Latest Bachmann Thompson coaches

[BSG75]

Hi all, sorry for the subjective question, but are people buying the latest versions of the Thompson coaches, or giving them a miss in the hope we get some improved ones at a later date? Not sure what to do. Thanks!

[Flyingscotsmanfan]

All I will say is only you can decide if you want to buy something or not. Take a look at them and see if they are acceptable to you, at the end of the day you and only you can make that decision.

[br-nse-fan]

Not being an expert in LNER coaches, I can not comment other than that they look like Thompsons. Some flush windows and smaller couplers to bring them closer together does wonders. Them, and others.

 

As for holding out for retooled versions.. I've found that if a product is in the current offerings, I would not hold my breath waiting for something new (Hornby Pullmans aside). Take a look at the Hornby Maunsells... I believe the older version of the Maunsell's disapeared from the Hornby lineup a couple years before the new ones emerged.

 

Other than the full brake, Thompsons seem quite common on eBay, and not very expensive. Unless I am mistaken, I think someone has(had?) some on the RMweb Marketplace too.

 

Right now, the only way to get something better than what Bachmann is currently offering would be to source a kit (if it exists?) and make one up to whatever standard you require.

[silverlink]

I well remember Bachmann releasing these coaches some years ago & whilst a big improvement on the Hornby Thompsons of many years before I wasn't that impressed. In the end I started making my own using the excellent Comet etched sides & chassis's, they have a good range & when assembled you have near flush glazing thanks to the thin etches. I have also used Southern Pride etched sides which are also excellent. I did an article back in !997 for Railway Modeller where I built the 'Elizabethan' full rake of 11 coaches by marrying Southern Pride sides with Comet chassis's, roofs & ends. In all I have built quite a few Thompsons over the years & with many different diagrams available you can built some very interesting coaches.

silverlink

[BSG75]

Thanks for the comments - much appreciated !

[davidw]

For me the Bachmann Thompson's are very poor.

 

Roof profile. Under frame corridor connectors - are all very poor.

 

I've successfully married comet and SouthernPride sides to Bachmann Thompsons - cheaper that a full build but the coaches are still a let down, compared to the mk1's and even - dare I say it the Hornby Gresleys.

 

The Elizabethan previously mentioned if Hornby or Bachmann made the pressure ventilated varieties and non pressure ventilated (not much tooling differences ) to 21st century standards they 'd sell by the bucket full!

[DLPG]

I have to agree that they are poor when compared to the MK1's and Hornby Gresleys. I currently have two rakes of 7 and another rake in the making. I was expecting the latest ones to have some improvements. My early examples were terrible with the plastic wheels and they all wobbled. Replacement wheels improved that. I'm also sure there are detailing items such as at Dart castings can improve these models. http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt.php#CarriageComponents-LNERDetailingParts

[Saint Johnstoun]

I haven't studied the re-released Thompson coaches but have had two rakes of the originals for years. They had couplings integral with the bogies but the shanks were of two different lengths to suit the two different lengths of coaches and bogie centre positions. Unfortunately some coaches had the wrong bogies so they would couple too close and foul on curves so I had to do some clever re-arranging of the bogies to get a train to run right.

 

The problem with all Bachmann stock with the older wheels was that derailments usually resulted from the wheelsets having the incorrect back to back measurement. Adjust this and it usually solves the problem, but another which manifested itself with the Thompsons was the wheels fouling the underside of the body as the underframe on some examples had warped out of true. It could be corrected but the clearance was very tight and could result in drag if the wheels rubbed the underside of the body running over certain track configurations.