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Darstaed 7mm Finescale Thompson Mainline Coaches


Ellis Clark Trains
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Morning everyone,

Just a quick one from myself.

We will shortly be receiving an engineering prototype sample of our forthcoming Thompson coaches which we are producing with Darstaed.

We have already identified a few minor improvements which will of course be made before release.

I must say, the quality and detail on these after applying the design changes back in June last year is quite superb.

As soon as I have the sample, I will be posting pictures here .

The first coaches are new expected to arrive in June.

Again, I do apologise for a further delay on the release of these models - but as I'm sure you are now aware, anything either myself or Darstaed are involved in has to be right.

All the best,
Ellis.

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Afternoon All,

 

I have the pleasure of sharing with you the engineering prototype of one of the forthcoming Darstaed Finescale O Gauge Thompson BTK (Brake/Third) Coaches.

 

We have already identified a number of improvements/alterations and, as this is a pre-production sample, some parts including the interiors and the bogie steps have not yet been decorated.

 

As always, the spec sheet makes for nice reading with these Darstaed coaches:

 

Brass coach sides - professionally painted

Die-cast chassis

Sprung metal buffers

Die-cast tilt-compensating bogies

Magnetic coupling corridor connections

Kadee couplings fitted as standard (link couplings available separately)

Fully detailed interiors with coach pictures, mirrors and brass luggage racks

Installed coach lighting and working detachable brake lamps (on brake ends)

Will run on Peco 2nd radius curves

Removable ‘slot in’ coach nameboards

 

The models are priced at £229 with multi-buy discounts available (see website for details).

 

What do you all think?

 

All comments and feedback, as ever, are much appreciated!

 

All the best,

Ellis.


131517254_img_003copy.JPG.9bbe00d96da3cb46a3f0877fc5dd6bff.JPGimg_003.JPG.19416663e9ee702ab438fbc1500f9f8d.JPGimg_045.JPG.2fa77b9180e404badf7f13970702d87d.JPGimg_046.JPG.4ce93fed542692d704c4677275c87b21.JPGimg_052.JPG.ef87be460255352281e987c1d53a89d8.JPGimg_054.JPG.010b11855894be7e911d3c7349ca4ecb.JPG

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3 hours ago, Ellis Clark Trains said:

Afternoon All,

 

I have the pleasure of sharing with you the engineering prototype of one of the forthcoming Darstaed Finescale O Gauge Thompson BTK (Brake/Third) Coaches.

 

We have already identified a number of improvements/alterations and, as this is a pre-production sample, some parts including the interiors and the bogie steps have not yet been decorated.

 

As always, the spec sheet makes for nice reading with these Darstaed coaches:

 

Brass coach sides - professionally painted

Die-cast chassis

Sprung metal buffers

Die-cast tilt-compensating bogies

Magnetic coupling corridor connections

Kadee couplings fitted as standard (link couplings available separately)

Fully detailed interiors with coach pictures, mirrors and brass luggage racks

Installed coach lighting and working detachable brake lamps (on brake ends)

Will run on Peco 2nd radius curves

Removable ‘slot in’ coach nameboards

 

The models are priced at £229 with multi-buy discounts available (see website for details).

 

What do you all think?

 

All comments and feedback, as ever, are much appreciated!

 

All the best,

Ellis.


131517254_img_003copy.JPG.9bbe00d96da3cb46a3f0877fc5dd6bff.JPGimg_003.JPG.19416663e9ee702ab438fbc1500f9f8d.JPGimg_045.JPG.2fa77b9180e404badf7f13970702d87d.JPGimg_046.JPG.4ce93fed542692d704c4677275c87b21.JPGimg_052.JPG.ef87be460255352281e987c1d53a89d8.JPGimg_054.JPG.010b11855894be7e911d3c7349ca4ecb.JPG

Shouldn't the oval window be white? Other than that excellent.

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23 hours ago, davidw said:

Shouldn't the oval window be white? Other than that excellent.

It should not be clear, but photographs show any degree of translucency from slightly frosted through to white, perhaps with a hint of tobacco. There was less emphasis on the opaqueness of the oval windows on the corridor side cf the lavatory side, for obvious reasons.

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On 01/02/2021 at 19:11, davidw said:

Shouldn't the oval window be white? Other than that excellent.

Hi David,

 

Sorry for the delay.

 

They hadn't done the window white for this sample, but it will be in production :)

On 02/02/2021 at 19:06, Pint of Adnams said:

It should not be clear, but photographs show any degree of translucency from slightly frosted through to white, perhaps with a hint of tobacco. There was less emphasis on the opaqueness of the oval windows on the corridor side cf the lavatory side, for obvious reasons.

