Looking for Hornby Coaches... and failing so help required.

[JST]

I have some Hornby SR coaches which I like a lot (R40101 is a good example) but I am now looking for some BR Mk1 WR chocolate and cream coaches to replace my ageing fleet of Mainline and Lima coaches. I particularly like the R40101 because it has nice sprung buffers and the kinetic coupling system with the Hornby alternative couplers which allow nice close coupling. I am looking for brake and corridor coaches but have failed to determine which Hornby models I should be seeking to meet my criteria (maybe they don't exist!). The Hornby website is not very helpful in this respect. If someone could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.

 

Having said all this, if Bachmann do something similar, I would look at that. I am looking for about 20 coaches so I need to get it right!

[Oldddudders]

R 40101 is a Maunsell Open Third, a 1930s Southern Railway coach. These were a bit atypical of their era, because most main-line passenger train coaches on Southern were side corridor, rather than open. These vehicles were typically used as strengtheners for busy services, since most coaches were formed into permanent sets of multiple coaches which would seldom be split. 

 

The livery is post-1948, but since Hornby's version of Southern Railway Malachite Green, and BR (S) Green are identical to many eyes, the era could really be any time until the early 60s when these were withdrawn. Hornby has been making fine models of Maunsell coaches since about 2008, and more recently added some early post-war Bulleid coaches, which were built on Maunsell-era chassis. Hornby describes all these coaches as suburban, which is just plain wrong, because by 1939 the entire Southern suburban network was being served by electric trains, not loco-hauled steam trains. 

 

The R40101 would look fine with any similar-hued green coaches (less so with the earlier olive green) from Hornby or Bulleid and Mk1s from Bachmann. Try secondhand stocks at the usual sellers like Rails or Hattons. But be aware of my remark about coach sets - most models sold are intended to form part of a set, and Southern and BR(S) were both very disciplined about whole sets staying together. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Oldddudders

[JSpencer]

The latest Hornby Mk 1s are somewhere in between the old mainline/replica standard and the new Bachmann ones. Shape wise very good, but not much seperate detail, they have NEM pockets but not kinetic (?) close coupling system and no sprung buffers.

This was purposely done to provide a cheaper alternative to Bachmann while still being to scale and the correct shape (the older coaches were not). Both have metal fine scale wheels.

 

Bachmann's are the best, with close coupling systems, lots of separate detail. Still no sprung buffers though (is it really important?) and maybe beaten on shape marginally by Hornby. I have mixed rakes with both with no issues visually or running wise. 

IF you are going for a small train (2-4 coaches), probably best to stick to Bachmann. If a longer train (6+ coaches), you can mix them to achieve a good cost vs quality balance. (If you are rich, just go for Bachmann, though some types are done by Hornby only).

 

I do not ever mix mainline/lima/replica with the new Bachmann and Hornby as the latter have flush glazing while the former do not and this is instantly obvious in a rake mixed between the two (alongside bigger couplings on the former vs modern stock). 

Edited November 9, 2023 by JSpencer

[JST]

Thanks for this. I run rakes of 10 coaches. I specifically like the close coupling properties of more modern productions and hence my search. I have looked for Bachmann chocolate and creams but can't seem to find any.

[MattR]

Hatton's currently has four second-hand Bachmann Mk. 1s in chocolate and cream:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/siteresults?search/scales/OO/product-types/Coaches/brands/Bachmann Branchline/sub-types/BR Mark 1/liveries/BR chocolate and cream

 

There are a few from Hornby. Under each one, it shows Tooling Info -- you'll want the ones marked Hornby 2013 OO (and not the Railroad Range ones).

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/siteresults?search/scales/OO/product-types/Coaches/brands/Hornby/sub-types/BR Mark 1/liveries/BR chocolate and cream

[RFS]

44 minutes ago, JSpencer said:

Bachmann's are the best, with close coupling systems, lots of separate detail. Still no sprung buffers though

 

MK1 coaches were coupled using buck-eye couplings, and the buffers were retracted to allow this. This is how Bachmann have modelled the buffers which is just what you need for close-coupling.  The Hornby Roco-style couplings work well, as do the Hunt magnetic couplings. For the latter, the stepped close coupling is best, as the stepping both lowers the coupling to right height for coupling to other vehicles, and also avoids the coupling rubbing against the solebar which I found was causing problems. 

 

Hornby's Maunsell coaches do have sprung buffers but they are set back so that when the corridor connections touch on straight track the buffers don't. So close coupling works fine as the buffers are in reality retracted.  

[JST]

Thanks for the info guys. My Hattons trunk is filling up! 😁

[adb968008]

If its WR Brown and Cream you want, but the quality of the Maunsell, Hornby did make some quite nice Hawksworths…

like R4505.

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/directory/vehicledetails?id=1548504#:~:text=Following World War 2%2C the,bow-ended" end profile.

details on variations made here

https://www.hattons.co.uk/directory/versiondetails/2792/hornby_oo_gwr_1948_hawksworth_63

 

lovely coaches, I prefer the maroon/cream myself.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by adb968008

[Wickham Green too]

On 09/11/2023 at 11:28, Oldddudders said:

... by 1939 the entire Southern suburban network was being served by electric trains, not loco-hauled steam trains. ...

... apart from the 'Kenny Belle' ...................... but then that's not in the timetable so it doesn't exist !