Is there a surprising lack of RTR GWR Coaches?

[coachmann]

I think Ian Willetts does the 1923-29 bow end coaches in his range.

Ian will built virtually any coach people desire if there's a suitable kit available.

[The Stationmaster]

I have given producing GWR 'Toplight' and 1923-29 57ft bow-ended coaches some consideration in the past, but customers would want them painting in GWR liveries and that is something I won't consider anymore. Livery isn't the problem..........But I spent years struggling with GW transfers that won't adhere. I built my own GWR BR-era requirements from Comet kits.

I'd be quite happy with the Collett bow ended stock in BR livery thank you Coach  (trouble is they would tend to show up most of the rest of my coaching stock)

[coachmann]

I'd be quite happy with the Collett bow ended stock in BR livery thank you Coach  (trouble is they would tend to show up most of the rest of my coaching stock)

Thanks. The WR stock that ran into Oldham and Greenfeld for the West of England summer trains was always yellow dot restriction as far as I can tell, which is another reason why I didnt produce some bow enders for myself and sell on the rest.

[Il Grifone]

If people find CKD (completely knocked down 'kits') simple and speedy to assemble, so to do the workers in China, and they can get a lot more money for them too!  It was a Triang gimmick in the 1960s.

IIRC as kits, they weren't liable for purchase tax (or a least a lower rate?), so could be sold at a lower price. Modern economics probably makes them not viable.

[richbrummitt]

Dapol still do this type of kit or when I went in the model shop at the weekend they had some old stock? 

[Il Grifone]

So do Replica (or at least they sell the separate bits), but these are smaller manufacturers. I doubt it would be viable for Hornby or Bachmann.

[Adrian Wintle]

So do Replica (or at least they sell the separate bits), but these are smaller manufacturers. I doubt it would be viable for Hornby or Bachmann.

 

And in Dapol's case, they are taking advantage of existing (ex-Airfix) tooling. I'd guess that they couldn't supply assembled coaches at a price point that would be competetive (considering the vintage and the defects due to the age and degeneration of the tooling).

 

Adrain

[Coach bogie]

Thanks. The WR stock that ran into Oldham and Greenfeld for the West of England summer trains was always yellow dot restriction as far as I can tell, which is another reason why I didnt produce some bow enders for myself and sell on the rest.

Not bow ended but there was also 79 Hawksworth non corridor stock specifically built for the LMR with many allocated to the Manchester area with M16797W numbering.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Coach bogie]

 My January target is 22 days to build 22 coaches. Missed today though through painting one of them. It's interesting work becasue they are remainders from previous runs and differ. Run out of roofs now (Mr.Comet please note) so I'm building 54ft coaches to use up off-cuts too short for 57ft coaches. I had better mention the GWR so I wont be off-topic........None are GWR.

 

I have failed to match your coach a day target (work/family etc) but I took the challlenge to stop waisting valuable modelling time following the why does xyz not produce threads, and get on with it. Cue for Hornby to produce 1925 stock now I do not need any more, though I doubt if all the variants would be produced as below.

 

D95 - left and right hand

C54 x 2

E127 - left and right hand

H33, E128.

 

I should finish off all the door handles, roof detail and underframes this week. I need some more 7ft bogies from 247 Developments before they can all run.

 

In addition I have resided a complete nine coach Centenary set to produce all variants. If anyone else is up for the challenge it took longer to replace the sides on one Centenary coach than building up a BSL 1925 body and that included drilling out door hands etc.

 

Nice to getback into coach building after other modelling jobs on the layout.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[OnTheBranchline]

Ah well.

 

 I know the name, but I have never taken a look at exactly what they did as advertised products seemed outside the scope of my interests.

 

So the principal must be sound then…..

 

I wonder how many hundreds of Airfix / Dapol / Hornby Centenary composites and brakes there are out there and how many owners would take the chance to make up a more prototypical formation. An ideal candidate surely?

Are they worth looking into?

[OnTheBranchline]

As City of Bath has the old number (3433) and is therefore pre 1912, your only real RTR option is the Hornby Clerestories. See if you can get some of the newer ones (much better decoration) split from the London 1908, Flying Dutchman, or GWR anniversary sets.

 

Adrian

If the number was changed, then it would be appropriate for later than 1912?

[Adrian Wintle]

If the number was changed, then it would be appropriate for later than 1912?

 

As 3710 it lasted until withdrawn 9/1928. It would probably have been in substantially the same livery until then.

 

Adrian

[Il Grifone]

If the number was changed, then it would be appropriate for later than 1912?

 

The loco would be, though she probably lost her lining on the next repaint. On the other hand, the coach livery changed to all over brown in 1908, to crimson in 1912 and back to chocolate and cream in 1922 (with black ends). Obviously not at once and some strange liveries were applied during WW I.

 

As the GWR was withdrawing its large wheel 4-4-0s, lesser railways were still building the things! (see below).