Same as above :)

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18 hours ago, wychcan said:

Will the Kadee couplings be placed at the Kadee manufactures recommended height?

The Darstead  MK1’s coupling height is way too high, thus not able to couple to other stock.

Hi there,

 

So, bit of a tricky one and a decision we originally made the Mk1s.

 

We actually opted to place the Kadee at prototypical height as a pose to the Kadee height.

 

We do however offer free of charge a 'lowering' kit for the kadees :).

 

All the best,

Ellis.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Afternoon all,

As you know, I'm always asking for feedback and, where possible I always act upon it...

I can therefore announce that we are including with the Thompson production run a range of upgraded bogies, factory fitted with ball bearings.

Excuse me for copying and pasting the info below from my email newsletter, which just went out, but all the relevant information is below:



What's available, how much and how will it work?

The price for a pair of bogies on their own is £55.

We also offer an 'upgrade service' whereby if you pre-order, have pre-ordered or purchase once in stock, any Thompson coaches we will replace the standard bogies with ball bearing bogies for an extra £20 per coach.

However, if purchasing one of the limited edition Elizabethan 11-coach sets then we will fit all 11 coaches for £200.

As always, we do not take any payments upfront for pre-ordering.

The following three types of bogies will be available in pairs, both sold as a stand-alone purchase and as an in-house upgrade:

D24-A01 8' 0" Heavy Bogies

D24-A02 8' 6" Light Bogies

D24-A03 8' 6" Heavy Bogies

If you would like to pre-order these as an upgrade for a new or pre-existing pre-order, please pre-order your chosen bogies and include within the notes section of the order a bogie 'upgrade' request and quote your original Order No.

We are expecting these with the first delivery of coaches in the Summer of this year (2021).



Specifications

As always, we believe in producing models, parts and components to an exacting, high standard, but maintaining what we believe to be fair retail prices.

We have certainly done our research and although there are cheaper bearings on the market, we have opted for high-end Japanese variants which will persevere with undulations, inclines and declines in trackwork - although please don't think I'm criticizing anyone's track laying skills!

These bogies are therefore being produced with the following specifications:
Super detailed die-cast construction, with plastic brake rod detailing

High-quality Japanese bearings

Tilt suspension

Axle box detailing

Turned brass wheels, chemically blackened

Fully assembled and supplied in packaging

If purchased as a stand-alone pair of bogies, we will supply them both free-running without pick-ups.

As always, if you have any questions, fire away! :) 

All the best,
Ellis.

 

 

8' Single Bolster - Pair.jpg

8' Single Bolster - Side.jpg

8' Single Bolster - Under.jpg

8'6 Heavy - Pair.jpg

8'6 Heavy - Side.jpg

8'6 Light - Pair.jpg

Edited by Ellis Clark Trains
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18 hours ago, wychcan said:

Ellis

are the new bearings to be on the axle ends or on the bogie side pivot points? ( these having a lot of side movement on the MK 1’s)

Hi there,

 

They will be fitted in the bogie side frames.

 

Totally agree regarding the 'pivoting' system, which is something we had to carry tests out on and what led to us choosing a high end bearing which can cope with 360 movement (some bearings are suited for maintaining the same position at all times).

 

The ends of the axle will be turned down to 'slot' into the bearing.

 

Hope this helps! :)

 

All the best,

Ellis.

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These are real beauties, perhaps the first time in RTR that proper representations of Gresley bogies will have been available.

 

The 8' 0" Heavy type was used under Brake Vans and certain non-gangwayed carriages built principally for the GE Section.

The 8' 6" Light type was the standard bogie

The 8' 6" Heavy type was used under the weightier coaching stock, typically catering and sleeping cars.

 

These appear to correctly detailed right down to the letter codes on the axlebox covers.

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  • 6 months later...

Good afternoon,

Modellers have forever debated the finish of both teak and 'simulated' teak (for metal coaches painted in a teak finish) in scale models.

It's taken ourselves and Darstaed a while to perfect our finish on the teak Thompson coaches, however we have just received our first decorated sample from the factory and we have to say, we're incredibly impressed!

These are due Q1/2 next year following delivery of the blood & custard coaches in the winter of this year, and the lined maroon coaches due early next year.

for a refresher course in the range we're offering, please click HERE, which will take you to our blog post containing all the information on the full range of Darstaed Thompson coaches.

The big question then... What do you think?

 

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  • 2 years later...

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