Now I have decided what rolling stock I would like for my layout I am struggling to find who makes what and if what I am after actually exists 

Other then going and buying manufactures catalogs is there any other way to determine what is available off the shelf. Seems to be a bit of a minefield online

Catalogues, manufacturers websites, and stockists are probably the most immediately available ways.

Bachmann have done a list of what they've made - I don't have the link to hand, but sure someone else will post.

There are also Ramsay's guides books, but these are expensive and riddled with errors.

Finally, what are you actually after - post it here and folks will quickly advise.

Cheers,
Alan

Minefield is right. Dapol and Farish both manufacture in "batches" which means that even relatively new items may be hard to find new and you may need to resort to eBay or similar. This can get even more complicated if there is more than one generation of an item and you need to make sure you are getting what you think.

For example, Graham Farish sell the GWR Castle class locomotive. The current model is DCC-ready and is pretty much up to date and a fine representation of what you can expect from a modern model of a steam engine. However up until a few years ago, Farish mad a much older version of the Castle with a die-cast body, undersized wheels and no facility for DCC.

You want to make sure if you think you are ordering this


that you do not end up with this (unless you like the model for its vintage qualities of course ).

Cheers guys

@Karhedron exactly. Thought I had found what I wanted on eBay but upon closer inspection it was an old model that was no where near as good as the current generation.  And yes the batches thing makes it very confusing.

Current top of my list is a rail freight petroleum sector locomotive that is DCC ready. Haven't found one that perfectly fits this criteria yet.
Also some appropriate wagons. Although Hereford models seem to list a limited edition set of weathered pca Shell tanks that look good and have caught my eye.

A few years back I thought about creating a website based on the "My Car Needs a..." i.e. "My Layout Needs a...".  It would bring modellers with "wants" together with sellers.  Over the years, I have found that there is an awful lot of stock sat on retailers shelves long after the "known" retailers have sold out.  I suppose you could call it eBay. 

Paddy

Dapol produce a nice class 56 in Railfreight Sector livery. I can't see one in Petroleum sector livery but you would always put transfers on a Construction sector one. Farish are producing 37 428 'DAVID LLOYD GEORGE' BR Petroleum sector livery. It is not available yet but if you are willing to wait, it will fit the bill when it (finally) arrives. They are also doing 31 319 in this livery but again, it is not out yet.

Farish do a Class 60 in petrol sector livery but this is a slightly older model which does not include features like a DCC socket. I don't know how important this would be to you.

And speaking of eBay I have found something close to what I am after 
Would just be good to know if there is anything even closer as well haha

The N Gauge Society has a list in its handbook of who makes which locomotive. It covers liveries and running numbers, but not whatever's under the bonnet.

A similar directory for coaches and wagons would be helpful, especially if it covered kits and 3D prints also. A structure like that of Paul Bartlett's Wagon Site would make sense. No one's going to populate it, but suppliers might contribute their own items.

Mike

Hattons used to be a very useful source of information on what is available off the shelf, until they had a bust-up with Farish and no longer stock Farish products! I suppose Rails of Sheffield could be an alternative, though you have to look under each manufacturer.

And none of the online retailers stock Union Mills steam locos to my knowledge.

As Karhedron said, Farish do a petroleum 60, it need a chip soldering into it (the early variant of Farish's "DCC ready"), but it's not too bad. And yes, there is a forthcoming 37, which is properly DCC ready, but no date yet.

There never were any petroleum 56s, so whilst you could add the correct logos to a construction/coal one it would be fictitious.

Edit: not quite true, there was one, 56036. Others were assigned to trainload petroleum, but never received the livery.

This website here:

http://www.ngauge.org.uk/index.php

Is a very good resource, although it continues to be a work in progress, but helpfully it list Catalogue numbers against each livery and notes whether it is an early model or a re-tooled model, for much of its content which will help you identify items for sale by cross checking the item number.

Best

Scott

I believe 37428 was allocated to cardiff canton. I googled ripple lane . 37892 worked out of barking ripple lane 9 mile out of fenchurch street as did  37681 . class37info.uk

Another very good one I have found is www.modelraildatabase.com . I covers OO gauge aswell.

Quote from: NGS-PO on November 06, 2019, 03:20:56 PM
This website here:

http://www.ngauge.org.uk/index.php

Scott

I've been looking for something like that, brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

Quote from: gavin_t on November 06, 2019, 01:49:46 PM
..
Other then going and buying manufactures catalogs is there any other way to determine what is available off the shelf.
...

If you want to know what's available today, you'll need 2014's catalogues!