Hornby GWR Autocoach

[melmerby]

4 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

But you are the one who is trying to twist it by mentioning motors and coupling rods. They use the same screws as well...

 

Triang ceased to exist in 1971. Hence nothing in the Hornby 2721 is Triang and no amount of pedantry is going to change that.

 

 

 

Jason

Made in the same factory...........By the same company............

It's you that's being pedantic insisting a name change wipes the slate clean.

 

Triang as a brand might have ceased to exist but the company making the items carried on with a different brand name and ownership and continued to develop the model range as Triang had done before

What the new Hornby brand started selling were many of the old Triang/Triang Hornby items branded just as Hornby.

[The Johnster]

Hornby has nothing to do with Hornby Dublo, which went bankrupt in 1971.  The dies and toolings for some of the 2-rail range were adopted by Wrenn who sold them at higher prices than Hornby Dublo to a niche market who believed that Hornby Dublo represented a high standard of British dammit Carruthers engineering, which they arguably did but costs and hanging on to 3-rail long after it's sell by did for the company, and eventually did for Wrenn as well. 

 

Triang, generically Rovex which is why their models' catalogue numbers start with R, was able to secure the use of the Hornby brand name and such goodwill that attached to it, and renamed themselves Triang Hornby.  They never made any of the old Hornby Dublo range except for the coupling at one end of a coupling converter wagon.  A later rebranding saw them calling themselves Hornby, but they have no connection beyond the name with Hornby Dublo, Dinky Toys, or Meccano,  They have, rather shamelessly IMHO, during this year, exploited the centeniall of Frank Hornby's introduction of Hornby tinplate coarse scale 0 gauge toy trains. shamelessly because it is nothing to do with a company that is generically Rovex and was instrumental in the downfall of Hornby Dublo, but they are doing nothing illegal whatever my view of the matter may be...

 

So, FWIW, which as always is the same as what I charge for it,  it is by no means irrational to regard a 2721 introduced by 'Hornby' in 1980 as to all intents and purposes a Triang model by another name.  Nothing about it's design, production, or construction is related in any way to any Hornby Dublo product, and is at the same time closely related to several Triang products.  It is still being produced with R52's axle spacings.

 

This is only my opinion, and is only that until I change my mind.  It may or may not be correct in part, whole, or not at all, and other opinions are available which are no more or less valid than mine or anyone else's.  Nobody has to take a blind bit of notice of it and it may or may not be that that is just as well; that is a matter for your opinion, to which you are entitled as much as I am to mine.  But my opinion is that I'm right...

[melmerby]

8 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Hornby has nothing to do with Hornby Dublo, which went bankrupt in 1971.  The dies and toolings for some of the 2-rail range were adopted by Wrenn who sold them at higher prices than Hornby Dublo to a niche market who believed that Hornby Dublo represented a high standard of British dammit Carruthers engineering, which they arguably did but costs and hanging on to 3-rail long after it's sell by did for the company, and eventually did for Wrenn as well. 

 

Triang, generically Rovex which is why their models' catalogue numbers start with R, was able to secure the use of the Hornby brand name and such goodwill that attached to it, and renamed themselves Triang Hornby.  They never made any of the old Hornby Dublo range except for the coupling at one end of a coupling converter wagon. 

 

 

Lines Bros' Triang name derived from the fact their were three Lines brothers and 3 lines make a Triang(le)

Lines Bros acquired Rovex plastics and used the company to make their Triang brand railway models.

Later Lines Bros acquired the bankrupt Meccano Ltd and it's trademarks but almost immediately passed the HD stuff to G&R Wrenn who were also associated with Lines bros. The resurrected HD stuff was for a time branded Triang Wrenn.

The newly acquired prestigious Hornby brand name was tagged on the end of the Triang brand.

In 1971 Lines Bros itself went bust and the Triang train making Rovex company, but not the Triang name, was sold to a new owner.

Henceforth the company only had the Hornby brand to use (I assume nobody would have known who Rovex were!)

The company we now have trading as Hornby is the old Rovex company having gone through several changes of ownership and official company name.

In 1980 when the 2721 was produced they were still called Rovex and using the same factory in Margate but trading under just the Hornby brand.

 

I believe Triang continued selling the HD station for a while and the Triang AL1 used a body which was derived from the HD one.

