BernardTPM

The three compartment coach looks rather like the 'Prusssian' coaches Bachmann did.

3 hours ago, chiefpenguin said:

If the numbers are signwritten that could explain differences ?

Not really; they're right on the real thing when you compare them to the official specifications.

Actual painted numbers.

BR Gill Sans.

The Marklin numbers would look better if they were spaced a little further apart. Indeed if the spacing had been right the typeface errors wouldn't have been very obvious. It's only when you look closely you can see the '0's are a bit too elliptical and the '3' is symmetrical top to bottom; Gill Sans '3' has a very slightly longer bottom stroke and the centre part angles down very slightly. The signwriter has done his job correctly.

4 hours ago, chiefpenguin said:

IIRC some of the UK prototype models from "European" manufacture were a sort of 3.75mm/foot scale ?

British Trix and Rivarossi both used 1:80 scale, though some Trix models: AL1 (because it started as Lilliput) and the late '60s A2, A3 and A4 LNER Pacifics were 4mm scale while the 16t mineral and pig iron wagons were 'accidentally' 4mm scale because their 1:80 scale 17' 6" chassis works out at 16' 6" in 4mm scale.

Age yellowing. Probably if you rub with very fine abrasive they will look grey again.

British Honduras, now Belize, perhaps?

Just measured my original Matchbox (45A) at 57.75mm long. 167" is about 4242mm, so the scale is about 1:73.45.

Perhaps someone in Vauxhall's management realised FA perhaps wasn't the best of codenames, so these were always referred to as F, series I and II (though the final 1960-'61 model had some significant revisions, including a completely new, higher rear window and roofline but wasn't called series III). I still need to build an FE to complete the line-up.

I had one of the Midget versions of that which was just a little too long. Being whitemetal it wasn't too hard to cut and shut with a razor saw.

1957-9 Victor F dimensions (inches)  w.b. 98, length 167, width 62¼, height unladen 58¼. Divide by 3 for 4mm scale millimetres.

On 17/02/2024 at 21:21, Hacksworth_Sidings said:

Hope these photos are of use, chassis is pictured on Triang series 3 curves (I believe they’re equivalent to modern UK radii 1 and 2)

The current geometry is the same as Super4  radii 1, 2 & 3.  Series 3 was the same as the earlier 'Standard' track with different radii that do not directly equate.

Digging out my 'Parkin' Mk.1 book it is obvious that the dia.30 Griddle cars (the ones in the 1961 Trains Illustrated) are all but identical in layout. The interiors of these have light, vertically grained wood panelling with squared linoleum flooring (light/medium marbled squares on the passageways, darker round the seats) except at the 'bar' end where there is longitudinally black/buff striped carpet (as in this Mk.1 Pullman). Though the pictures are monochrome, the pattern on the upholstery suggests that it is Black and Gold Stripes - First Class (stripes arranged vertically). Table tops look to be medium to dark (probably laminate, probably wood grain) with aluminium edging.

No luck on finding that Trains Illustrated, but here's the drawing from Modern Railways April '62:

On re-reading the article says the interiors were 'similar to' rather than identical to the ones in the 1961 issue, though still Eastleigh built.

2 hours ago, Wheatley said:

Oil lamps continued on DMUs and locos because until the Rule Book was revised (1974 ?) the lamp (white metal thing) was the indication, not the red light, which only had to be lit if the journey was to take place in darkness, fog  falling snow or through a tunnel.

Revised in 1972, I believe. The lit in a tunnel rule only applied "where block apparatus had failed in a section where there is a tunnel" Rule 120

15 hours ago, Darius43 said:

Thanks Bernard.  In Michael Welch’s “A Southern Electric Album” there are colour pictures of the interior of the Buffet Car of a 4-BUF unit.  The style of interior decor was certainly “unique”.

https://images.app.goo.gl/ABWT9igbZUgyrBnb6

I've not been able to find it yet, but I'm pretty sure the 1960s rebuild looked nothing like that! I'll have to move a few boxes tomorrow to carry on the search.

