Hi all

I need some advise

I am looking to build a rake of Coaches to be pulled by my BR Green Era Diesel Locos.

These will be in the Maroon colour but looking at what's available from both Farish and Dapol I need help deciding which to get, I have OCD so all the coaches must be from one maker and of the same model group so?

The obvious choice would be the Mk1 from Graham Farish but they also offer their Hawksworth and Stanier Coaches in BR Maroon and Dapol offer their Collett and Gresley Coaches in Maroon.

I know a full rake of Mk1 coaches would be accurate but would they have used the other coach makes in full rakes or would they by the time their Maroon livery hit the rails be only used mixed with other build stock.

I know from a rule one point of view it makes no difference but given the high cost of modern Farish coaches and given that I am looking to buy 10 of them I would rather pay £25 each for a Dapol coach than a Farish but how realistic would they be, some of the Dapol coaches are marked for third class, was that still in use by the time the maroon livery was introduced ?

Thanks in advance for any helpful input on this.

NGM

Green diesels were introduced from about 1958/9 through to 1965 ish and coaching stock/liveries were often changing in that period of time. Can I ask if your layout is based on any particular location as that would have a bearing on the response?

It was not unusual for grouping coaches to be running within a rake which included Mk1s. But by, probably, late 50s, it would be unusual for a long(ish) rake to be all grouping coaches.

So as NPN has said, era and area need to be taken into account, IF you want to be close to BR practice.

I know that this violates one of your wishes to use one manufacturer only, but I use Farish Mk1s mixed with their LMS Staniers, or Mk1s with Dapol (and Minitrix) Gresleys.

If you model WR, then Farish Hawksworth with Farish Mk1s, or mk1s with Dapol Collets, or even Dapol Collets with Farish Hawksworth (though I don't know much about WR formations).

Martyn

Later; Third class had changed to second by the time of maroon coaches. The vehicles were the same, just the classification/designation changed. As only first was indicated on doors or windows (OK, Except SR boat trains which had all three classes) the from a modelling perspective the change from third to second is not really relevant.

M

If you want to cut cost and keep to an "average" rake do not bother with catering vehicles. Majority of srvices did not have catering unless long distance.    I do remember travelling in the late 60's on the WR with Hawksworth and Mk 1 stock.  Obviously you need to decide on the area you wish to model that ca help with your purchase choice.

Really, to be right for a green diesel with yellow warning panel, the rake should be all mk1 or mostly mk1. The pre-nationalisation designs were being scrapped quite quickly by the 1960s although a few Gresley buffets made it into blue and grey livery. One of these famously found itself working on western region mainline expresses. I saw it once which I found amazing. The Farish coaches are ridiculously expensive but the mk1s and the Hawksworths are better looking than the much cheaper Dapol Collets.

I would stick with a rake of mk1s and, for a 10 coach rake I would include a buffet car. You need a brake at each end and just one or maybe two first class with the rest being second class. There should be a mixture of open and corridor coaches but there is no hard and fast rule on this. At the time man line expresses were usually between eight and 12 coaches long. I generally run 9 for my main expresses. Remember that a 9 coach train plus loco will be circa 5 ft long.

Sounds like you have the same issue as me, i want to run something thats in period but i don't know enough about coaches.

I posted something similar last week, maybe worth having a look at those threads  ?

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=52640.msg688950#msg688950

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=52025.15

Craig