Eastern Region coaches

[sb67]

I'm having trouble finding some Hornby Gresley coaches. Can anyone tell me any other coaches suitable for an Eastern Region Branch train of the 1960's. I was wondering if any LNER coaches as made by Kirk kits would be suitable.

Thanks

Steve

[davidw]

Plenty on eBay also Hattons, Cheltenham Model Center, recommend Thompson or Gresley non vestibule..

[Fenman]

I'm having trouble finding some Hornby Gresley coaches. Can anyone tell me any other coaches suitable for an Eastern Region Branch train of the 1960's. I was wondering if any LNER coaches as made by Kirk kits would be suitable.

Thanks

Steve

And it depends which ER branch: the former M&GN lines persisted in using Stanier corridor coaches (as also made by Hornby) for some services. They usually operated in a set of 3: brake; composite; brake. Unfortunately Hornby never produced the composite (it's longer than the other coaches), so you're probably best putting an all-3rd in the middle of the rake.

 

Paul

[31A]

Mark 1 coaches (corridor and non corridor) were sometimes used.

[jonny777]

I'm having trouble finding some Hornby Gresley coaches. Can anyone tell me any other coaches suitable for an Eastern Region Branch train of the 1960's. I was wondering if any LNER coaches as made by Kirk kits would be suitable.

Thanks

Steve

 

Yes, the Kirk non-corridor or non-vestibule kits would be ok for the early 1960s before DMUs took over. You might be stretching things a little, because the Thompson variety superceded them on some services; but with the low wear and tear of a rural branch line the same coaching stock could be in use for decades.

 

Three coach formations would be a couple of brake seconds and a composite;  or alternatively brake second, second, brake composite. Some lines only had two coaches, with one of the brake vehicles not present.

 

Kirk kits include a 4 compartment push-pull trailer, which would be another option.

[jwealleans]

Most of the Ian Kirk kits, which the OP mentioned, would be suitable. Non-vestibuled stock in the main, but older corridor stock was also cascaded. What you'd be very unlikely to see would be the end vestibuled stock, the last generation of Gresley mainline carriages.

 

As someone has already said, think in sets - a one carriage train would most likely be a BC (both classes + luggage/parcels space), then as the sets grow more of each kind of accommodation is added - something like BT, C for two carriages, BT, C, T for 3 cars, BT, C, T, BT for 4 and so on.

[Fenman]

Mark 1 coaches (... non corridor) were sometimes used.

 

Oh, oh, this is excellent news: for absolutely ages I've been looking for an excuse to use Mk1 non-corridors on 1950s/60s ER branches, but don't remember seeing any photographs. Where were they used?

 

Paul

[31A]

Not able to check books etc at the moment but have seen pictures of them in trains on Cambridge-Ipswich, for example.

[jonny777]

Oh, oh, this is excellent news: for absolutely ages I've been looking for an excuse to use Mk1 non-corridors on 1950s/60s ER branches, but don't remember seeing any photographs. Where were they used?

 

Paul

 

 

Ah, now that is the difficult question. There are photos in various books and on videos, but it will take a while to look through them.

 

The services from Nottingham Victoria used a variety of stock on each train. I think old Lincolnshire branches used even older stock until passenger services were withdrawn.

[John Tomlinson]

The Kirk kits are fun to make, relatively inexpensive and do fit the bill in various ways.

 

Unfortunately you may find them hard to come by, as the owner Coopercraft has been unable to undertake production for some time. Ebay is your best bet if you want to go this route.

 

John.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

What I recall in respect of the ex-LNER vehicles is the speed of the transition to largely DMU's or loco hauled BR mk1 non-gangwayed with a few cascaded LNER gangwayed coaches. As late as 1955 the more outlying branches still had a few pregroup passenger vehicles in service, the current route of the NYMR a good example for which photographic evidence is plentiful. In just five years almost all the grouping (and any remaining earlier) non-gangwayed went to the scrapper: notable survivors into the 1960s were the Thompson CL because BR hadn't built enough of the mk1 SLO, (and the four paired sets of Quadarts retained for KX inner sub, but these were nothing to do with branchline services).

[sb67]

Seen the Thompson suburban thirds on hattons R4652 & 4653 what would they be suitable for?

[sb67]

Or would these be suitable? http://shop.cooper-craft.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=163  http://shop.cooper-craft.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=164

[Classsix T]

Oh, oh, this is excellent news: for absolutely ages I've been looking for an excuse to use Mk1 non-corridors on 1950s/60s ER branches, but don't remember seeing any photographs. Where were they used?

 

Paul

Sudbury branch used some. On the basis of pictorial evidence I've purchased six coaches, one each of composite lav, brake second and second corridor in Mk1, Thompson and Gresley designs. The beauty being able to mix and match the three flavours together.

 

I think the regional past and present title was my picture source.

 

C6T.

[edcayton]

Oh, oh, this is excellent news: for absolutely ages I've been looking for an excuse to use Mk1 non-corridors on 1950s/60s ER branches, but don't remember seeing any photographs. Where were they used?

 

Paul

 

Fairly sure they were used on Hatfield-Luton (and Dunstable?) trains.

 

Ed

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Fairly sure they were used on Hatfield-Luton ...

 

 For sure. Already in service while this branch was still steam worked by N7s (and N2s when the eye of authority was distracted) in the late 50s : then behind Brush type 2s to the end, alongside the Cravens DMUs.