Rapido OO Gauge GWR B Set coaches

[Nova Scotian]

Trying to find if there are any instances where two b-sets ran together (eg. a two-car set of brake composites, back to back with another two-car set of brake composites). It seems typically any extra carriages were singles (even if two extra singles to make four in total). Is this correct, or has anyone found different?

[The Fatadder]

32 minutes ago, Nova Scotian said:

Trying to find if there are any instances where two b-sets ran together (eg. a two-car set of brake composites, back to back with another two-car set of brake composites). It seems typically any extra carriages were singles (even if two extra singles to make four in total). Is this correct, or has anyone found different?

My understanding is that it would happen on the Kingsbridge branch (in summer)

[RapidoCorbs]

11 hours ago, Nova Scotian said:

Trying to find if there are any instances where two b-sets ran together (eg. a two-car set of brake composites, back to back with another two-car set of brake composites). It seems typically any extra carriages were singles (even if two extra singles to make four in total). Is this correct, or has anyone found different?

Re: The second part of your post, it also seems to have been the norm that the extra coach was a brake third or brake composite, which seemed strange to me as it meant having 3 coaches, none of which were wholly seating, but it may have been to ensure the guard was always at the end of the train.

[gwrrob]

How soon till we see the livery samples @RapidoCorbs looking forward to seeing these immensely.

[RapidoCorbs]

47 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

How soon till we see the livery samples @RapidoCorbs looking forward to seeing these immensely.

Small update in tomorrow's newsletter, not massive but coming along.

[BMacdermott]

13 hours ago, Nova Scotian said:

Trying to find if there are any instances where two b-sets ran together (eg. a two-car set of brake composites, back to back with another two-car set of brake composites). It seems typically any extra carriages were singles (even if two extra singles to make four in total). Is this correct, or has anyone found different?

 

Hello Nova Scotian

 

In the 1950s (at least) the 9.45am Highbridge-Templecombe train was booked for 2 x 2-sets. These varied between WR B-sets and LM 2-sets. I will try to find a photo for you.

 

Brian

[Nova Scotian]

22 minutes ago, BMacdermott said:

 

Hello Nova Scotian

 

In the 1950s (at least) the 9.45am Highbridge-Templecombe train was booked for 2 x 2-sets. These varied between WR B-sets and LM 2-sets. I will try to find a photo for you.

 

Brian

Thank you - very kind.

 

Between this and the Kingbridge branch referenced above, is seems there is at least some historical evidence to run two sets together on occasion...

[St Enodoc]

2 minutes ago, Nova Scotian said:

Thank you - very kind.

 

Between this and the Kingbridge branch referenced above, is seems there is at least some historical evidence to run two sets together on occasion...

Newquay branch, too.

[John Isherwood]

27 minutes ago, BMacdermott said:

 

Hello Nova Scotian

 

In the 1950s (at least) the 9.45am Highbridge-Templecombe train was booked for 2 x 2-sets. These varied between WR B-sets and LM 2-sets. I will try to find a photo for you.

 

Brian

 

Oh goody - I have an Airfix bow-ender set and a K's flat-ender, and I model Evercreech Jct.

 

CJI.

[DutyDruid]

3 hours ago, RapidoCorbs said:

Re: The second part of your post, it also seems to have been the norm that the extra coach was a brake third or brake composite, which seemed strange to me as it meant having 3 coaches, none of which were wholly seating, but it may have been to ensure the guard was always at the end of the train.

 

My interest in these is for a layout based on the Devon & Somerset Railway.  I have it on good authority that more than once a train ran consisting of a Taunton B Set, a bow-ended brake (not sure if it was all third or a composite), a GUV and a ventilated van.

[CoombeTown]

Some time ago I was looking at carriage workings through Norton Fitzwarren station, at the junction to both Barnstaple and Minehead.

From the workings it's clear that the Barnstaple train was regularly strengthened with a brake composite. However, the Minehead train is always shown as a Second used as a strengthener and for the 6pm MHD-TAU 2 Seconds were employed.

 

The Minehead case seems to go against the rule that most others have suggested of a brake being used, but it provides a different formation for those interested. We just need some appropriate Non-Corridor stock to produce it.

[Miss Prism]

Some trains on the Bristol & North Somerset were 2 B-sets.

 

[Hal Nail]

16 hours ago, Nova Scotian said:

Trying to find if there are any instances where two b-sets ran together

I'm reasonably sure I've seen photos of back-to-back B sets on the Looe branch.

