Hi
Being new to the hobby can someone advise me what type of coaches would make up a typical branchline passenger service. The layout will cover WR/LMR in the transition era so that I can run steam as well as diesel stock.
Thanks.
The WR was unusual in building stock specifically for branchline use in the shape of B-sets (available from Dapol). They also ran auto-coaches with push-pull fitted tank engines. Dapol make the 48/1400 class tank engines and autocoaches. Farish have announced the larger 6400 class tank engines with the newer Hawksworth autocoaches which might be more suitable for a transition era layout. The class 121 and 122 bubble cars are also suitable.
For the LMS, they tended to use older period stock cascaded off mainline duty. There are no accurate LMS suburban coaches available but the BR Mk1 suburbans might be suitable (from Farish). You could also include Farish stanier coaches that have been displaced from mainline work near the end of steam.
Hi Karhedron
Thanks for the info!
Depends on the size of branch but for the western region there are Collett coaches from Dapol, either maroon or crimson and cream, Dapol B set coaches, to run in a pairs or even autocoaches. For the Midland region, you could also use Farish stanier coaches or even a short train of Mk1 stock, lots of options available with farish to release Wr Hawksworth stock soon as well. you can also get away with trains from single autocoach or brake coach to full 6-8 coach trains on some branches such as down to Minehead at that time.
I have a small layout and run a pair of colletts, one brake the other a 3rd. I also have a pair of autocoaches with I run with the loco between them as will as a collett brake with a Mk1 suburban composite both in maroon as well as others.
Lots of choice but I would suggest acquiring and looking through books to get more ideas as well.
Best wishes
Simon
Thanks Simon!
Quote from: Karhedron on June 05, 2014, 08:10:20 PM
autocoaches which might be more suitable for a transition era layout. The class 121 and 122 bubble cars are also suitable.
And maybe in the odd case the GWR railcars. The "usual suspect" GWR stuff is well covered but there are lots of gaps if you want cross country stock, six wheelers or clerestories (which often turned up reinforcing B sets). The GWR in general is problematic for RTR models. Coach standardisation wasn't something the GWR were that big on, and for most of its life the GWR rarely turned out more than about ten carriages to a single design!
A B set and/or autocoach or two will do nicely though for most stuff. The auto-trains could be run up to trailers each side of the loco so busy lines would sometimes see a loco sandwiched between four autocoaches. Once the DMUs came in they went pretty fast.
Quote
For the LMS, they tended to use older period stock cascaded off mainline duty. There are no accurate LMS suburban coaches available
Kits there is a decent range - RTR no, although the ancient Farish generic suburban coach isn't that far off in many respects and available in LMS colours.
Kitwise the P3 staniers (including push/pull), Midland six wheelers and LNWR six wheelers are covered by kits. Midland Clerestories are but only by an etched kit that really is expert material. By transition period the six wheelers would have gone (most went before the war), and I think most stock would be P3 stanier stock or other bogie coaches including Mark 1 stock.
Era has a lot to do with it. By 1960 I'd expect most branch lines to have been converted to DMU service, or more probably simply closed down. Prior to that the upcoming Bachmann autocoach is as mentioned correct for the job for GWR.
B sets survived until 1960 I don't know about beyond that date.
Alan
Alan, you are an absolute fund of knowledge, thanks for enlightening me as well. :thumbsup:
Thanks again Alan the info was very useful.