TPO's

[edwin_m]

Pretty sure the TPO van in the original photo above is a LMS design not a Mk1. 

[EtchedPixels]

But is the photo of the reconstruction or the original ?

[Paddy]

Pretty sure the TPO van in the original photo above is a LMS design not a Mk1.

Not LMS - the MK1 TPOs were numbered in the range 80300 to 80395 and the one in the photo is W80304.  So assuming Paul's photo is accurate then the introduction of blue/grey was prior to 1970.

Paddy

[edwin_m]

The B&W and colour photos pasted (please note I am not referring to any photos in links) further up the thread appear to be at least very similar to each other and also appear to match the LMS vehicle in the link below (scroll down).  The Mk1 design is very different. 

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov12_01Rail-t1-body-d12.html

[EtchedPixels]

The B&W and colour photos pasted (please note I am not referring to any photos in links) further up the thread appear to be at least very similar to each other and also appear to match the LMS vehicle in the link below (scroll down).

Most of the set was certainly LMS vehicles (or BR built LMS design at least).

M30272M actually still survives. The full formation is also quoted here

http://www.nightmail.org.uk/the-vision/vehicles-of-the-night-mail-museum/lms-pos-m30272m

the MxxxM indicating they were Midland region vehicles that must be returned to the Midland for major works - so would have been "LMS" TPO stock (or pre LMS companies).

AFAIK the LMS style vehicles are only available in kit form, but the Mark 1 stock is also right for the period.

[Tom@Crewe]

The picture I found was from a news source so seems original

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1865132_1865133_1865148,00.html

[daveg]

The Graham Farish 374-900 Mk I TPO Coach Royal Mail Travelling Post Office Red does look to be the modern P.O. livery/crest

Just looked in the graham farish book and hattons have listed them wrongly?

Oh well, I know what to look out for at TINGS!

I mainly have Era 4 - 6 locos and rolling stock so bought the 374-901A BR Mk I TPO Post Office red (with side lights). The GF catalogue shows this as Era 5/6. All their other TPO kit is 6/7 (blue/grey) and 8/9 (red).

I did advise Hatton's via their chat service that the info for 374-901A disagreed with GF. Looks like they've not updated their page.

Any ideas what other coach I could use with the 374-901A to complete a TPO of my era - avoiding the blue?

Dave G

[Tom@Crewe]

The 374-901A BR Mk I TPO Post Office seems right (except colour) for my layout But are the transfers available for after the respray?

[Paddy]

Oops, sorry did not mean to confuse.  Personally I stick to 1948 to 1968 which is Bachmann era 4-6 so as the MK1 TPO blue/grey fits in to 1967 I can run with one in my rake.  Bought one from Model Railways Direct who currently have them on sale at £12.99 - bargain!

Paddy

[edwin_m]

Although I think the TPO in Tom's picture is a LMS vehicle, there could well have been several TPOs in the train and I'm not clear which vehicle was transporting the used banknotes.  I understand the only surviving one from the robbery train is preserved on the Nene Valley and looking at pictures of that it looks more like a Gresley design although it has a M suffix which would normally indicate a LMS design.  So entirely possible there would have been Mk1s in the train too. 

[EtchedPixels]

Any ideas what other coach I could use with the 374-901A to complete a TPO of my era - avoiding the blue?

None of the other appropriate TPO vehicles are available, although I believe Bachmann is doing a stowage van in OO. Not sure what is happening there as it was a OO scale ModelZone commission. Hopefully it will arrive in N.

You could certainly run it with some GUV, full brake and other parcels type stock though and many of the smaller runs consisted of nothing but a TPO and a couple of BGs plus on longer trips maybe a BSO or similar for staff seating.

Some historically were also mixed TPO/passenger services so you can happily run a part TPO part passenger service.

Alan