 

I'm rather suprised that the R1 tank didn't join the Triang range as it was in the same spirit as a Triang loco. Basic plastic body, sitting on a diecast chassis with a conventional 3 pole motor.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Ok...just a little company history seems to be required...

 

 

Meccano Ltd, makers of Hornby Dublo, etc. was taken over totally, all of the brands, etc., by Lines Bros Ltd, makers of Tri-ang Railways, and a lot of other things, in 1964.

 

It was decided to “amalgamate” the Tri-ang Railways and Hornby Dublo ranges.
 

The name would be Tri-ang Hornby Model Railways.

 

A special leaflet was produced, and the amalgamation was announced in 1965.

 

There was a lot of unsold Hornby Dublo stock at Binns Road. A lot was to be sold with “Tri-ang Hornby” logo stickers over the Hornby Dublo Logo.
 

HD catalogue numbers were retained, with a “R” prefix added.

 

The Hornby Dublo overhead electric loco Body was modified to take a Tri-ang type motor bogie. This Loco was a true Tri-ang Hornby amalgamation.

 

For a short while, the large station kit was manufactured at Margate, moulded in the Tri-ang second series station colours.

 

Two converter wagons were made. 
 

A plain black open wagon, using a modified version of the by then replaced by a plastic version die cast metal SWB wagon chassis, with a Delrin Hornby Dublo FPC Final Plastic Coupling At one end, and the standard Tri-ant MKIII coupling the other end.

 

For use in passenger trains, a version of the Tri-ang Railways LWB Horsebox on a similarly modified version of the old metal LWB chassis.

 

At this time, G&R Wrenn Ltd. was also a part of the Lines Bros Group.

 

It was decided to transfer some of the Hornby Dublo tooling to Wrenn, to be marketed as “Tri-ang Wrenn Model Railways”.

 

It was the Lines Bros group that went into liquidation around 1971...

 

The Tri-ang name was sold of separately from the Rovex Industries Model division, so could no longer be used by Rovex, now owned by Dunbee Combex Marx.

 

The new brand name was Hornby Railways.

 

Mr. Wrenn, at this time, bought back his company, becoming Wrenn Railways...

 

Later, CBM also went into liquidation.

 

Via a management buyout, eventually Hornby Hobbies Ltd was formed...

 

The brand name was later shortened to just “Hornby”...
 

 

That’s pretty much a simplified account.

 

For more information, try Pat Hammond’s The Story of Rovex books...

 

 

 

Melmerby posted while I was typing this lot....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by Sarahagain
Other reply posted while typing...

[melmerby]

BTW Later much of the unsold genuine HD stuff was offloaded by Lines Bros to Hattons, who were still selling it years after the collapse of Meccano.

 

I don't know what this is to do with the Hornby Autocoach that started life at Airfix

 

 

However the Hornby coach is a 59' 6" example unlike the Bachmann which is a much later 64' example

Edited August 17, 2020 by melmerby

[NCB]

Triang did take over Hornby Dublo, and at the time the intention was to merge the two ranges, shoving Triang couplings on the HD stock. Economics intervened and it never actually happened to any extent. Instead the Dublo moulds were farmed out to Wrenn, who Triang had taken a controlling interest in. When Triang collapsed Wrenn bought itself out from the receiver and continued to produce Dublo-based and newer models until 1992, when the owners decided to retire, selling the moulds to Dapol.

[NCB]

Nothing to do with autocoaches (sorry!), but if manufacturers widened their vision a bit then there's a load of prototypes waiting to be modelled (so long as they're happy doing a prototype which no longer exists). E.g. the Rhymney Railway had a whole host of 0-6-2 tanks with the same wheelbase as the 56XX, the first appearing in 1906, all making BR days and the last disappearing in 1958. Also, the Cambrian Jones Goods lasted from 1904 to 1954.

Edited August 17, 2020 by NCB

[BWsTrains]

Guys, can we bring this Topic back on target, where, BTW it was hibernating peacefully with the odd pertinent question?

 

If the whole wider topic under current discussion is that newsworthy then surely more folk will share in it if graced with its own pertinent title - or is that asking too much? 

[BWsTrains]

On 12/03/2018 at 18:33, BWsTrains said:

 

 

...... Autocoach '190' (Didcot) which I guess as close as you can get to '191' released by Hornby and right timescale for me, has interior of red upholstery, timbers much lighter...., pale brown lino. ...........

