rovex

For some reason I can't open the photos, but assuming that there match the examples given above, I'd happily pay the same as Hornby will be charging for its new Colletts for one of these, does that make me a skinflint?

Question: Are there any suburban coaches which share the same underframe as these, in which case would it be an easy conversion (with the appropriate overlays) or even an option for future releases by Hornby? Discuss

lovely looking model, only comment - the aisles are far too wide for any small supermarket that I've been in :-)

Apart from mourning the passing of Brown Windsor Soup (where else could you get this other than train restaurant cars) I struggle with applying the term "in-train catering" to a trolley with the odd packet of crisps and some cans!

No doubt our time will come

Now behave!

And no surprise coaches that we didn't know about attached to the back of engines and that perhaps Hornby hadn't intended to reveal

I remember reading somewhere that coaches were turned (presumably infrequently) so as to even out the effect of the sun fading the upholstery. Any truth in this?

Looking good. Interesting to see new life breathed into what is a very old kit

If Horn by can do these, they can certainly do top lights. Though I don't expect to see any. Very happy with the Colletts.

Hadn't even occurred to me. I am now devastated that Hornby could have released such an inaccurate model on an unsuspecting world.

I'm not sure Coachman is suggesting that the coaching was flush, just that the GWR (for reasons of their own) painted the inner edges of the window black and would some modellers be copying them.

I'm sure someone will tell me if I'm wrong, but I can't recall Hornby ever being this forthcoming with proposed livery details before. Its a step to be very much welcomed.

Some of these coaches survived into departmental stock, so there's another option for Hornby

Cheapest I've found these to pre-order is Derails at £34.50, with Invicta Models close behind at £34.95. Anyone any experience of these suppliers or found anywhere cheaper Dean

I suppose as always the study of photographs of the period modeled is the best way to ensure prototypical mixes of stock. Only problem - most photos are of the engine or specific coaches rather than whole trains - ho hum

On the basis that a picture paints a thousand words, I thought a sketch might elucidate the problem, so far as it could be called a problem. The top drawing shows the make up of the South Wales service using right and first handed coaches with the corridor down the same side throughout the train. The bottom sketch shows the same train without handed coaches, the corridor switches sides, although one of the thirds could be turned around so that the corridor each side of the restaurant car was on the same side, swapping over halfway along the train. In his book, Harris suggests that the handed composites ensured that the first class compartments were closest to the restaurant car, presumably so that first class customers didn't have to walk to far to eat! I know when the GWR stopped building handed stock, but does anyone know when they stopped bothering about marshalling the corridors along the same side, or did this only happen on the major expresses? Anyone know?

At least with these and Bachmann's 60ft Collett coaches we can now model the mixed rakes that were common the GWR, even more so if modelling the post nationalisation scene with Hornby Hawksworth coaches added to the mix. Me, I'll certainly be buying all the BR coaches and probably the GWR ones as well, perhaps with additional all thirds, although not necessarily running them in unmixed rakes. Dean

One of the photos on Hornby's engine shed page is labelled as "H33, E127, C54 Underframe - National Railway Museum", now this could just be Hornby being helpful, or it might be that an H33 (restaurant car) might be a later release? So don't give up hope yet.

This is at least one coach that Hornby can put its painted on pretend panelling on and it will be authentic. I wonder if one day they will produce that.

Does this mean a froth free December? What am I going to do with myself

yes. - expect a lot of them to appear on ebay over the coming months

some interesting photos on their site showing samples so far. Now would it be churlish of me to ask for some suburban stock - lol

hoorah, all my Christmasses have come at once, Now when can I get one :-)

Great post. I did something similar with some bent wire, but your version is much more elegant. Dean