Can anyone identify these Dapol? coaches

[railsquid]

Following a late-nite mouse-clicking accident on Yahoo Japan's auctions site I seem to have acquired a job lot of coaches for quite a reasonable price including this pair of apparently Dapol ones:

The casing looks very Dapol, and they certainly look British, however I can't find anything exactly resembling them in my 2014/15 Dapol catalogue. Can someone identify them? My best guess is something ex-GWR in early BR livery.

[msr]

They look like autocoaches.

[Newportnobby]

To me they look like a couple of autocoaches in BR crimson/cream, often used with a pannier tank loco sandwiched between them. I have one (reference NC011)

[msr]

NC-011 were the earlier ones and 2P-004-003 and 2P-004-004 were later ones.

[railsquid]

Ta, what would I do without you guys? 35 quid for the lot, including some German ones which I can use and some weird-donkey American ones which I'll have to think about. But push-pull trains powered by a steam loco? Sounds most excellent due to not having a turntable. According to Whackypedia " some 0-6-0 pannier tanks were also fitted for autotrain working" - can anyone recommend a suitable locomotive? I've always wanted a GWR-style pannier.

[Newportnobby]

Panniers were not the only locos used for autotrain working. The Dapol 14xx 0-4-2T is another (although it will struggle to pull more than the one coach) and the Ivatt 2-6-2T (Dapol or Minitrix) is another consideration.

[keithfre]

It was sold in a set with the GWR 0-4-2:
http://www.ehattons.com/25475/Dapol_ND080Set4_Train_pack_with_Class_48xx_0_4_2_loco_4865_in_GWR_shirtbutton_green_autocoach_i/StockDetail.aspx

[keithfre]

There's even a secondhand one at Hattons:
http://www.ehattons.com/150009/Dapol_ND016_LN_01_Class_14xx_0_4_2_1462_in_BR_lined_green_Pre_owned_Like_new/StockDetail.aspx

[zwilnik]

Apparently because the control links tended to get a bit sloppy when you coupled 2 coaches behind the loco on an auto train they used to run them with one coach in front and one behind the engine.

[PLD]

Panniers were not the only locos used for autotrain working. The Dapol 14xx 0-4-2T is another (although it will struggle to pull more than the one coach) and the Ivatt 2-6-2T (Dapol or Minitrix) is another consideration.

You can't run a GW Autocoach with an Ivatt I'm afraid (at least not in 'push' formation)... The LMS push-pull control system was vacuum actuated, the GW IIRC used a physical mechanical linkage... 

[johnlambert]

Also worth noting that the 57xx and 87xx series Pannier tanks made by Dapol weren't ever fitted to work with autocoaches (I'm sure I read that).  If you want an accurate choice of Pannier tank you'll have to wait for the Graham Farish Pannier.

Autocoaches were also used to strengthen conventional trains or as a trailer working with a GWR streamlined rail car.  I've seen plenty of photos of the latter but it is worth remembering that the rail car couldn't be driven from the autocoach and would have to run round the coach when it reached the terminus.

[Karhedron]

Yup, your options are the 48xx/14xx autotanks from Dapol or the 64xx Pannier tank which is coming from Farish in the next few months (but is not out yet).

Both are accurate but the 14xx is Dapol's oldest model and is not a great puller (although it looks quite nice). If you are not in a hurry then I would be tempted to wait for a Farish 64xx in BR Black. Here is the engineering prototype which was showed off at TINGs a few weeks ago.



Here is an 64xx forming the filling of an auto-coach sandwich (although this one is in GWR days).

[Newportnobby]

Panniers were not the only locos used for autotrain working. The Dapol 14xx 0-4-2T is another (although it will struggle to pull more than the one coach) and the Ivatt 2-6-2T (Dapol or Minitrix) is another consideration.

You can't run a GW Autocoach with an Ivatt I'm afraid (at least not in 'push' formation)... The LMS push-pull control system was vacuum actuated, the GW IIRC used a physical mechanical linkage... 

Thanks for the correction, Paul

[Bob Tidbury]

It just goes to show the difference between Locos I picked up a second hand 14xx very cheap and it pulls 6 Minitrix  coaches with no bother although my layout is almost flat .

[Newportnobby]

I've had my 14xx pulling 20 Peco wagons before now although on the flat and with some slippage on starting off. Many others have not been so lucky