[Garethp8873]

I don't know if I have said this before but ah well. What I think what may have put Hornby or Bachmann off doing the GWR Toplights is do with this year's GWR Shunter truck. I just think that either company do not want to go and announce the GWR Toplights only to find that the other announces the same thing a few months after. Eventually one of the two will bow into pressure to release these as RTR models. I do want some Toplights myself though but we have just got to be patient and wait it out.

 

Garethp8873.

[Coach bogie]

I don't know if I have said this before but ah well. What I think what may have put Hornby or Bachmann off doing the GWR Toplights is do with this year's GWR Shunter truck. I just think that either company do not want to go and announce the GWR Toplights only to find that the other announces the same thing a few months after. Eventually one of the two will bow into pressure to release these as RTR models. I do want some Toplights myself though but we have just got to be patient and wait it out.

 

Garethp8873.

Not convinced for all the reasons covered on previous pages. My stake at Ladbrokes is on 1925 stock, again for all the reasons covered.

 

Time will tell

 

Mike Wiltshire

[gwrrob]

In some respects I'd be happy with any 'new' mainline coach as long it can be in an accurate GWR livery and have a wide range of routes and types.So no incorrect b set or centenary please.

[County of Yorkshire]

I genuinely love the idea that somebody posted on here many months ago - make one or two examples from each coach period. So, two clerestories, two toplights, two bow-ended collets, two 'sunshine' coaches, and two full brakes of any design. Now that would be a representative train. I don't see any argument against it, as carefully selected examples of the above would sell like the proverbial hot cakes. Sadly though, I think it would require a drastic sea-change in the manufacturers thought-processes... 

[OnTheBranchline]

What would it take to get the Super Saloons in RTR? Or are they too specific a market to be worth it?

[gwrrob]

What would it take to get the Super Saloons in RTR? Or are they too specific a market to be worth it?

 

Of course if they were available rtr I'd buy a few but I think GWR modellers are in need of more run of the mill stock as a priority.Seen on everyday trains.

[Adrian Wintle]

What would it take to get the Super Saloons in RTR? Or are they too specific a market to be worth it?

 

Answers: An act of madness and probably, in that order.

 

Adrian

[Coach bogie]

What would it take to get the Super Saloons in RTR? Or are they too specific a market to be worth it?

Already available

 

 http://www.goldenagemodels.net/GWR-Coaches-OO-Gauge.html

 

BUT not quite Hornby prices

 

Mike Wiltshire

[cary hill]

What would it take to get the Super Saloons in RTR? Or are they too specific a market to be worth it?

 

I fervently hope that no RTR manufacturer wastes a valuable Far East manufacturing slot to produce Super Saloons. 

 

Although they would look very handsome in a display case, they are a bit of a "white elephant" for the vast majority of GWR modellers, who wish to model the everyday and more mundane GWR.

 

What are badly needed are "mudane" RTR versions of a  Van Third, Brake Compo, Lavatory Third, Lavatory Compo and a Third to make up what are 3 coach "E" sets and 4 coach "M" sets in my part of the GWR universe.

 

 

.

[OnTheBranchline]

Already available

 

 http://www.goldenagemodels.net/GWR-Coaches-OO-Gauge.html

 

BUT not quite Hornby prices

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Maybe if you took off a zero

[Rugd1022]

I fervently hope that no RTR manufacturer wastes a valuable Far East manufacturing slot to produce Super Saloons. 

 

Although they would look very handsome in a display case, they are a bit of a "white elephant" for the vast majority of GWR modellers, who wish to model the everyday and more mundane GWR.

 

What are badly needed are "mudane" RTR versions of a  Van Third, Brake Compo, Lavatory Third, Lavatory Compo and a Third to make up what are 3 coach "E" sets and 4 coach "M" sets in my part of the GWR universe.

 

 

.

 

On the whole David I'd agree, but the idea of having one or two Super Saloons in BR WR chocolate & cream has been niggling away at me since a colour photo of one appeared on the back cover of GWR Journal a while back, pictured at Old Oak (in use by the look of it) as late as 1964. David Cable's book 'Hydraulics In The West' shows one on the back of the inaugral Down Golden Hind behind D1065 at Totnes on 15.6.64.... the price is rather high though as you say, but the Comet etched brass sides I saw at Warley on Saturday look very tempting £11 a pop...!

[cary hill]

On the whole David I'd agree, but the idea of having one or two Super Saloons in BR WR chocolate & cream has been niggling away at me since a colour photo of one appeared on the back cover of GWR Journal a while back, pictured at Old Oak (in use by the look of it) as late as 1964. David Cable's book 'Hydraulics In The West' shows one on the back of the inaugral Down Golden Hind behind D1065 at Totnes on 15.6.64.... the price is rather high though as you say, but the Comet etched brass sides I saw at Warley on Saturday look very tempting £11 a pop...!

 

Funnily enough I grabbed a copy of that book at Warley for £5. There is an "odd" looking coach at the rear of that train, but I'm afraid that neither my distance coach recognition skills nor my poor eyesight would enable me to identify it so thanks for that.