 

see http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/coaches/190/190_int_01.html

......

 

 

 

As a modest gesture towards redirecting comments here back on track, I note that Didcot have rebuilt their website so the link I supplied with photos of no. 190 Collett Auto Trailer in 2018 is now dead.

 

for the curent version see:

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/120/no-190-collett-auto-trailer

 

In the intervening 2 1/2 years Hornby have released no. 190 to partner no. 191 so now I have both and can run Autocoaches in all sorts of configurations. Help would be appreciated on what sorts of other mix and match combinations I could use beyond the classic 48xx "sandwich"

 

Colin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by BWsTrains

[Jon Harbour]

I'm sure I've seen a photo somewhere of a four autocoach sandwich... with a 64xx providing the power. I'll have a dig around.

[lofty1966]

What about them autotrailers then, eh?

[chrisf]

More common than the stereotypical sandwich, I think you'll find, was the pair of trailers at one end of the loco.  Towards the end of auto operation of the so-called Saltash Stinker it was common to find two trailers at either end of the loco, ie trailer, trailer, loco, trailer, trailer.  When auto operation in South Wales was expanded in 1953 there would be semi-permanent pairs of trailers at one end of the loco, augmented if necessary by one trailer at the other, so trailer, loco, trailer, trailer.  Practice varied from division to division and in some cases the local carriage working programme would lay down at which end of the loco the trailer was to be marshalled.

 

Chris   

[The Johnster]

16 hours ago, NCB said:

Nothing to do with autocoaches (sorry!), but if manufacturers widened their vision a bit then there's a load of prototypes waiting to be modelled (so long as they're happy doing a prototype which no longer exists). E.g. the Rhymney Railway had a whole host of 0-6-2 tanks with the same wheelbase as the 56XX, the first appearing in 1906, all making BR days and the last disappearing in 1958. Also, the Cambrian Jones Goods lasted from 1904 to 1954.

Spot on, NCB, and the same axle spacing was used for the RR P and M classes and similar locos built for the N & B and B & M Rlys.  It may have been used for the S class shunting loco as well.  These locos all lasted into the 1950s, some in original condition.  See Tomparryharry's thread about loco chassis blocks suitable for a range of locos.

 

15 hours ago, Jon Harbour said:

I'm sure I've seen a photo somewhere of a four autocoach sandwich... with a 64xx providing the power. I'll have a dig around.

The Plymouth Area autos ran in this form for many years, with 70' trailers gangwayed between each 2 coach set.  3 trailer sandwiches with 64xx and 4575s were common in South Wales after a timetable revision in 1953 resulted in an expansion of auto work in the area, with the single trailer at the smokebox end.  Valleys work habitually had the loco facing smokebox first up the valley.  Because the fireman on an auto duty has extra footplate duties (he must operate the reverser, ejectors, etc), passed firemen were preferred for auto duties, and more senior 'unpassed' men were rostered when passed men were not available.  Where 'sandwich' working is concerned, the fireman is alone on the footplate of the loco for the entire working day, in communication only by the buzzer which didn't work most of the time.  In reality, quite a bit of the vital communication between driver and fireman on auto workings was by ESP and skilled interpretation of what the driver will want the fireman to do next...  In the trailer cab, the driver has only the regulator handle and a brake setter to control the train with, and the foot pedal operated bell to get people out of the way; any 'precision' braking was done by the fireman on the loco.

 

The bucolic vision of a 14xx with a single trailer ambling along a rural branch line was a long way from suburban auto work, which consisted on more than half of all auto workings.  Suburban work was tightly timed to keep out of the way of other traffic on busy routes, and turnaround times were tight as well; I have a 1960 Valleys Division WTT which gives some auto working no more than 3 minutes turnaround at Cardiff's Clarence Road docks terminus; no grass here, and no time for chewing it...

