OO Gauge GWR Toplight Mainline & City Coaches announced

[Andy Keane]

So brake (end out), all third, composite (first in middle), composite (first in middle), all third, brake (end out), see my video about five posts above. (and if you buy the brake thirds AND run digital AND fit decoders you can make the end lights on the brake thirds reflect the direction of travel!)

Edited March 29 by Andy Keane

[The Johnster]

The centrally positioned first-class areas were also a feature of the later Collett 57' 4-coach sets as modelled by Hornby, with the coaches marshalled with the first-class ends of the composites next to each other, and the 5-coach South Wales/Bristol 57 footers also featured a central composite with the first- class compartments in the centre of the coach.  The D116 B set brake compos had their first-class compartments at the inner ends of the coaches.  Presumably the idea was that the first-class punters could board under the cover of the station canopy at their local stations, out of the rain, delicate little wallflowers that they were...

 

The generally wealthier commuters of the London area presumably needed a higher proportion of first-class accommodation on its suburban services, and this was carried over into dmu days with half the length of the 117s' TCL being allocated, as opposed to the short central section on the 116s' TC.

[Compound2632]

It was pretty much universal practice with suburban carriage sets to group the first class compartments together. Even more fun when there was second class to be catered for too.

 

The LNWR had some seven-coach sets for the Birmingham area made up:

brake second / second / second-first composite / first / first-third composite / third / third / brake third.

 

That presumably gave the desired number of seats for each class but resulted in six carriage types!

 

The other advantage of grouping the first class compartments near the centre of the train is that they (or rather their passengers) were least likely to be damaged in an accident.

Edited March 29 by Compound2632

[Coppercap]

7 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

The LNWR had some seven-coach sets for the Birmingham area made up:

brake second / second / second-first composite / first / first-third composite / third / third / brake third.

 

That presumably gave the desired number of seats for each class but resulted in six carriage types!

I count that as an eight-coach set of seven carriage types... 🤔

[Compound2632]

14 minutes ago, Coppercap said:

I count that as an eight-coach set of seven carriage types... 🤔

 

So it is. I think you've discovered a mistake in Millard & Tattersall, L&NWR Non-Corridor Carriages (L&NWR Society, 2006) p. 61. Comparing this with the table on p. 52, I think they've accidentally doubled up on the thirds. So these Birmingham-Sutton sets should be seven carriages of seven different types.

 

But that's jogged my memory. There was an accident at Sutton Coldfield on 12 April 1902 involving two of these sets, both of which had been expanded to eight coaches, one by the addition of another third between the third and the brake third and the other the same or by the addition of an extra first between the first-third composite and the third; there is conflicting information in the report:

https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_SuttonColdfield1902.pdf.

[melmerby]

Just tried my 6 rake with the previous Hornby 61XX offering.

It romps up the gradient without even slowing.

 

So it looks like my nice new highly detailed coaches are going to be running with a less than detailed 1970s bodied loco!

[Neil]

Has anyone had problems with their toplights derailing at random? If so is there an easy fix? Asking for a friend.

[Andy Keane]

Mine run fine, and the whole rake of six will propel backwards over my entrance points and fiddle yard ones as well - is this a going round corners thing, or over points, or just anywhere?

[Neil]

22 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

Mine run fine, and the whole rake of six will propel backwards over my entrance points and fiddle yard ones as well - is this a going round corners thing, or over points, or just anywhere?

 

Thanks Andy, I'm told that it can happen anywhere on my friends layout, there appears to be no pattern or common factor and that other coaching stock have no problems.

[Harlequin]

25 minutes ago, Neil said:

 

Thanks Andy, I'm told that it can happen anywhere on my friends layout, there appears to be no pattern or common factor and that other coaching stock have no problems.

Has he got them close-coupled and are his track radii small?

 

[Free At Last]

2 hours ago, Neil said:

Has anyone had problems with their toplights derailing at random? If so is there an easy fix? Asking for a friend.

Check that the bogies aren't catching on the solebar trusses.

Edited April 6 by Free At Last

[Welchester]

On 29/03/2024 at 21:52, Compound2632 said:

The other advantage of grouping the first class compartments near the centre of the train is that they (or rather their passengers) were least likely to be damaged in an accident.

 

I believe that first class passengers were entitled to a higher level of compensation in the event of injury. Placing them in the safest part of the train makes a kind of grim economic sense.

[Neil]

 

 Many thanks for the responses, much appreciated.

 

2 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Has he got them close-coupled and are his track radii small?

 

 

I believe the couplings are spaced out far enough to avoid buffer locking.

 

1 hour ago, Free At Last said:

Check that the bogies aren't catching on the solebar trusses.

 

I'll suggest this is checked. I believe that some of the derailing has been on straight track which would rule this out unless the bogies have been hunting and there's very little clearance between bogie frame and solebar, still worth checking though.

[Andy Keane]

sounds more like sticky bearings to me

[The Johnster]

Check:-

 

.Track laid to acceptable level of smoothness between sections, and level cross-section, pay particular attentuon to cross-level on curved gradients, no radius less than specification.

.All wheels to acceptable back-to-back (14.5 mm is the usual figure).

.All wheelsets revolving freely in their axle bearings.  General standard is rolling on gradient of 1 in 100 or less.

.All bogies square & true (removw bogie, place on mirror or similar reflective surface, check that all flanges sit on the surface and the bogie cannot be rocked, even fractionally).

.All boiges pivot freely laterally and vertically within the clearance allowed without fouling on anything.

.All bogies clear solebars & trussing/underframe detail at all states of pivot.

.All couplings at standard height, and level (Dapol have form in this regard, though have recently changed their couplings to avoid droop).

.All coupling bars at standard height and do not override neighbouring bar.

.All couplings pivot freely.

.All buffers clear on curves and changes of gradient in tension and compression.

.All vehicles the same weight as far as is possible.  12.5g per axle is a good general to aim for.

 

Pencil graphite can be used to lubricate plastic-on-plastic bearing surfaces such as bogie pivots. 

[Neil]

Many thanks for the further suggestions chaps, all will be passed on.

[Harlequin]

On 06/04/2024 at 16:26, Neil said:

Many thanks for the further suggestions chaps, all will be passed on.

 

Hi Neil, Was this ever resolved? If so, it would be interesting to know what the problem was.

 

[Neil]

2 hours ago, Harlequin said:

 

Hi Neil, Was this ever resolved? If so, it would be interesting to know what the problem was.

 

 

I'm not sure, my mate is on his way back from France so I'll update when I find out more.

[rovex]

Is there any update on when the second batch will be available?

[trainsandco]

On 14/05/2024 at 19:08, rovex said:

Is there any update on when the second batch will be available?

According to the latest Rails update email, June/July 👌

Edited May 18 by trainsandco
Typo

[MartinTrucks]

On 18/05/2024 at 14:34, trainsandco said:

According to the latest Rails update email, June/July 👌

...... and according to the latest Rails email, July/August.  🙂

Regards,

Martin

[trainsandco]

15 hours ago, MartinTrucks said:

...... and according to the latest Rails email, July/August.  🙂

Regards,

Martin

So taking an average should mean they’ll be here in July! 😜

[Siberian Snooper]

6 hours ago, trainsandco said:

So taking an average should mean they’ll be here in July! 😜

 

Do you have a particular year in mind?