4mm scale GWR buffers

[MrWolf]

Hi

 

I have got back into railway modelling after an almost twenty year break and find that many of the companies that I used for parts no longer exist.

Can anyone tell me where I can source replacement buffers in brass or white metal for GWR goods stock?

[MartinWales]

Tried Lanarkshire Modelling Supplies?

[Steamport Southport]

Lanarkshire Model Supplies

Dart Castings/Shire/MJT

51L/Wizard

Alan Gibson

 

 

 

Jason

 

[Compound2632]

Dart Castings MJT range.

[57xx]

11 minutes ago, MartinWales said:

Tried Lanarkshire Modelling Supplies?

 

These have the best/widest range IMO.

The MJT buffers are also good and you can get sprung ones in that range if you require them.

[MrWolf]

Thank you all for your advice. I hadn't heard of Lanarkshire modelling supplies and I didn't realise that Alan Gibson or MJT were still going.

I have quite a lot of older wagon kits which due to a combination of my 3 link coupling obsession and the generally feeble buffers in the plastic kits I will be replacing quite a lot. I would like these wagons to last as most now seem to be unobtainable or silly money on the Bay of Fleas.

[Flood]

3 hours ago, MartinWales said:

Tried Lanarkshire Modelling Supplies?

I don't think they make GW coach ones, certainly not listed on their site (GW coach buffers have square bodies). I've got two packs of MJT ones to use: https://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt/2330S.php

They do make GW wagon buffers.

Edited May 15, 2020 by Flood

[MrWolf]

The MJT site looks most promising. Lots of other interesting bits and pieces too.

I also found some parts on the 51L site. Unfortunately the Lanarkshire models site kept sending me into their PayPal page and then crashing, possibly because my USSR valve radio I phone is more than 3 weeks old so completely obsolete.

I generally end up cursing consumer driven technology. Give me things made in Birmingham from iron any day.

At least you can belt them with a hammer when they don't behave!

[corneliuslundie]

Alan Gibson is operating, though his website has not been updated for some time. There is no on-line ordering as far as I can see. You can download a price list, which is many pages long.

However, I recently sent him an order and it arrived a few days ago, though it took a month. Probably a function of present circumstances.

Jonathan

PS Dave Franks who owns LMS is an active poster on RMWeb. Watch out for the Landrover.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, corneliuslundie said:

Alan Gibson is operating, though his website has not been updated for some time. There is no on-line ordering as far as I can see. You can download a price list, which is many pages long.

However, I recently sent him an order and it arrived a few days ago, though it took a month. Probably a function of present circumstances.

Jonathan

PS Dave Franks who owns LMS is an active poster on RMWeb. Watch out for the Landrover.

 

Colin, who with his wife Pat is Alan Gibson, has for once updated his website with the information that he is working flat out to fulfill orders - I get the impression this is normal anyway. I have found that sending an order and cheque by post is by far the simplest procedure - I'm sure for him as well as me - making sure that in the order I include a very clear table of the item numbers, descriptions, and quantities required. Patience is then required but I've never needed to enter into any further correspondence.

[MrWolf]

It's not like the items we order are essentials. It's good for us and the business owners that things are still ticking over. Perhaps I can send LMS an email, it was PayPal my phone doesn't like because of the up to date programmes they run, even though I was trying to buy something! Failing that, I will have to try and catch up on here.

[57xx]

8 hours ago, Flood said:

(GW coach buffers have square bodies).

 

Some GWR coach buffers have square bodies, others don't

[57xx]

6 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

It's not like the items we order are essentials. It's good for us and the business owners that things are still ticking over. Perhaps I can send LMS an email, it was PayPal my phone doesn't like because of the up to date programmes they run, even though I was trying to buy something! Failing that, I will have to try and catch up on here.

 

There is a thread for LMS here in the Small Suppliers section. You can ask in the thread or PM Dave (username davefrk).

 

[MartinWales]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Colin, who with his wife Pat is Alan Gibson, has for once updated his website with the information that he is working flat out to fulfill orders - I get the impression this is normal anyway. I have found that sending an order and cheque by post is by far the simplest procedure - I'm sure for him as well as me - making sure that in the order I include a very clear table of the item numbers, descriptions, and quantities required. Patience is then required but I've never needed to enter into any further correspondence.

Don't forget that Colin now supplies his wheels for the Parkside range acquired by Peco,and is busy as a result of this.

[MrWolf]

8 hours ago, MartinWales said:

Don't forget that Colin now supplies his wheels for the Parkside range acquired by Peco,and is busy as a result of this.

I have a Parkside Mink D which came with some excellent metal wheels. I thought that they were Gibson wheels or something of equal quality.

[MartinWales]

49 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

I have a Parkside Mink D which came with some excellent metal wheels. I thought that they were Gibson wheels or something of equal quality.

Ever since the Parkside range passed to Peco in 2017 Colin has supplied the wheels for the range,so no wonder he's flat out!!

[MartinWales]

21 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Thank you all for your advice. I hadn't heard of Lanarkshire modelling supplies and I didn't realise that Alan Gibson or MJT were still going.

I have quite a lot of older wagon kits which due to a combination of my 3 link coupling obsession and the generally feeble buffers in the plastic kits I will be replacing quite a lot. I would like these wagons to last as most now seem to be unobtainable or silly money on the Bay of Fleas.

Hi

Also possible to replace some of the rather weedy ones with turned metal buffer heads, obtainable from Slaters et al, which is what I tend to do on the better wagon kits. 

 

[MrWolf]

Agreed, some of the buffers in kits look like the old Hornby Dublo blobs, but less well moulded. Almost makes you yearn for the Triang turned brass ones!

[Il Grifone]

On 15/05/2020 at 23:27, MrWolf said:

Agreed, some of the buffers in kits look like the old Hornby Dublo blobs, but less well moulded. Almost makes you yearn for the Triang turned brass ones!

 

Agreed, the Tri-ang buffer is a good solid device. Unfortunately it resembles no real buffer that I am aware of.

[MrWolf]

47 minutes ago, Il Grifone said:

 

Agreed, the Tri-ang buffer is a good solid device. Unfortunately it resembles no real buffer that I am aware of.

Very true. I must admit that I retained them on some of the Triang clerestories that I converted, due to not knowing where to get something more prototypical. Upside is that they can be pulled out without too much drama and replaced. They're also nowhere near as visually offensive as some of the moulded on plastic RTR buffers post 1970. Even as a ten year old I thought it a retrograde step to drop brass buffers. Another case of making things to a price rather than a standard.

[lofty1966]

On 15/05/2020 at 18:57, MrWolf said:

Agreed, some of the buffers in kits look like the old Hornby Dublo blobs, but less well moulded. Almost makes you yearn for the Triang turned brass ones!

I could wholesale these.

All my Clerestories have had the buffers replaced with more prototypical buffers

[Il Grifone]

I replaced the Tri-ang ones with K's turned brass coach buffers*, laboriously filed from round to elliptical. (The oval ones were a funny shape.) Better buffers are now available.

 

* It shows how long ago....