4 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Pressfix transfers by HMRS were essentially the same as Letraset (which I think is a trade name); I would assume they are correctly proportioned and the right font though.  Not as cheap as using Letraset nicked from the office though!

I think you may be mixing up Pressfix with Kingsprint. Those were rub-down, sold through the Kings Cross model shop. Don't think they ever did wagon lettering though.

Pressfix still have a backing sheet the transfer is released from after application. Rub down just have a waxy protection sheet that stopped them sticking to any surface accidentally.

If you can find a copy, apparently the Griddle Car interiors were illustrated on p.212 of Trains Illustrated, April 1961 (according to Modern Railways* July 1962). Checking the cover online I might have that issue. I'll see if I can find it.

* The new name for the same magazine, starting from January 1962.

Note headstocks and buffer stocks and the footboards are blue. What we can't see is the actual solebar, but I'd guess that was blue too. By the manual that would be correct. Everything below that brown.

2 hours ago, cctransuk said:

Are you aware that the ferry vans were built with windows - in fact, apart from the ferry fittings, they were identical to the prototype CCT.

 

Their original livery was, again like the protype CCT, NPCCS crimson (blood) with straw yellow lettering.

 

The vans were rejected by H.M. Customs and Excise as being too insecure, due to the windows; so these were plated-over. Evidence of the welded-in plating could be detected throughout their lives.

 

CJI.

That's lucky as on my N gauge conversion (done 40 years ago from the Lima) the outlines of the windows showed up slightly when I painted with car primer. At the time I was disappointed.

The Airfix Staniers came out around the same time as the (now Railroad) Hornby 'Staniers', but in terms of accuracy there was really no competition then.

5 hours ago, Seaniom said:

Very underwhelming

 

I am starting to believe steam will play no part in Bachmann's future.

 

Very underwhelming

 

I am starting to believe steam will play no part in Bachmann's future.

(I thought I would say it twice as they like duplication.)

Ironic then that nearly all the new figure sets* are firmly rooted in the steam era.

* that is apart from 36-422 Garage staff and fitters.

3 hours ago, Roy L S said:

In some respects yes, but if the twin pack is priced at £60 then after the "usual" 15% discount that is £51 or £25.50 a coach which is considerably less than more recently tooled models like the Thompsons and Mk1s so while I may be completely wrong, it possibly represents positioning some lower spec products at a lower price-point?

Agreed, though the overall shape of the Farish Mk.3 is pretty good, if basic (very basic by current standards). The ends have a better shapes then the Dapol, for example, but the bogies are worse and the lack of interior is very obvious.

3 hours ago, TomE said:

The use of the Poole toolings does open the door to some of the more unique rakes that perhaps wouldn't justify the cost of specific tooling, so now they've made a move with these might we see a Royal Train in a similar format to go with the 47s perhaps?

To a degree they have done that here with these sleeper sets, but a correct Royal Train without having to tool the window arrangements for each coach separately could be a sound idea*. Their current printing is very good, especially as there is some thickness to the frame printing.

*Though some have those extra wide double doors. That might kill the idea.

21 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Presumably anyone wanting a 5MT in those days would have gone for the Trix RTR 5MTj rather than this rather strange kitbash, as surely if your objecton to the Trix was the odd scale, the fat boiler would stop you producing this. 

 

That said there was no RTR or kit provision for a Standard 5MT for the 60s and a good bit of the 70s, and an experienced kitbasher with the right components might well have produced this. 

There was an article on building a Class 5 from an Airfix Evening Star mounted on a Brit. chassis in RM Oct. '67. Of course it wasn't entirely accurate 😁

I'm pretty sure it is the same Mercedes that Airfix did in 1/32nd scale. Though the one shown is early (as mine, bought from the local Woolworth's, might have been*) it still seems to be one they revive quite often.

* think it may have had this later artwork.

Golden eagle is an A4 Pacific, too big to keep in a fridge (which is full of onions in buttermilk anyway).

7 hours ago, quicksilvercoaches said:

I found a photo of a Crayford Consul Capri that I didn't know existed and liked the look of so I decided to model it

I assume it would be very difficult to tell if a convertible stared out as a 2-door Classic or a Capri in real life.