 

The GW auto linkage provided a manual connection between the loco' regulator and the regulator handle in the auto cab, and the play necessary in this linkage to cope with curvature, changes in gradients, and normal movement meant that no more than 2 trailers could be coupled to the loco and driven from the leading cab; the linkage was 'handed' so that the trailers could not be coupled with the cab facing the loco; there were never any double ended auto trailers.  Non-gangway compartment brake composit trailers were used for the Lydney-Sharpness Severn Bridge service, converted Collett stock with a single window in the cab end, and similar Collett brake 3rds were converted by BR for the 1953 South Wales trains; these were known universally as 'Cyclops' trailers, and Comet provide a kit for the A43 South Wales type.  South Wales also had an all 3rd of the same style with no more alteration than 'through' auto linkage being provided; these could be seen working with any auto trailer between the driving trailer and the loco as well as the A43s.  These compartment trailers could not be used on services where low level platforms occurred.

 

In some places in South Wales at least and possibly elsewhere, these complications and an apparent lack of auto fitted locos to cover the work at some sheds, which may have been further complicated by lack of auto-experienced crews, photographic evidence shows that trains consisting of auto trailers but hauled by non auto fitted locos that had to run around at the termini, with the trailers sometimes facing different directions, were not uncommon.  Tondu, for example, had 5 branches worked by auto trains, and usually only auto fitted locos to work them with, which meant that when the situation arose that the auto stud was down a loco having a boiler washout or a rostered passed fireman called in sick or was on leave, 'normal' working filled in, usually on the Abergwynfi branch where photos confirm this, because this was probably the most difficult branch for the fireman.

 

Many GW built and railmotor converted trailers of both panelled and matchboarded types lasted well into the 50s, when the A38, 43, and 44 builds enabled a cull.  In South Wales, these included pregrouping trailers from the Rhymney, Cardiff, and Taff Vale fitted post-grouping with GW type auto gear, the Cardiff sets being gangwayed in 2 coach formations.   These stayed within the Cardiff Valleys local workings for their entire lives,  The 'Clifton Downs' and similar compartment trailers converted from Dean stock, including clerestories, also survived until the early 50s in some cases.  So, there is a very large variety of auto coaches that could be produced in RTR if the manufacturers considered there was a market for it.  The only 'hi fi' trailer we have is the 1949 A38, and the Hornby A23/30 is not up to the mark.  I would like to see it retooled to current standards, but would prefer, were I to be wishlisting, almost any of the previous wooden panelled trailers, especially, if anyone's listening, a diagram N but almost anything will do bar the Plymouth 70 footers in my case.  Dapol already do a 7mm N, inherited from Lionheart.

 

Are we back OT now?

[melmerby]

25 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

  Dapol already do a 7mm N, inherited from Lionheart.

 

 

And it's really looks the part. We just need them to scale it down.

There were some going at silly prices when IA in Birmingham were closing down.

 

[chrisf]

55 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

 The only 'hi fi' trailer we have is the 1949 A38, and the Hornby A23/30 is not up to the mark.  I would like to see it retooled to current standards, but would prefer, were I to be wishlisting, almost any of the previous wooden panelled trailers, especially, if anyone's listening, a diagram N but almost anything will do bar the Plymouth 70 footers in my case.  Dapol already do a 7mm N, inherited from Lionheart.

 

Anyone wishing to do some m*d*ll*ng, pardon my language,  is referred to the December 2017 issue of Hornby Magazine, where Tim Shackleton gives a comprehensive and exemplary description of how he upgraded the ex-Airfix trailer to make examples of diagrams A28 [not A23] and A30.

 

Chris 

[The Johnster]

Water your soap out with wash and mouth, or something.  

 

December 2017 Hornby Magazine might be one for me to check out, then.  I have 3 of them in service (all correct Tondu numbers, which iIRC you provided for me) and 2 more bodies to mess about with.  I'm beginning to wonder if any can 'backdated without too much clever stuff, but the panelling is going to defeat me.  Unless I can get if 3D printed as an overlay; now look what you've started...!

[Ruffnut Thorston]

To aid any intrepid muddlers....

 

Dart Castings Do a set of detailing parts...probably already mentioned somewhere upstream on this thread....

 

 

https://www.dartcastings.co.uk/dart/DK1.php

 

 

There is an article linked from that page on detailing one of the ex Airfix models...

 

https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/techniques/how-to-detail-an-autocoach/#
 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Sarahagain
Added link to article...

