early steam trains in n gauge

[tonytrains]

I am making layout for the early days of railway in the UK. 1880 to 1910 period. Does anyone know of any suitable rolling stock.  Happy to buy new or good secondhand . Thanks in advance.

[Shiney Sheff]

There are a few advertised on the Shapeways site, including "copper knob" loco and tender.

[NeMo]

Have you looked at Ultima Models?

http://www.ultima-models.co.uk

Lots of kits there for older railways and light railways.

Union Mills is probably the key supplier of pre-grouping ready to run steam locos. Detailing tends to be basic, but the mechanical quality is generally excellent. Quite a few modellers tweak them in various ways, even a simple repaint and a few etched brass bits (such as handrails) can transform them into very nice models indeed.

Cheers, NeMo

PS. Dapol produce an excellent 'Terrier' based on locos first built in 1880. While their model is a bit of a compromise in terms of specific details, it's otherwise a gem of a model, and looks terrific hauling short-wheelbase coaches!

[thebrighton]

If you are just looking for RTR Dapol's Terrier is your lot. The Farish N class in SECR livery is just after your time period as will be the C class when released. There is the Farish Landship set that you may be able to pick up but again is just after your timeframe. The Farish SDJR 4F collectors club exclusive is also too late.
Rolling stock wise there is nothing else and even when Farish release their SECR coaches they are too late.
If you are happy to kit or scratch build there are options.
Farish did release a GER Holden tank which does turn up on Ebay but is 40 years old with a very poor chassis. Other releases from 30 or so years ago include a Caledonian and SDJR 2/4P mash up with generic coaches.

[NeMo]

If you are just looking for RTR Dapol's Terrier is your lot.

Really? Are you discounting Union Mills here?

Take the Adams 0395. Built 1881 onwards. Okay, the version modelled by UM is a bit of a compromise and closer to their later years, but it could be backdated with a bit of effort, or simply repainted if you were happy with a cosmetic fudge. Similarly the GWR Dean Goods is also a compromise in terms of detail, but the basic loco goes back to the 1880s, so with a bit of tweaking it could work, depending on your pickiness!

I don't enough about the UM LNER and LMS locos, but some of those are definitely from the 1890s-1900s at least, even if not quite in the form UM has modelled them.

Union Mills also produces a GWR Dukedog, which while definitely not from the pre-grouping era, has the potential to be reworked into things resembling the classic turn-of-the-century GWR 4-4-0. For sure turning one of these into, say, an Atbara wouldn't be trivial, but the basics are there.

Cheers, NeMo

[thebrighton]

I could have listed numerous UM locos too but I got the impression RTR was required and as you've pointed out none of those locos meet the criteria as they are all models of later rebuilds and therefore also don't come in livery of that era.
I could have, in addition, provided a massive list of offerings that can be used as a basis for pre 1910 locos but, again, they don't fit the OP.

[tonytrains]

Thank you so far for replies. I have the Dapol  Terrier already but not sure about coaches and goods wagons, any ideas? The time era is not super critical but would like to get it as close as possible.

[NeMo]

Thank you so far for replies. I have the Dapol  Terrier already but not sure about coaches and goods wagons, any ideas? The time era is not super critical but would like to get it as close as possible.

This is the website you want to explore re: goods wagons!

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gansg/

I'm not convinced there's a huge amount available RTR, but likely some short wheelbase, open goods wagons could be pressed into service without looking totally wrong. Open wagons didn't change a huge amount over time, being basically open boxes on wheels upon which a tarpaulin was thrown to protect whatever was being carried. Covered wagons (your typical 12 ton van for example) are somewhat later in origin and by no means common even by the 1930s.

So far as coaching stock goes, for a 'Terrier', something 4-wheeled would be in order. Do see here for example:

http://www.ultima-models.co.uk/catalogue/lbscr.html

Graham Farish did make a generic 4-wheel coach that sometimes go for silly prices on eBay, but you can see them priced more reasonably at train shows if you keep your eyes peeled. They're completely freelance and don't really model anything specific, but with a bit of work (and maybe a squint!) they'll do!

Still, I'd be minded to try out the Ultima Models kits. The North Staffs coaches are apparently very easy to build, and Parkside Dundas chassis they need easily obtained. Given these coaches are very typical for the era, they could be used for most any light or obscure branch line pretty much anywhere in the UK.

http://www.ultima-models.co.uk/catalogue/north-staffs.html

Please don't be scared off by the idea of kit building! It's a lot easier than you think, especially if you start off with a good chassis kit like Peco or Parkside that does all the hard work for you. Of course painting is a hassle, but choose a simple livery, and maybe weather out any details beyond your skills, and you'll be fine!

Cheers, NeMo

[PostModN66]

Going out of era the other way there is the Stephenson "Patentee" from 1833 available as the Minitrix "Der Adler"

Cheers Jon 

[ntpntpntp]

Going out of era the other way there is the Stephenson "Patentee" from 1833 available as the Minitrix "Der Adler"

I misread the question at first and was about to post about Der Adler when I realised that was 50 years too early!

[Railwaygun]

the GF 4 wheelers are sometimes disguised as Weetabix coaches!!

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=6331.msg306766#msg306766

[AlexanderJesse]

Going out of era the other way there is the Stephenson "Patentee" from 1833 available as the Minitrix "Der Adler"
Cheers Jon 

A nice model, that sells here in the continents heart for up to 350 Euros... luckily got one for 140

Even though it is too early... it still can serve as museum  train... for some turn of the century exhibition

[Jerry Howlett]

Going out of era the other way there is the Stephenson "Patentee" from 1833 available as the Minitrix "Der Adler"
Cheers Jon 

A nice model, that sells here in the continents heart for up to 350 Euros... luckily got one for 140

Even though it is too early... it still can serve as museum  train... for some turn of the century exhibition

Where does it sell for that ??   I have one in a nice wooden box, its been tucked away in the Tuscan hills for 12 years now and needs to escape.   Jerry

[martyn]

I'm sure that I read somewhere that the Farish 4-wheelers were based on a GER design, and they did come out with their GER Holden tank..........though in my opinion, they look more like the Farish LMS-style bogie non corridor stock sliced in half....but I have seen some photos of (real) GER 4 wheelers which have very little visible underframe detail. The real ones also seem to have beading on the sides, and a full length footboard at axlebox level.

I think they can be made more presentable with the Society six wheel Stove R chassis.

HTH

Martyn

[Newportnobby]

Going out of era the other way there is the Stephenson "Patentee" from 1833 available as the Minitrix "Der Adler"
Cheers Jon 

A nice model, that sells here in the continents heart for up to 350 Euros... luckily got one for 140

Even though it is too early... it still can serve as museum  train... for some turn of the century exhibition

Where does it sell for that ??   I have one in a nice wooden box, its been tucked away in the Tuscan hills for 12 years now and needs to escape.   Jerry

@Jerry Howlett
Hope you can remember where you buried it all those years ago!

On a separate note, do I recall someone on the forum making 4 or 6 wheel coaches by carving up some Farish generic choc/cream bogie coaches? Maybe I overdid the meds that day. Nurse!