Models of The Trains I've Travelled On

[The Stationmaster]

In another thread somebody mentioned the difficulty of buying r-t-r models of the trains he has travelled or, particularly, commuted on over the years so I thought it might be a bit of fun to see how well we might score.  Ideally, and to keep it a bit easier it's probably best to concentrate on commuting (and therefore 'regular use') rather than occasional trips on holiday.  But others might decide to widen the net of course.

 

So here is a list of what I have commuted on over the years plus regular travel for other aspects of work and meetings as part of my working life, your age and domicile will clearly play a part in what might go on your list.  

 

Daily commuting -

 

Mk1 coaches hauled, variously over the years, by D70XX Hymeks. Brush Type 4 (Class 47), and EE Class 50 Type 4 - all available r-t-r

Pressed Steel 'bubble car' and 3 car DMU sets - both 'promised' r-t-r

Derby suburban dmu (Class 116) - maybe r-t-r some day?

Swindon Inter City sets (the final design).  - no hope r-t-r it seems

HST - which would total by far the greatest mileage as I commuted on them for 14 years - available r-t-r.

 

Regular work/residential travel (other than daily commuting) and travel to regular meetings -

 

Mk1 & Mk2 coaches hauled by D10XX and Class 47 - basically all available although some of the MK2 possibly aren't

My 4 coaches hauled/propelled by Class 91 - available r-t-r (currently?)

Class 373 Eurostar - available r-t-r

 

So maybe I have just been lucky although actually only a few of the above interest me from a model railway angle and one of those (a certain DMU) isn't currently avaiilable.

 

[108]

Starting from the oldest:

 

Push/pull ex railcars with C class (not available)

CIE Laminates with C/141 class (not available)

5 car suburban sets with 4 or 6 wheel heating vans.

Cravens and GSV.

Mk 2D loco hauled (occasionally)

Mk 3 push/pull. Initially with 121 Class, later 201 Class.

2601 railcars

2701 railcars

2801 railcars

2901 railcars

29001 railcars

22001 railcars.

(The last few years haven't inspired me to model them)

[big jim]

Can I diversify a touch and do trains I’ve driven/drive in particular liveries, no, tough I’m going to anyway!

 

08 - RTR 08417 which is the one I passed out on

20/3 - Bachmann planned release in DRS livery

37 - various RTR in Drs/Colas/large logo/green etc

43 - NMT available

47 - various Drs/Colas available

56 - fastline and Colas available RTR

60 - Colas available RTR

66 - ews/Drs/gbrf/fastline/colas/freightliner all available RTR

67 - wsmr/ews/Keith heller/Royal all available (Noncolas....yet!)

70 - Colas livery imminent

73/9 - not available yet RTR

 

101 - reggie rail due soon?

142 - Mersey/reggie rail/fnw available RTR

150 - fnw/atw available

153 - fnw/atw available

156 - first group Barbie available (needs rebranding to fnw)

158 - FNW/ATW available

165 - available but not chiltern colours

168 - chiltern livery

175 - not available

 

So of that list pretty much everything I’ve driven in my career is available in most liveries apart from the chiltern 165 and 175 unit

 

Coaching stock wise as I only haul yellow coaches around none of those are available rtr apart from a model rail genny van ltd ed and basic NMT coaches

[LBRJ]

I seem to have spent a large chunk of my earlier life confined in a class 153, with the occasional bout of Pacing about, and the odd high day and holy day in something with more axles than carriages so to speak

 

For reasons that may involve masochistic tendencies I have several model sprinters and would rather like a 156 someday - I liked those I may even build a layout to house them in the right setting, but for now my modelling interests are more blue and yellow at the moment

[jjb1970]

My daily ride to/from work is a London Midland Class 350 Desiro most days (unless my timing is out and I get one of the Class 319 units or use Virgin to MK Central). So I have that in OO from Bachmann.

[phil gollin]

.

 

I THINK I may be the guilty party for the inspiration of this thread.

 

I worked out just how much I have travelled by train commuting.  Well over 20,000 trips commuting.

 

First to school 2-EPB Mitcham to Wimbledon and then 2-EPB/4-EPB Reedham to Norwood Junction.  Then to college 2-EPB/4-EPB and  4-SUB to Balham/Vauxhall (and then tube).

