Graham Farish coaches.

[Bealman]

I was separated from my layout for close to 14 years.

Apart from it falling into disrepair, things happened big time in the British N gauge world.

I began buying what I call "new" N gauge stock, including my beloved Blue Pullman, in 2011.

However, most of my stock is Poole stuff, and I don't have a problem running it, though I keep the new stuff separate!

Just old age phobias setting in, I guess 

[47 years N]

My problem with Graham Farish blue riband Chinese made MK1s is that the bodywork is lovely but the couplings are not as reliable. Frequent unplanned decoupling and derailment compared to Kato and European manufacturers (so I know how they compare on the same track). NEM pockets are not accurate enough and are too stiff. They do not readily couple like the non British stock does. Wheels on the bogies under the MK2s seem to slip out of their pin points far to frequently. I have tried CAD printed permanent coupling bars but where is the fun there? Dapol couplers Meh! If the NEM box is at the wrong height you are stuffed. Ive tried glueing mini magnets to NEM shafts and this is a success but a bit alarming during shunting and the locomotive sockets are often that loose that the coupler comes clean out of the socket when separating. I cant believe that other people don't have these out of the box troubles with what are expensive models. A train of Fleischmann coaches can be shoved around and around my layout as fast as I dare without derailing. I cant even make a circuit with British stuff. A note of caution or evidence to support my claims. I bought some Hornby Chinese made Arnold labelled German inter city coaches and guess what? The NEM sockets were not on a par with the European made ones. All droopy and generally S**t. I want reliability not separately applied overscale handrails!

[PaulinSouthMidlands]

That looks most interesting. How do you apply it to the windows.

I'm wondering if you could do that to Minitrix bodyshells to give them flush windows?

Minitrix coaches have a useful function if you aren't that good at assembling coach kit shells. All my Minitrix coaches were converted to Brass sided conversions, with Clearfix flush glazed windows.





Andy.

[Newportnobby]

I have loads of Farish China made MK1s in maroon, choc/cream, crimson/cream, green, blue/white along with suburbans, Bulleids and various GUVs/bogie parcel wagons and have never, ever had random uncoupling.

[Portpatrick]

Maybe occaisional separation, in part suspect track?  I do feel the NEM couplings are less flexible than the sprung version and often need a high speed thump and even then do not always couple..

[47 years N]

Maybe occaisional separation, in part suspect track?  I do feel the NEM couplings are less flexible than the sprung version and often need a high speed thump and even then do not always couple..

I must be unlucky that my brand new items have faulty couplers that either angle up or down on coaches and locomotives (both major makes). I'm not making it up. My track presents no problems to other modern "foreign" rolling stock. What is it that causes the couplers to do that? They are very small to see anything wrong with them.   

[Portpatrick]

I have concluded that there is too much friction between a NEM pocket and the coupling.   So whichever rides up when attempting to couple does not always drop back.  The spring in the old style coupling better ensured everything sprung back.  On Portpatrick Town I am now using Easi shunt on local terminating trains where auto uncoupling is required.   And I have similarly converted dome of my freight stock for the freight trains which are shunted.   I may in time convert the locos and ends of rakes for those trains which run straight  through.   No urgency for that. 

[railsquid]

I have loads of Farish China made MK1s in maroon, choc/cream, crimson/cream, green, blue/white along with suburbans, Bulleids and various GUVs/bogie parcel wagons and have never, ever had random uncoupling.

Indeed, the only issues I've had are when trying to run them with Dapol coaches, which seem to have a slighty different height.

[silly moo]

No problems here with the newer Chinese made Farish coaches, the Poole versions are a bit more finicky but run well on my layout although not on our club's layout where some of the track is a bit suspect. I've added a bit of weight to some of the Poole coaches.

Certainly no coupling related problems. I must be lucky.

[AndyRA]

That looks most interesting. How do you apply it to the windows.

I'm wondering if you could do that to Minitrix bodyshells to give them flush windows?

[/

It takes a bit of practice to get it right. I use a small screwdriver dipped into the clearfix and then, in a quickish circular motion, run the screwdriver round the edges of the window and withdraw the screwdriver. The bigger the window the more clearfix you need on the screwdriver. It is better to do it from inside the vehicle so as not to leave surplus clearfix to form a shiny ridge on the outside. The larger windows can sometimes be done by pulling the screwdriver across the window space. Sometimes the window will not form, but I just clean off any blobs and try again. I've now done hundreds, if not thousands, of windows in this way, and I have found it to be a good way to flush glaze. A word of warning, be careful how you handle the finished vehicle, as it is very easy to put a gash in the larger windows. But then it is easy enough to remove the damaged one with a sharp knife and replace it.

Andy.

[CarriageShed]

The old Poole versions have the bonus of being very easy to cut up and detail. I say 'easy', but this took nearly five months of work for about an hour each evening:

[47 years N]

No problems here with the newer Chinese made Farish coaches, the Poole versions are a bit more finicky but run well on my layout although not on our club's layout where some of the track is a bit suspect. I've added a bit of weight to some of the Poole coaches.

Certainly no coupling related problems. I must be lucky.

I have changed to Minitrix MK1s and haven't looked back (maybe sad about lack of buffets and sleepers). !00% reliable operation on Unitrack. Window glazing not an issue for me although it once was. Iv'e stepped off of the escalator to greater detail and now accept that they are "model" trains not real ones and a museum quality layout is perhaps beyond my skills or maybe I don't want to spend the inordinate about of time necessary to build such a layout. What annoys me about club layouts versus home layouts is the old "we don't use less than 24" radius curves and always large radius points" instead of a happy medium. The germans have it right IMHO to make great models that still negotiate tight curves. Oh and an operation based layout does not need all that detail to be enjoyed. Maybe it's my age (60) but a Poole farish steamer feels like and old hornby dublo with it's cold heavy metal body with no traction tyres. I wonder who has the Minitrix MK1 coach moulds? 

[Old Crow]

An interesting discussion. for economic reasons all my stuff is pre-owned so I've a number of older coaches and the only modern spec ones being the Stanier LMS 57ft. I'm one of those who isn't capable of modelling ultra-prototypical detail and I'm really after the "effect" of a 3D memory of childhood experience in the "Grim North!" I did have running problems with the very oldest originally and I do have areas of 9" radius. Changing the wheels helped but the main improvement was getting really well levelled and worked track and points and now they all run well, even when pushed.
I'm happy enough with my stock and frankly can't afford the prices of the latest new. I want to enjoy running trains in a Northern industrial setting and not worry too much about perfection.

[Bramshot]

47 Years N, my new Mk1's are exactly the same as yours. Rubbish tight NEM pockets and constantly uncoupling so much as to be unuseable. I have had to resort to a tiny piece of blue or black tack on the couplings to hold them together. Not so easy to re-rail after an accident or wheel cleaning,  but at least useable. My Mk2's are completely different, in that the NEM pockets are much slacker, but coupling is not much better. Most of my stock is Dapol ( due to ease of fitting coach lighting), with which I don't have any problems at all, but now that I am moving into later eras, I have to use GF.