Can anyone identify these Dapol? coaches

[N-Gauge-US]

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).

I just got one of the lovely GWR autocoaches in the mail from Hattons I'm quite pleased with it, though nothing I have is super appropriate for it yet (I have the Dapol Pannier which it looks nice with, but wrong. I'm also enjoying it with my M7 and Terrier, which both had Autocoach types of their own). I have the Farish pannier on preorder and probably won't get a 14xx, no matter how pretty (I learned my lesson with the M7!)

I had a question about the 64xx Autocoach sandwich photo; is it being run between three autocoaches or between two autocoaches with a third coach tacked onto the end? I'm trying to figure out what my running options are with my Autocoach (I'll likely have a second one by the end of the month...)

Thank you!!!
-Philip

[Karhedron]

I had a question about the 64xx Autocoach sandwich photo; is it being run between three autocoaches or between two autocoaches with a third coach tacked onto the end? I'm trying to figure out what my running options are with my Autocoach (I'll likely have a second one by the end of the month...)

That particular 6400 is being run between 3 autocoaches. The maximum number that could be handled was 4, 2 in front and 2 behind. This was due to the nature of the mechanical linkages used for autocoach operation, there could only be one intermediate trailer between the loco and driving coach. The GWR also modified some 3rd class coaches with linkages to act as intermediate vehicles but these are not available RTR.

6400s on auto services were particularly associated with the intensive south Wales valley services and with the Plymouth - Saltash services. The later were particularly interesting as they often tripped milk tankers from the creamery at Saltash to Plymouth for attaching to the main flows into London. This meant that you could have a 6400 with anything from 2-4 autocoaches and 1 or 2 milk tankers bumping along behind.

Truly a prototype for everything. 

[N-Gauge-US]

Thank you! Exactly what I wanted to know )) 

[railsquid]

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.

Forgot about this thread... but no, not in a hurry. In the meantime I'm making do with the closest I have by era/region

[Karhedron]

I had a question about the 64xx Autocoach sandwich photo; is it being run between three autocoaches or between two autocoaches with a third coach tacked onto the end?

I have just remembered that it was not unknown for auto-trains to haul conventional coaches too. The normal train on the Moretonhampstead branch in BR days was a 6400 and autocoach. However for one up service in the morning and one down service in the evening, a corridor coach would be coupled behind the auto-train to form a through-portion on the express to Paddington.

In BR days, this seems to have been a pre-war Collett brake composite of the type offered by Dapol. There is a shot of one of these services in one of Maurice Dart's books.

Forgot about this thread... but no, not in a hurry. In the meantime I'm making do with the closest I have by era/region

[N-Gauge-US]

Even better! Now I can run my GWR Collet brake composite behind my autotrain without feeling too guilty (which I may have done last night anyway....)! Thanks very much

[railsquid]

Time passes... and finally I've found a filling for the autocoach sandwich 

Ex-GWR 14xx 0-4-2 and 45xx 2-6-2 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Seems to be a good'un too, it handles both coaches with ease.

[Chris in Prague]

Some batches of the Dapol 14XX were better than others. I guess quality control was not very consistent in Dapol's early days. My 14XX has a slightly warped chimney (plastic not metal).

[Bob Tidbury]

Railsquid your picture is even stretching rule one but at least it was a hydraulic and so we will accept it .
Bob

[Bob Tidbury]

I  agree with Chriss if you go on Utube you will see my 14xx pulling six coaches without slipping .
Bob

[Chris in Prague]

Thanks, Bob. Is it one of the early ND numbered batches? Do you have the box for it with the part number to hand, please?

[railsquid]

Railsquid your picture is even stretching rule one but at least it was a hydraulic and so we will accept it .

I trust this is acceptable too then

autocoaches-v200 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Thanks, Bob. Is it one of the early ND numbered batches? Do you have the box for it with the part number to hand, please?

FWIW the one I have is numbered ND003, though the original label on the box is ND004; as it's second hand I'm not 100% sure of its origin, though it is in excellent condition. It purrs very happily and effortlessly around the layout with the two autocoaches, and I reckon it could handle a couple more. It's not phased by points or the Tomix double slips, however it (unsurprisingly) doesn't  like anything more than the gentlest of gradients.

[Chris in Prague]

Thanks. These two ND0 series part numbers seem to be a batch of good runners. (I have Dapol ND-016 14xx BR Lined Green Late Crest 1462 which runs fine after DCC-fitting by Douglas.)

[Bob Tidbury]

   Chriss  my layout is down the shed and having just got over a bad cold and my wife just out of hospital Im not able to go down the shed at the moment But The 144xx is in its box so I will PM you with the number as soon as I can , mind you as with all Dapol locos if your lucky you get a good one  if your very very lucky you get a superb one but if your unlucky tough luck.I have four 14xx locos one will only pull two auto coaches two can manage three but the one in the video will actually pull even more but slips a lot when starting off
I will let you know as soon as the temperature rises a bit and I go down .
Thats the down side of having a really big layout in a shed it costs a fortune in Calor Gas to heat it for a running session in the winter ,once the shed warms up you take your coat off and start to run some trains and before you know it its time for dinner or you have to be somewhere else
Bob

[Bob Tidbury]

Railsquid is that the loco that our warships were based on ?
Bob