 

Then after a gap (including 6 months commuting from Reading to Paddington by HST) my main slog of commuting Hampton Court to Vauxhall/Waterloo by Class 455 - for decades (!)  ALL with tube train journeys.  Probably well over 15,000 tube journeys, mainly on the Northern and Victoria lines. 

 

Only one type of 2-EPB is available as a quality RTR model (I consider the HST commuting to have been an aberration   ;-)

 

-------------------------

 

Now, my experience is not exceptional, I did three months commuting by EMU from Fenchurch Street to Stamford-le-Hope in the late 70's - I have no idea what EMU that was, but I'm sure there isn't a RTR model of it.  Likewise, when working near Euston, and St Pancras the commuters coming out gave evidence that there were more "unknown" EMUs/DMUs doing their daily slog.

 

-------------------

 

.

[Nearholmer]

The entire fleet list of London Underground for the past 40+ years.

 

3D/3H/3R/6S/6L/6B

 

SUB/VEP/CEP/BEP/PEP/EPB/CIG/BIG/REP/TC

 

310/321/350

 

Pendolino

 

33+Mk1

 

86+Mk1

 

90+Mk3+DVT

 

And that’s just for commuting and regular trips while at work. Occasional work trips would add a lot more, with Eurostar the tops.

 

Counting only commutes, I’m at about 18000 trips, about 75% of which included more than one train. If I counted trips while at work it might add a further c10000.

 

Too much time spent on trains, and really no desire to own models of any of these ‘trains quotidienne’.

 

(I keep remembering additional regular ones!)

Edited November 25, 2017 by Nearholmer

[HillsideDepot]

I'd not consider myself as someone who has commuted by train, but certainly teenage "bashing" trips helped me select numbers for my original Hillside Depot fleet. As close as I have come to commuting by train has been:

• Tyne & Wear Metro: Felling - Haymarket as a student, and a RTR Metro car would probably be too hard to resist (it'd probably prompt a layout, actually)
• Inter-City 125: Chippenham - Swindon as a student on sandwich placement, and I have a HST set, albeit in the later GWT "Road Runner" livery
• Suburban DMU: the return trip of the above, a model of which is long overdue and would certainly feature in my fleet, but because almost any representation of the WR is lacking without them rather than because I commuted on them. 
• Class 108: Plymouth - Truro (sometimes St Austell or Penzance), Bachmann versions sitting on the shelf patiently awaiting their layout. During my months doing that the DMUs were replaced by
• Class 150/2: as above, in reality and model terms
• Inter-City 125: return of above, and model as above

Then for a dozen years I commuted by bus to work, and example EFE models sit on display here (and more ought to be added to by repainting other castings). However one type I travelled on was the

• Dennis Dart: 1:76 scale one on the shelf, 1:1 scale one in store in a nice dry barn, awaiting restoration (probably starting next year the Engineering Dept of the project tells me)!!!

[eastwestdivide]

Another question to ask - did any of you enjoy commuting enough to have a model of your daily transport? 

I've only ever commuted by train for a period of about 6 months - on Reading 117 DMUs mostly (and sometimes 119s).

Otherwise it's been (in order of jobs/locations) bicycle, car, bicycle/walk, walk, car, 13 stairs to back bedroom.

Edited November 25, 2017 by eastwestdivide

[Nearholmer]

It did slightly enjoy commuting sometimes, because it gave chance for a gossip with pals on the way in, and a 'bubble' of peace between work and a sometimes busy household on the way home. It took a bit of practice, to know which trains might have decent seats free, though, because peace is not what you get in an overly busy coach even if sitting. My view was this it was worth sacrificing a few minutes of time in exchange for peace, so I would sometimes deliberately catch a quieter, slower, train.

 

But, no models!

 

Currently, I'm fulfilling a lifelong ambition: cycling to work, and working three days a week.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Nearholmer

[Talltim]

7 years of going to school - 317 and 319 - nope

Year and a bit of going into London - 319 and what ever they had on the District/Circle line at the turn of the century - Ditto

Last 15 years Chesterfield-Sheffield - 142 yes; 150 yes; 153 yes; 156 yes; 158 yes (excepting the 3 car units); 170 yes; 220 yes; 221 yes; 222 no; HST yes; Supertram no

DMUs are much better served than EMUs

I don’t own a model of any of them...