[BWsTrains]

13 hours ago, chrisf said:

More common than the stereotypical sandwich, I think you'll find, was the pair of trailers at one end of the loco.  Towards the end of auto operation of the so-called Saltash Stinker it was common to find two trailers at either end of the loco, ie trailer, trailer, loco, trailer, trailer.  When auto operation in South Wales was expanded in 1953 there would be semi-permanent pairs of trailers at one end of the loco, augmented if necessary by one trailer at the other, so trailer, loco, trailer, trailer.  Practice varied from division to division and in some cases the local carriage working programme would lay down at which end of the loco the trailer was to be marshalled.

 

Chris   

Thanks for the various feedback. I'd been wondering did they ever have non-passenger stock anywhere in the configurations, viz. at rear when Autocoach was leading.

 

Since no one mentioned it I searched around and found a firm "YES" over in the n-Gauge forum here and with some good pics and background as well.

 

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=25206.0

 

Colin

 

 

 

[chrisf]

Perhaps the best known example was on the Calne branch, where the branch auto would regularly have a string of sausage vans in tow.

 

Chris

[Coach bogie]

There was an article on updating the K's autocoach in Model Railway Constructor for  January 1979 by Martin Goodall, which has several improvements appropriate to the Ex Airfix.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[The Johnster]

I have 2 of K’s A31s in service, with floors, interiors and new bogies, one with plated toplights.  These are very much ‘layout coaches’ and so heavy that they cannot be pulled as a 2-trailer set by a Bachmann 4575: they run coupled to Hornby A30s.  They appear on the Bay of e sometimes and scrub up fairly well, but are really creatures of another age, one when nobody batted an eyelid if there was no floor!  Details of the workup in Kits and Scratches, about 2 years ago if anyone’s interested.  
 

Both mine were completed kits, well made and square/true, but with dodgy finish.  I noted that the kit has 2 separate cast whitemetal parts for the sides; perhaps there was a limit to the size that K’s could cast.  The kit is basically a long box without a bottom, and the sections for the sides seems a structurally compromised method to me.  I mention it because unmade kits do come up sometimes, and cost more.  Mine were both impulse buys on trade stands at shows, and cheap. 

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I have 2 of K’s A31s in service, with floors, interiors and new bogies, one with plated toplights.  These are very much ‘layout coaches’ and so heavy that they cannot be pulled as a 2-trailer set by a Bachmann 4575: they run coupled to Hornby A30s.  They appear on the Bay of e sometimes and scrub up fairly well, but are really creatures of another age, one when nobody batted an eyelid if there was no floor!  Details of the workup in Kits and Scratches, about 2 years ago if anyone’s interested.  
 

Both mine were completed kits, well made and square/true, but with dodgy finish.  I noted that the kit has 2 separate cast whitemetal parts for the sides; perhaps there was a limit to the size that K’s could cast.  The kit is basically a long box without a bottom, and the sections for the sides seems a structurally compromised method to me.  I mention it because unmade kits do come up sometimes, and cost more.  Mine were both impulse buys on trade stands at shows, and cheap. 

I have a K's Autocoach, bought new as a Kit with a 48XX tank. I'm not convinced the 48XX would ever have pulled it.

Unfortunately both nust have been Friday afternoon models as I found the fit of the castings very poor compared to Wills body kits.

The solebar portion of the sides was at totally the wrong angle and had to be cut off and re-fitted (it was about 45degrees out - how does that happen to castings?)

I never could get the supplied K's roof to fit, it was the wrong profile. I found the roof off an old Kitmaster coach was better

The running was poor, the pin point axles didn't like running in white metal bearings. (the bogies are wrong anyway!)

I fitted a floor and started making seats out of stripwood, but it regularly gets put on the back burner for long periods.

 

In a rash moment I bought another in kit form but from the SE Finecast era. It cost £20 from a stand at Warley, I knocked the bloke down from £30!

I'm determined to make a better coach than the K's original.

[The Johnster]

On 18/08/2020 at 17:55, chrisf said:

to make examples of diagrams A28 [not A23] and A30.

 

Yes, I meant A28 not A23 of course.  

