When did the KPEV change from Latin class numbers to modern numerals on carriage doors?

[BillB]

Probably asked and answered many times, but I rather like the look of the Latin / Roman numerals on the Roco and Fleischmann KPEV passenger carriage doors, but I am wondering if opting for those would be placing my branch line in the middle ages!!

 

Thanks again,

Bill.

[rekoboy]

Not quite the Middle Ages - but it depends rather on the era that you are modelling. Pre WW1? Or a bit later? Then fine! Or if you are my friend Günther then you run whatever you like from whatever period! You are the Controller, after all!

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Can you also factor in the transition, after the new style was introduced but before it was applied to all existing rolling stock? I don’t know about standard practice across the KPEV but in some countries there are photos of later transitions tacking years or even decades.
 

@BillB, will you be setting up a layout thread for your project?  Sounds very interesting, Keith.

[BillB]

Hi, thanks for your comments. I think my branch line will be set in circa 1900-5, and the workhorse will be a T 9.2. All this interest arose during the frost, when I unearthed my vintage Roco and Fleischmann sets and decided they were far too big to post to anyone, so rather than list them on ebay I should use them. Fleischmann 481102 "Berliner Wannseebahn" has a T9.2 plus coaches with modern numerals on the doors, as does the lone coach in Fleischmann 4895 "Preußischer Güterzug mit Personenbeförderung", whilst Roco set 43025 "K.P.E.V. Epoche I" has 6-wheelers with the latin numerals, as does the associated Roco 44013 2-coach add-on pack. The Roco 43026 "Berliner Stadtbahn" set has three pairs of close-coupled Roco 6-wheelers with modern numerals. Both Roco sets include a T 16, and I assume both T 16s and close-coupled passenger stock were more commuter service than branch line. Of all I have the Roco 6-wheelers with the latin numerals are my favourite coaches, so I think my chief operating roster will be those coaches with the Fleischmann T 9.2s. My most characterful looking engine is a Roco P 4.2 4-4-0 (Roco 63302), but sadly that has no provision for fitting a front coupler, so I would need a turntable, which I won't have room for.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

That’s an impressive collection of Epoche 1 sets - inevitably some compromises for them to appear together, but if the alternative is leaving them sitting in their boxes, then I’d say go for it!  Look forwards to seeing more, Keith.