Edited November 25, 2017 by Talltim

[D9020 Nimbus]

Journeys to the coast in the 1960s:

 

Newcastle—Tynemouth/Whitley Bay/Monkseaton : Gresley 1938 electric stock (no RTR)

Gateshead — South Shields : Metro-Cammel class 101s

 

1971

Overnight train Newcastle — Kings Cross hauled by 9020 Nimbus — the only time I've knowingly been pulled by a "Deltic" (a slow journey, stopping at Durham, Darlington, Northallerton, Thirsk, York, Selby, Doncaster, Retford, Newark, Grantham, Peterborough, Sandy...

 

The return journey might have been pulled by a "Deltic" too—they were often used on such trains at this time, running on on engine, but by then I was too tired to bother looking...

 

There have been lots of Deltic models but I don't think Nimbus was among them.

 

1977

Reading—London Paddington — class 47

Kings Cross—Newcastle — class 40

 

More recently: HSTs, class 91s, Voyagers, 142s, 158s, the occasional 150 and 153. Also 170s, 185s and the Tyne and Wear Metro.

 

Of them all, everything bar the Gresley 1938 stock, the Metrocars and (so far) the 185s have been available RTR, if not always the specific locos or units.

[Steamport Southport]

I think most of my regular trains are well covered for most of my life. Which has mostly been spent in the North West.

 

WCML electrics

Pendelinos and Voyagers

BR Mark 1/2/3s

Local DMUs. 101/108, Pacers, Sprinters

Modern EMUs. 350s

 

 

It's mainly the older EMUs that are missing.

 

502/503/507/508 DC EMUs

303/304/305/etc. AC EMUs

 

 

 

Jason

[jjb1970]

Another question to ask - did any of you enjoy commuting enough to have a model of your daily transport? 

I've only ever commuted by train for a period of about 6 months - on Reading 117 DMUs mostly (and sometimes 119s).

Otherwise it's been (in order of jobs/locations) bicycle, car, bicycle/walk, walk, car, 13 stairs to back bedroom.

 

A good question. When things go well I find the train ride is a good way to unwind after work and it can be good productive time. I did much of an MSc whilst commuting with London Midland, and I enjoy reading a book in the morning or evening without the kiddies causing mayhem around me. On the other hand when things go wrong (and the WCML has gone through a pretty bad couple of months) it is awful.

[The Stationmaster]

.

 

I THINK I may be the guilty party for the inspiration of this thread.

 

 

.

 

You were indeed the inspiration Phil so I hope you didn't mind me pinching your lead and starting a thread.

 

My HST commuting was all relatively short distance, 9 years of Reading - Swindon followed by 5 years of Reading - Paddington so the total mileage adds up to about 42,000 at a reasonably conservative estimate.  In both cases it was fairly enjoyable as the Reading - Swindon journey was contra-peak and a regular group of 4 of us travelled together for a fair chunk of those years until mortality and redundancy reduced our number to just me.  

 

Travelling to Paddington in the peak also worked out fairly well as at Reading I usually joined a group of three who regularly commuted to Paddington from Cheltenham and they made sure the fourth seat at their table was always taken by someone getting off at Reading.  Fortunately recovering from a bout of serious illness in 1999 put me on a somewhat more leisurely approach to commuting which meant no longer rushing to catch that train so I wasn't in my usual place in the leading coach on the morning it collided at Ladbroke Grove with a Class 165 coming in the opposite direction (and equally fortunately none of my three regular travelling companions were on the train that morning either).

 

I excluded the London UndergrounD and a fair part of 4 years spent on the Bakerloo Line in the peaks ) although the stock might actually be available in some form and my other 'regular travel for work but not commuting' at one time included Boeing 737s, occasionally B757s, and MD80s.  I never counted the Class 373 mileage and I gave up counting the number of times I passed through the Channel Tunnel after my 200th trip (i.e. 100 each way).

[Northmoor]

Another question to ask - did any of you enjoy commuting enough to have a model of your daily transport? 

 

 

I've been commuting on SWT/SWR for 3.5 years now and contrary to what the moaners say - some of them claim to be late far more often that me despite being on the same trains - I actually enjoy it.  I get a seat in the morning probably 90% of the time, in the evening about 99% of the time and have been catching up on more reading than I've done for years.  It's also within 5mins of right time on about 95% of journeys.