 

I have downloaded the back copy Dec 2017, and it is indeed a very useful guide to forcing these coaches to decide whether they are A28s or A 30s; thanks for the headsup, Chris.  The improved underframes certainly 'lift' the models.  I would. take issue with some of Mr Shackleton's information; for instance he suggests (admittedly he qualifies it with an 'as far as I'm aware') that the maroon livery was always lined and that the crimson was unlined.  The crimson was indeed an unlined livery but the maroon that replaced it in 1956 was originally also an unlined livery as applied to non-gangwayed stock, which includes auto trailers.  Lining was applied to the maroon livery from 1959.  I think this is worth mentioning because the original Airfix BR liveried trailer was in unlined maroon, which was correct enough although Airfix's interpretation of it was a bit purple; their BR liveried B set had the same odd colour.

 

Now, to finish my Fruit C and have a go at an A28, and make flush cab doors for the A30s.  A modeller's work is never done, it's just one thing after another...

[The Johnster]

5 hours ago, The Johnster said:

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

 

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

In a rash moment I bought another in kit form but from the SE Finecast era. It cost £20 from a stand at Warley, I knocked the bloke down from £30!

I'm determined to make a better coach than the K's original.

 

You could chuck a bunch of rotten fruit into a mincer and it would stand a fair chance of coming out a better A31 than the K's original.  Mine were upgraded with floor, interiors, new glazing, and full repaints, but the biggest problem, as you say, is that in conjunction with the weight of these beasts the poor running of the supplied wheels in plain whitemetal bearings made them to all intents and purposes useless.  When they were first made the K's 48xx was the only loco available in any form to 'go with' them, and while a K's chassis could be geared to be pretty torquey, the 48xx didn't have a lot going for it in other ways.  I reckon an Airfix 48xx with traction tyres might have enough tractive effort.

 

Running is transformed by fitting Stafford Road Works/Shapeways 3D printed bogies, which come in fishbelly, American, and Collett 7'.  Examples of all 3 could be found on A31s, but you are correct in saying that as the K's trailer, with the double passenger vestibule doors, represents one of the batch of railmotors (these trailers were rebuilds of railmotors) built at Gloucester RCW.  Swindon built railmotors with single passenger vestibule doors and hence the trailers rebuilt from them had them.  No A31 trailer rebuilt from Gloucester RCW railmotors was ever fitted with American bogies, which is what K's supplied with the kit in the form of whitemetal castings, but there were examples of both types with Collett 7' and 8'6" fishbellies

 

It is possible to cut the doors out and replace them with Swindon single doors, but both my trailers represent double door GRCW.  W 207 W has Stafford fishbelly bogies and 211 (running in late GW livery) has Collett 7' bogies.  I have used Stafford Amercian bogies on a reworked ex-Mainline Siphon H.  All my Stafford bogies use Bachmann 14mm wheels without bearings, and run superbly;   they will detect the slightest gradient.  Also, a major benefit for my purposes, they have NEM pockets printed in at the correct height.  I can unreservedly recommend them, satisfied customer no connection!  In the case of the K's trailers, the cross bearers that contain the hole for the 8BA bolt that acts as the bogie pivot will hold the trailers at exactly the correct ride height on the bogies.  Incidentally, the 9' Pressed Steel bogies from the Siphon H are now beneath a Lima Siphon G, replacing the incorrect B1 Lima bogies.  I also used Stafford Road fishbellies on a K's plastic kit E116 B set, another floorless wonder that benefitted from working up a bit, for the same reason, that the K's supplied wheels would not run freely in the whitemetal bogie castings.

 

An interesting point about A31s is that, due to their railmotor provenance, the bogie pivot is set further towards the centre of the vehicle at the guard's compartment end than it is a the driving cab end, and this is quite noticeable with the Collett 7' bogies on 211.  Looks odd, but it's one of the things K's got right about this kit.

Edited August 19, 2020 by The Johnster

[Coach bogie]

I hear what you are saying about the K's but it is a 60 year old kit, introduced when the only alternative was a wooden version. There is very little from that era that compares to more recent models. The K's bogies were designed to take the Peco brass cup bearings to improve running.

 

I have sold on my K's autos, due to the weight issue as my line has inclines. All, except the Airfix rebuild, are Mallard/Blacksmith/ David Geen etched versions, often coupled to my K's auto tank which I have no issues with. I did rewheel and fit new pick ups to an Airfix auto tank, but the K's is a far better performer.

 

SEF/Branchlines have introduced a cast A26 autocoach from the Nucast tools they now have. Re-released under Nucast Partners label.

 

 

Mike Wiltshire