221 centre coaches

[Intercity]

A couple of questions on the Super Voyagers, are the 3 coaches identical? I have 2 Dapol driving coaches but no middle ones, can the "extra" 5th coach be used to imitate or replace the missing 2 coaches?

If there are differences what are they? (I'm not up to speed on stuff after loco hauled got eliminated)

If I need the originals does anyone know if they are available as spares?

IC

[njee20]

As that link shows, they're not quite the same internally, one has the 'shop', but externally I think you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference, other than the fact that one (at the outer end adjacent to the standard class driving coach) has the name plates.

Even the 5th centre coaches (which don't have the name plates) command a hefty premium, so I'm not entirely sure it'll be a worthwhile activity. I'd maybe try and track down a 5-car set and run them as a pair of 4-car units, suspect that would be more cost effective than trying to get two centre coaches on their own.

The units themselves do come up regularly on eBay (Dapol moreso than Farish), but are often £130-180 depending on running number, plus no doubt an exorbitant posting fee for you. 5-car sets are rare, because they have to have had the 5th coach added. I got a sound fitted 220 before Christmas for £180 which I was quite pleased with - 3 decoders including an ESU Loksound.