New Farish Mk1s

[Bomag]

Am I right in thinking that all the Mk 1's released so far have been vacuum brake only?

 

If so, what modifications are needed to make a dual brake coach suitable for 80's or early 90's use? I know Farish used to use the old generic moulding for both transition era liveries and modern ones such as Intercity and Regional Railways. I suppose the fact that Farish haven't announced any of these more modern liveries means they're not willing to compromise on a coach with unsuitable detail.

 

I'd love some Mk 1s in Regional Railways, Network Southeast, and Intercity swallow charter liveries ...

 

Justin

 

No, they have probably not sold some of the more modern liveries because they apparently don't sell 'well', at least NSE and RR. I doubt that the brake details have anything to do with it.

 

When they produce the the FO they may eventually do an IC liveried one as IC apparently sold better than RR on the old version. Given that they have persisted with the un-referbished RU for the new body style, which was just about extinct by 1980 GF may have abandoned the later modeller.

 

If the Mk2a sell well then we may get later liveries but the best hope is likely to be special commissions by retailers.

[Steven B]

Am I right in thinking that all the Mk 1's released so far have been vacuum brake only?

 

If so, what modifications are needed to make a dual brake coach suitable for 80's or early 90's use?

 

The new Mk1 underframe already has mounting holes for air-brake equipment - the Mk1 Pullmans contain air-brake cylinders as an extra detail part.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[N Gauge David]

Just wondering if anyone knows if there is any chance of seeing a set on intercity liveried mk1s with white roofs - the charter set in use in the 1980s-1990s I think...

[wayo231]

Regional Railways is a bit more niche, but some of BachFar's selections beggar belief. The Class 170 has been shipped in most of the liveries it has ever carried. The latest forthcoming - Central Trains is long obsolete and certainly not 'notable'. I would think the only market would be for Carmine or something you can actually see out and running? I find it difficult to be persuaded by their market insights, when it is utterly impossible to procure a decent rake mk1 SO and SK in blue/grey even were you prepared to pay Ebay more than they were originally sold for, while shelves of practically bespoke FK / SP Pullmans languish on the books along with enough Hadrian Nightcap Bars to stretch from Carlisle to Newcastle, even in 'N'. I struggle to believe a Scotrail DBSO, a Class 87 and some CCT luggage vans would do better than a range of BR Sectorisation era mk1/2 stock and the locomotives e.g. a new tooling Class 50 to pull them. 

[Tim H]

I've long believed that the "recent past", i.e. 15-25 years ago, is never popular with modellers. There are always a percentage of people modelling the current scene, but a big proportion of modellers base their layouts on their teenage trainspotting years.

 

The age groups building layouts tend to be people in their 50s (whose kids have just left home), or their recently retired.  Their 'trainspotting era' wiould be the BR blue and transition eras respectively.

 

Those are precisely the eras Farish are catering for. The sector era falls in the gap between BR blue and present-day.

 

Give it a few years, and sector-era will come back into fashion again. It will then be the early years of privatisation that few people will be modelling.

[justin1985]

I've long believed that the "recent past", i.e. 15-25 years ago, is never popular with modellers. There are always a percentage of people modelling the current scene, but a big proportion of modellers base their layouts on their teenage trainspotting years.

 

This is one of those things that is easily said, and undoubtedly does account for a very big share of the market.

 

BUT, looking at the exhibition circuit, I would say that the BR sector era has already started to become really quite popular. In fact already probably more popular than " big four". Just look at Diesels in the Duchy, Birmingham New Street, Loch Tat etc. Admittedly there is probably a high proportion that are diesel depot layouts, or freight heavy - but that is surely a chicken and egg situation!

 

I think Dapol's Intercity Swallow Mk3s are, so far, the ONLY modern standard sector era coaches we've had in N?

[RBE]

Yes I've pretty much always model the sector period (as that was my fondest memories as a teenager) and love the era but I do find it very disappointingly covered in modern standard N. I also find it difficult to find suitable road vehicles for the period in any scale unless you want to be driving capris or escorts.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi all,

 

I know that the NGS has found sales of "BR Blue" era stuff are starting to really take off.  The Inspection Saloon in blue/grey was one of the fastest sellers - evidence maybe to support the "30 year" theory outlined above.

 

Although it might just be that the Saloon in blue-grey with yellow ends looked fantastic!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[John M Upton]

My interest in oddballs, one offs and the generally weird has led me to the LFK, a.k.a. the Lounge Corridor First's SC14900 to 14902.  I have managed to lay my hands on a blue and grey FK which I intend to bash into a LFK, the main surgery being the replacement of the four windows on one side with aircon Mk2-esque ones.  However I also need to change the bogies to Commonwealth,

 

Have Farish released any of the new tooling Mk1's with Commonwealth bogies at any point that I can swap them over with?  

 

Unfortunately unlike the OO scale equivalent, they don't sell spare bogies separately which would be a really useful facility to have.

[Padishar Creel]

Hallo,

Looking at the Hattons website they only seem to have one version available at the moment with Commonwealth bogies, which is 374-819 BlueGrey FO (I may be blind). Other MK1s did have (RMB, SK, SO) but they are not available through them right now.

 

And John, you are not alone in wishing that BachFar would sell spare bogies. They do have an "enemy in their own camp" but the powers that be always blame the "production process" for the inability to provide spare bogies.

 

es grüßt

pc

[Steadfast]

John, etched pixels sell a Commonwealths in kit form for a couple of quid, they can be built up without the rapido coupling mounting box and reusing the 7mm diameter wheels from the Farish BR1s. They then fit as a straight swap

 

jo

[Pixie]

Hi John,

 

Not sure if it helps, but I did a 3D print for the lounge section of an LFK to fit the Farish FK. It's currently hidden in Shapeways, but I can make it public if you're interested.

 

 

 

I must get on and finish mine!

 

Cheers,

 

Pix

[John M Upton]

Ooooh, now that looks good. I am still going to try the conversion and scratch build route first but if it doesn't work satisfactorily then I may well be in touch.

[John M Upton]

Another question if I may - are the Mk 2 air con windows wider than the apertures for the old Mk 1 windows please?  Marking out on the bodyside where the new windows are in relation to the old ones and something isn't quite right.  I want to make sure before I commence cutting...

[Bob Reid]

John - The Mk1 stock main 4' bodylights had a clearlight size (with or without the later frames) of w.1219 mm x h.1016 mm whereas the 5' bodylights on the later Mk2 d,e,& f air cond vehicles had a clearlight size of w.1524 mm x h.660mm - Position as they say is everything the bottom of the Mk1 bodylights sat h.1979 mm above rail level and on the later air cond Mk2 vehicles, the bottom of the bodylight somewhat higher at h.2194 mm above rail level.

[John M Upton]

With grateful thanks to Pixie for letting me buy one of his conversion parts I have nearly finished the LFK:

There are no round ventilators above the saloons yet (still trying to source something appropriate) and the white lining around the grey has not been applied as I tried to but just wound up swearing a lot!!

 

Nearly there....