 

A model of my commuter train would require one of the new models of a 450 in SWT livery.  One day I'll splash out on one "just because" but unfortunately all my intended layouts are to be of other parts of the country and none representing less than 30 years ago.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

In student days travelled for awhile on the original 4-BIGs; those with the individual wooden chairs in the buffet.

[Mike 84C]

Reading this thread I am far to old! No commuting by steam!

  61xx and 4 car Hawksworths from Oxford to Banbury.

  Halls or whatever from Wolverhampton/ Snow Hill to Banbury.

  Even the bus from Woodford to Banbury.

  Horrible single unit bubble car from Leamington to Honeybourne.

  OOC. carriage sidings behind Hymeks, feel that gear change! all to get home.

  Dmu's  Wolverhampton to Salop.

  And the emu's on the NewSt  Walsall shuttles. Were they Am 9 and 10's?

I expect I have missed a few. Does Oxley Sdgs to Banbury Hump in a WR toad on the end of 40 wagons count? it was a long cold, dark, uncomfortable commute home!

[Joseph_Pestell]

I have not commuted by train for much of my work career. What little there was, mainly back in the 1970s/80s.

 

2EPB, 4EPB, 319.

 

For a brief period in Paris, very quirky units on Line 10 and the superb MF77 units on Line 13.

[Legend]

I've got no chance I think of my main commute being captured in model form. For years 1979-1985

 

Class 303 The original Glasgow Bluetrain

Class 311 Later version for south side lines

Class 126 Swindon Unit - The Ayrshire Lines

Class 116 So disappointed when Kernow dropped it and Bachmann took it over to announce concentrating on 117

Class 101 Got a Hornby 3 car one

Class 107 Got a Bachmann/ Model Rail one masquerading as a 107 but actually a 108

 

I used HSTs, Class 86s and 47s for a while to get Glasgow- Sheffield. Got all of them and latterly Class 91s for weekends in London .

[caradoc]

I spent nearly 4 years commuting between Oxford and Reading (1980-84), and pretty much everything I used is available in OO RTR; Classes 47 and 50, and sometimes 31 and occasionally 33; Mark 1 and 2 coaches; Class 117 DMU, available in the past and will be again in the future (one of these worked the 0445 from Oxford, my train for the early shift !). In 1984 I moved to Scotland and in common with Legend and in contrast to the WR, nothing is available now, and probably never will be; Classes 303/311, 314, 318 and 334.

Edited December 7, 2017 by caradoc

[colin penfold]

4 subs and 4 epbs shepperton branch to school. Monotony was relieved by occasional HAPs which had nicer compartments and comfier seats. Also when (frequently) Fulwell tunnel flooded and they turned off the juice we would get a crompton and a 4tc set. Later the 508s came in.

 

Other than that my only rail commuting was Hungerford to Paddington for a couple of years enjoying regular hoover action in a mk1 or mk2. Occasionally a duff would turn up instead.

 

I'd be tempted to a br blue layout some time and already own a 50, but that's because it's my favourite class, not because of the commuting. Would never consider an EMU layout.

[cal.n]

For passenger services, I think I'm fairly well covered (with one notable exception in the shape of a class 185).

 

The majority of Northern Rail's current DMU fleet are all well covered by Hornby (153), Bachmann (150, 158) and Realtrack (156, 142, 144).

In the next few years (hopefully) the 142 will be out, the 156 will be in Northern colours and if we're very lucky, we may even have a 158 EP to gaze at?? 

 

On intercity services, Hornby make an adequate Pendolino, Bachmann do a Voyager and 350.

 

I'm also lucky enough to have needed to commute behind a DRS 37/4 on the Cumbrian Coast which is well catered for in model form.

[DaveF]

My only regular commute was around 1957/8 when I travelled on the Great Central into Nottingham Victoria from East Leake on the way to and from school.

 

Usually the loco was a B1, the stock was a mix of Gresley and Mark 1s, all corridor.  The Gresleys were more comfortable.

 

Once or twice the loco was a V2, I think I was once hauled by an ex LMS Class 5.

 

From time to time in the morning the train would approach the platform very quickly and stop beyond the station, followed by a quick reverse into the platform.  We were usually back on time by Nottingham.

 

David

[Reorte]

I've only commuted to work in the last couple of years (and then occasionally), which means 150s, or a 156 if I'm lucky. An earlier patch of regular train travel involved Voyagers.

 

Oddly enough I don't remember much train travel from when I was a child which wasn't on an HST, but there must've been some others.