livery Register appears : published by ............... er ............ let me think ... er .... the HMRS !

[Steamport Southport]

Or maybe commission them yourself? 

 

Plenty of transfer manufacturers do one offs and if there is demand then they add them to their range.

 

 

 

Jason

[Wickham Green]

Or maybe commission them yourself? 

 

Plenty of transfer manufacturers do one offs and if there is demand then they add them to their range.

 

 

 

Jason

Plenty of transfer manufacturers only seem to be interested in this side of nationalisation - or don't think there actually will be demand  ...... or can't be bothered to respond anyway ..................

[mikesndbs]

Good evening, well then. I got two of these coaches in the Lyme Regis set, ordered a middle coach to go with that but found the brake blocks drag terribly.

Not happy with that but with a bit of bending and a little wet & dry that is solved.

 

So when Rails offered four SR green of the same I could not resist.

 

Have to say they are lovely, however Hornby’s terrible lack of quality control has let them down again!

 

One of the coaches (no320) has been bodged assembled and had its step board incorrectly fitted one end, please see the photos for reference.

 

I have tried to relocate it in the hole but it is very reluctant.

 

Any tips and for the record I am getting sick of this lack of quality control, you could maybe put up with it if they were Railroad range.

 

 

[Oldddudders]

But do the wheels run freely yet?

Yes. Night and day different. My set 44 certainly rolls away on a slope that neither I, nor previous-run sets 43 & 45, was aware of. I think my other older sets run better than some have reported, but nothing like these. I have two more sets from this run awaiting Kadees.

[JSpencer]

Strange, I have a set of the original batch maroons and one green 320. No running issues on any of them (unlike the ex LMS Portholes).

Edited September 29, 2017 by JSpencer

[John M Upton]

Similarly I have two maroon and a green from the first batch and also no problems whatsoever with any of them.

[7013]

I would like to buy a couple of these coaches but I must confess my ignorance about pairings with these sets. I will be running SR versions not post 'big four'. Could anyone advise me which of the current coaches available would be appropriate to run a pair together?

Thanks in anticipation.

[Tim Dubya]

I would like to buy a couple of these coaches but I must confess my ignorance about pairings with these sets. I will be running SR versions not post 'big four'. Could anyone advise me which of the current coaches available would be appropriate to run a pair together?

Thanks in anticipation.

BCK + BTK as on the Lyme Regis branch, other formations I'm not too sure about.

 

https://youtu.be/jY6yXE4WnlM

 

Basically, whatever the formation there'll be a brake at each end

Edited October 8, 2017 by Tim Dubya

[SRman]

There will always be a minimum of one brake coach in a set. BCK + BTK (as mentioned by Tim) was a common formation, but the Southern did have some 2-sets that had only one brake coach; depending on the branch and traffic requirements, it might be TK + BTK, CK + BTK, or even TK + BCK. Later on some Open Thirds (TO) also found their way into sets, while many were 'loose' coaches added to strengthen sets.

There is a list of coach sets somewhere on the SEMG website, although I can't remember whether it goes back to Southern days or starts in BR days, but it will give some idea of the various formations and how many sets there were with any given formation.

All of the above refer to gangwayed types. There were many non-corridor types in sets as well, such as the ex-LSWR sets and the Birdcage sets.

Edited October 8, 2017 by SRman

[chris45lsw]

There will always be a minimum of one brake coach in a set. BCK + BTK (as mentioned by Tim) was a common formation, but the Southern did have some 2-sets that had only one brake coach; depending on the branch and traffic requirements, it might be TK + BTK, CK + BTK, or even TK + BCK. Later on some Open Thirds (TO) also found their way into sets, while many were 'loose' coaches added to strengthen sets.

 

There is a list of coach sets somewhere on the SEMG website, although I can't remember whether it goes back to Southern days or starts in BR days, but it will give some idea of the various formations and how many sets there were with any given formation.

 

All of the above refer to gangwayed types. There were many non-corridor types in sets as well, such as the ex-LSWR sets and the Birdcage sets.

Set  42:  BCL 6401 / BT 2636

Set  43:  BCL 6402 / BT 2637

Set  44:  BCL 6403 / BT 2638

Set  45:  BCL 6404 / BT 2639

Set  46:  BCL 6405 / BT 2640

 

These are the only prototype sets which can be made with the Hornby coaches - the TLs were mainly 'loose' and the BTLs were in 2-sets but Hornby don't make the matching coach (56ft LSWR).  A couple did become loose in later life.

 

Of the coaches recently released in post-War Southern Railway livery R4792 (BT 2638) and R4794 (BCL 6403) will give you set 44.

 

Chris Knowles-Thomas

[Tim Dubya]

Ah yes, forgot these aren't corridor coaches... doh!

 

So for BCK, read BCL and BTK read BTL, would that be correct?

 

Edit:

 

Would L stand for Lavatory?

Edited October 9, 2017 by Tim Dubya

[NHY 581]

Ah yes, forgot these aren't corridor coached... doh!

So for BCK, read BCL and BTK read BTL, would that be correct?

Edit:

Would L stand for Lavatory?

 

I'm sure 'L' would. He is very polite.

 

 

Rob.