I managed to capture Network Rails HST track management train last night, commonly known as the flying banana due to its yellow livery. I'm sure it would make for an interesting model on a modern day layout
When the HST's first came out, we called them flying bananas because they had so much yellow at each end.
Surely no more, indeed significantly less, than any FYP loco? ???
It's a shame Dapol never did matching Mk3s to go with the NR power cars, even a TGS and an RFB or something, which is a reasonable approximation for a few of the coaches.
Reminds me of the TGV in French Post Office livery.
Best regards,
Joe
Quote from: Lindi on February 06, 2018, 01:03:36 PM
Quote from: njee20 on February 06, 2018, 11:15:45 AM
Surely no more, indeed significantly less, than any FYP loco? ???
They were certainly referred to as 'flying bananas' when first introduced in 1975. Probably more to do with the warning yellow stretching along most of the side of the power car and then curved down slightly at the front.
Yup, I certainly remember that epithet from the early 1980s.
The name was apparently earlier bestowed on the GWR railcars.
I was forgetting that the yellow extended along the bodyside, all before my time, I just remember IC Swallow :)
The NMT gets about a lot, especially on the principal mainlines.
The coaches are all so non-standard that it would be a bespoke job to do them with anything like accuracy. They are all heavily customised, and include two from the prototype HST.
Yes, the GWR railcars were known as flying bananas, and they weren't even yellow!
Quote from: davidinyork on February 06, 2018, 08:46:00 PM
The NMT gets about a lot, especially on the principal mainlines.
The coaches are all so non-standard that it would be a bespoke job to do them with anything like accuracy. They are all heavily customised, and include two from the prototype HST.
Mmm, last time I looked in detail the pantograph coach is just a TGS with a pantograph fitted and some roof mounted equipment, the conference coach is just a TS/TF with a couple of windows blanked. The track recording coach is just a TGS, it's only the staff coach and generator coach which really deviate from production. Admittedly they've not got toilet windows either.
Obviously internally they're hugely modified, and have all the recording equipment, but externally they're not far off. You could do a pack of coaches that would be a pretty good match, and I suspect they'd sell, judging by how well converted Farish ones have sold whenever I've done them.
Quote from: njee20 on February 06, 2018, 10:01:38 PM
Mmm, last time I looked in detail the pantograph coach is just a TGS with a pantograph fitted and some roof mounted equipment, the conference coach is just a TS/TF with a couple of windows blanked. The track recording coach is just a TGS, it's only the staff coach and generator coach which really deviate from production. Admittedly they've not got toilet windows either.
Is the pantograph well and its equipment not a pretty significant modification from a standard TGS, then?!
If you look at them closely there are plenty of subtle variations in all of them - bits on the roof, extra wiring, various windows blanked, etc. Depends on how accurate you want it to be I suppose.
It would need a new roof moulding, yes, which may not be viable for one variation. The body wouldn't need changing. It would have a superfluous toilet window I admit. But then all the RFBs are a compromise.
Like I say, you could get close with minor mods to most of the coaches, and I reckon if someone did a book set with 4 or 5 painted to match the powercars they'd sell like hot cakes. I'll wager most don't know the permutations anyway.
Yes, they've got loads of extra cables between the coaches, and extra end detail, and high power spotlights and so on, but we don't get any of that detail anyway, so it's a bit moot.
I wonder if there would be enough people interested to crowdfund a livery run from Dapol. OK so the actual coaches may not be accurate, but if the set could be as close as you can get with the current mouldings, it might be enough for most people and a good base to work from for further detailed conversion.
How about a 5 car set made up of 2 x TGS, 2 x RFB and a TS?
Yes, that was exactly my thought. It wouldn't be perfect, obviously, but it would be a reasonable approximation, if you wanted to fill a couple of windows it would be a better starting point. The power cars seem to command an oddly high price, as do any converted coaches, which suggests there's a demand. Farish mk3s with vinyls are barely any more accurate than a 'stock' set of coaches.
I really must finish spraying mine!
Even if not accurate, it would be a good set for those that want an accurate model to start from.
https://youtu.be/Y9shREDdd3Y
You realise you've just posted a link to the video the OP has posted...?
With all due respect there are hundreds of videos and photos of the NMT (and everything else!) out there, why just post a link with no context or anything?
appreciate you may want to have a rivet counter accurate model, but for my mind the set from Dapol coupled with vinyls from @captainelectra (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=9) has made an acceptable model even with my poor modelling skills.
cheers
Graham
I've said it before, but IMO the problem with the Electra Vinyls for the the NMT (specifically) is that because they're a light colour applied to the clear coach sides you get an extremely washed out appearance. It's less prevalent on darker vinyls, or if applied to something that's not clear; the yellow is particularly bad.
They're also a totally different shade to the Dapol power cars, not inherently unprototypical as the real thing has varied markedly between NR sunshine yellow and a much more orange warning panel type yellow (which is what the Dapol power cars are) but personally it really grated visually for me.
Quote from: njee20 on February 22, 2018, 11:39:31 PM
You realise you've just posted a link to the video the OP has posted...?
With all due respect there are hundreds of videos and photos of the NMT (and everything else!) out there, why just post a link with no context or anything?
With respect, the link was invisible on my machine, hence the repost. Presumably some others had the same problem .
So why not say that? Then people know whether to click on it or not, rather than just posting a random link? No one had said "the video is blocked for me".