DETAILING LNER FIRST CLASS COACH

[Popsicle49]

Hello,

I am planning to detail some RTR O gauge LNER teak passenger stock (Gresley) made by ACE Trains which have no seats.  One coach is labelled as an Open first yet I can find no record anywhere on the web that such a coach designation existed.  Steve Banks' comprehensive database shows nothing in fact the search terms "LNER teak first class coach' yields nothing.

 

The coach has two doors at each end and on one side and has the larger rectangular window with frames in the upper quarter on both sides so not like the more traditional large landscape plain windows on the corridor side and smaller portrait windows on the compartment side.

 

Firstly did these coaches actually exist and, if they did, does anybody know the seat and table arrangements and colours please?

 

many thanks,

PD49

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

The model looks like an underlength compromise, so nothing of the sort really existed. But there certainly were First Open (FO) teak stock built by the LNER, and this vehicle would be closest to the 52'6" frame vehicles specially built for service on the former GER routes. You can elect for armchair seating, one each side of the centre gangway aranged in pairs facing across a table; a seating pattern used on the boat train stock for services to Harwich: or for general service the more usually 2+1 pattern, with a table with fold away extensions between facing pairs. The seating aligns with the windows, so at the right hand end in the photograph, a coupe arrangement would  be necessary, seats just one side of the table. Usually two saloons in an open vehicle, so there would be a mid position bulkhead and door, dividing the vehicle internally.

[Popsicle49]

Thanks very much for your response, I found it very helpful.  Yes, the coach is a compromise.  ACE trains (and others) continue the tradition set by Bassett-Lowke and Exley for use with 12v three-rail coarse O operation.  Coaches were frequently reduced in proportions because the sheer size of O gauge has always caused problems with space.  A small to medium-sized indoor O gauge layout can accommodate a rake of 5/6 coaches of reduced length.  Appropriate scale-length passenger stock would be impractical.  This style of railway-modelling is referred to variously as classic Tinplate, revival tinplate, ready-to-run (RTR) classic O gauge etc. 

The locos are very accurate to a point but lack fine-detailing such as brakes etc and have coarse flanges in the vintage tradition. It's a niche style with a much smaller but still enthusiastic customer-base.  They are made for regular, out-of-the-box running and can negotiate 24" curves. This particular coach is a very early RTR tinplate example with litho-printed detail somewhere between Hornby and Bassett-Lowke and has been superseded by later refinements making them more realistic but still retaining some litho-printed detail; O gauge cousins of Hornby Dublo tinplate.  'Modern antiques' if you like.

 

I suspect that the asymmetrical seat pattern you describe will be the one I use for general use, my only problem now is seat colour. LNER tradition as far as corridor coaches was concerned was blue for first class and red for third. If you have any info on that I'd be very interested.

 

Thanks again, you have provided an important part of the jigsaw.

Popsicle 49