 

Edited June 27 by Hal Nail

[BMacdermott]

Hello everyone

 

A quick check of a 1957 Carriage Working Book revealed:

8.25pm Chippenham-Westbury as a B-set with another B-set set attached as far as Trowbridge.

 

Brian

[Pteremy]

1 hour ago, DutyDruid said:

 

My interest in these is for a layout based on the Devon & Somerset Railway.  I have it on good authority that more than once a train ran consisting of a Taunton B Set, a bow-ended brake (not sure if it was all third or a composite), a GUV and a ventilated van.

 

By the late 1950's 2 sets used for Taunton-Barnstaple services on the line, Set 75 and Set 77,  were officially expected to comprise a B Set + Bk Comp, potentially strengthened in summer with an additional 1 or 2 coaches. So, for Summer 1958 say, 6 of the 15 T-B weekday services would have included a B Set. Until that summer there was also an afternoon Taunton - Dulverton (& return) Service in the summer timetable, which could also have utilised a B Set.

 

The most likely services to have attachments would be the late afternoon service from Barnstaple (around 4.00pm) with perishables for xfer at Taunton or the final service from Barnstaple (around 7.00pm) to connect with the final perishables service to Paddington.

 

I have seen a couple of photos which show 2 B Sets in a train - but I am pretty sure that these are examples of two sets of coaching stock being worked back to Taunton at the same time, for rebalancing purposes.

 

 

[The Johnster]

6 hours ago, CoombeTown said:

We just need some appropriate Non-Corridor stock to produce it.

 

Amen to that; all we've got to modern spec are the upcoming B set, Hornby 4-coach bowenders, and the Dap toplight 6-coach sets, really best suited to London area.  5-coach South Wales/Bristol Area bowenders, loose bowenders, loose flatenders, and the 64' Hawkworth all-third are available from Comet, but not everyone is comfortable building and finishing brass kits.  There is also a plethora of auto-trailers out there up for grabs; kudos to Dap for putting the Lionheart diag.N through the 4mm shrink-ray, but there are no 70-footers or matchboard types available.  The most numerous auto-trailer type was the A26, a 70-foot rebuilt SRM which, like several SRM rebuilds, came of different bogie types.  The 1953 auto-trailer conversions from Collett flat-enders ('Cyclops) would be welome as well, though I'm happy enough with my Comets.

 

Comet kits are a fair bit of work and time-consuming, not a bad thing in itself as they are satisfying projects, but there is a lot of repetitive fiddly work with door furniture on non-gangwayed models.  I intend to eventually replace my Hornby bowenders with more suitable (for Cwmdimbath) loose 60' types, but this is dependent on the acquisition of my much delayed Round Tuit and it is a bit tempting to take the path of least resistance (I don't call it lazy, I call it energy-saving) and plug on with Airfix B set cut'n'shuts, which are really showing their age and crudity against more current offerings!

 

I get that the GW produced a greater variety of coach styles during the big 4 era than the others,  which is more challenging for RTR manufacturers in terms of marketing, and that non-gangwayed coaches are less glamorous and don't sell as well (they've a long history in RTR, though, Hornby Dublo and Triang both dipping their toes though the Triang offering was unlike any prototype I know, probably because of the need for large compartment-dividing pillars for structural reasons).  The Southern didn't produce any non-gangwayed hauled stock at all during that period, in fact withdrawing some of what it had inherited to put on emu underframes, the LMS had only two styles, Period 1 and 2, already available in RTR form, and the LNER Gresleys & Thompsons ditto, making those two companies easier to provide for by RTR producers.  This of course does not address the vast variety of pre-grouping non-gangwayed, of which only the Southern's scratch the surface in RTR form. 

 

I'l love to see current RTR spec Dean 4-wheelers as well, preferably not balloon-end brake types, that would run rings around the Hornby and ex-Hattons' generics.  Of course what I really want are those used on the Glyncorrwg Miner's, the last in service and w/d 1951, replaced by the last in service non-gangwayed clerestories, which I'd also like to see despite having recently cobbled one up from old Triangs.

Edited June 27 by The Johnster

[gwrrob]

The latest newsletter suggests that assembled livery samples will be available to view at the end of September.

[The Fatadder]

5 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

The latest newsletter suggests that assembled livery samples will be available to view at the end of September.

Guess that means we are looking at January for delivery.  Couple more months to finally try and definitively confirm the livery of Kingsbridge Branch No1 in the 40s…..