Could I plesae be advised of the role of these carriages:

They look look like Minitrix Mk  1 coaches

The batch of 3 are second class open

The first is a brake

Continental make, British outline

Look at images from Google  for Minitrix mk1 coaches

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Railways_Mark_1

They are indeed Minitrix BR Mk1 coaches. However they are all corridor composites (CK) - I don't see a brake coach in the photos. The one out of it's box is showing the corridor side.

Norman

I stand corrected !

If my understanding is correct (correctons welcome), composite coaches were used mainly on more local workings with shorter trains (especially where the train would split, to ensure FC accomodation on both halves). I suspect it's highly unlikely you'd see 4 of this kind of coach running in a rake.

I have several Trix Mk1s and they are strange beasts. The windows are set very deeply (way overscale) and the liveries match nothing else on the market. For example, yours are blue & white as opposed to blue/grey you'd get from Farish. I have some Trix MK1s that are definitely more choc & custard than choc & cream

The bogies are B4 versions and are very good runners if deeply flanged - would look better with farish modern profile - provided axle lengths work.

Pretty certain they are 1:152 being just a smaller that Farish coaches. If not for the windows then a 2mm fs proposition. I have used several for etched side emus/ demus in the past.

Also popular on longer distance cross country services where demand did not require a full first coach, the Cardiff - Portsmouth service for example.
Robert     

Thnakyou all for your insights and info   

Quote from: robert shrives on August 13, 2016, 09:21:34 PM
The bogies are B4 versions and are very good runners if deeply flanged - would look better with farish modern profile - provided axle lengths work.

The sole one I acquired (out of curiosity, I now have a full range of Mk1 models from LoneStar through to Blue Riban Farish) works fine with GF coach axles.

Those Minitrix Mk1s were actually very good by late 1960s standards - scale length and correctly proportioned.  I am told they were originally developed for Peco, who were promising Mk1 coaches "imminently" in 1966 and then everything went quiet.  Back then it seems to have been standard practice for RTR coach ranges to consist only of composites and brake ends, plus a restaurant car (which Minitrix never made, they did a full brake for a while but it was over scale length and didn't sell well).  A full second plus brake composite would have been more useful, which is what Farish did when they launched their own Mk1s in the 1980s.

The Minitrix coaches have very strong shells and cope well with chopping out all the windows and fitting etched sides with flush glazing.  With new Farish Mk1s heading towards the £30 mark it might be worth someone doing vinyl overlays for the Minitrix coaches, would give them a new lease of life.

Quote from: newportnobby on August 13, 2016, 07:10:01 PM
I have several Trix Mk1s and they are strange beasts. The windows are set very deeply (way overscale) and the liveries match nothing else on the market. I have some Trix MK1s that are definitely more choc & custard than choc & cream

Dunno what the catalogue number is (1300?) but what do you think - choc & cream or choc & custard?



Edit: catalogue number established as 13007

Aside from the lack of flush glazing, the Minitrix Mk1s are excellent coaches and run very well.  Assembly and paintwork are usually very tidy, too, and the wheels are blackened.   They are also very durable and cope well with sharp curves (< 9" radius).

I have four in maroon (a BCK and 3 CKs) and were it not for the recessed glazing looking out of place next to flush-glazed Farish Mk1s, I'd run them to this day.

Also, Minitrix did not make a 57' chassis so the full brake variant runs on a 63' one.

Matt