Matching carriages to engines

[walkingthedog]

I try Norman 😉

[LCDR]

 I am a bit concerned that someone new to the hobby who has a genuine question may be put off asking it by reading sarcastic comment. After all this hobby is a very broad church and there is room within it for all levels of interest and ability. I agree there are people in the hobby who see themselves as an elite and are not slow to criticise other modellers and the trade if what they do doesn't come up to their exalted  standards. RMweb does seem reputedly to attract more than its fair share of keyboard warriors but there are also a lot of hard working and skillful enthusiasts on there as well. These people are striving to improve our hobby and it is arguable that there would be a limited choice and few advanced features unless the enthusiast base wasn't demanding them.

 

I started my railway modelling (playing with trains) 60 years ago. The choice available to the ordinary person was extremely limited. The market leader Hornby Dublo offered four different locos and six different types of carriage, Triang  range was little better, and Trix was pretty poor too. It was very much take it or leave it. If you consider now what Hornby, Bachmann, Heljan, Dapol, Oxford, and DJM, can offer, there is no comparison.  This does therefore allow much more realistic approach to the hobby, and for those who choose to put effort in getting it to look right there is a much better opportunity. None of this would have been possible unless those within the hobby had asked, nay demanded, better and better choice and quality

 

 

 

[81F]

It's really strange the culture with Standard Gauge modelling when you look at the Modelling Press. As far as I can remember most strive for a given period with a certain company. OK most of the settings are fictitious but they are still based on a company that existed.

 

However when it comes to narrow gauge modelling in the same scale as )) (i.e. 009) not only are most of the locations are fictitious but so are the railway companies resulting in a wide mix of locos from many different systems. Indeed since 009 covers anything from 18" to 2'6" (or even some 3' prototypes) some of the stock I've seen could never physically run together. However no-one hardly bats an eyelid! My only explanation is that real narrow gauge lines were often run on very limited budgets so when they went banckrupt and closed their stock sometimes went to other railways creating a hotch-potch of equipment long before any were preserved which was all part of their charm.

[Jimbo1707820979]

Nice answer, LC. Sums things up very well and sympathetically. I like the expression "keyboard warriors" ! 😆

[LCDR]

" Keyboard warrior"  Not one of mine I am afraid. I think I heard it first from a designer from one of the model train manufacturers. They seem to 'get it in the neck' more than often from these rather sad individuals. for who nothing is ever right, more than most. They spend many months (sometimes years) trying to get a new product into production carrying out painstaking research, consulting widely, struggling to get the detail as right as they can, given the constraints of scale and materials, only to find all their hard work rubbished by a goon on a model railway forum website, or in the magazines or at a model railway show, who probably never made anything themselves. The usual gripe is so trivial as to be meaningless.

 

Anyhow - back to playing with my toys!! I was currently building an enclosed  station footbridge from plastic card and strip, but the conservatory where I get banished when I am using solvent and paint is far too hot, so I shall go back to drawing scale buildings and rolling stock on my PC.in a cooler room.

[The00Engine]

Unless an engine of mine is pulling  the 'Limited', I often have set coaches for each engine. Scotsman has 6 teaks, Gordon has a mix of his own coackes and GWR coaches, my GWR tank engines have autocoaches, Stepney has a blue Mansuell coach, and the rest of my engines have different liveried 4-wheelers.

[81F]

I keep meaning to sit down and make a list of vehicles  and locos I use in my trains. Most of my freight trans are made up using photographs with some attempt to match up the wagons. Coaches however are a bit more difficult as there are not necessarily the right types so I go for a general feel and try to keep logos to the same period or at leas to within adjacent periods in the same train.

 

I also try to "grade" the detai. So if I have a long clearstory one end and a bachmann Collett at the other I will put an airfix coach between them. This seems to make the transition between basic detail to fine detail less noticeable.  

[Clownfish01]

I am trying to develop some carriage formations, but I'm rather flexible about locos (as long as they are reasonable).

[ModelerXYZ]

I model a heritiage railway. The beauty of that is that it allows me to run any loco of any era with any coaches and even unmatched coaches. The Swindon and Cricklade railway for example frequently runs a coach and brake coach in LMS livery, with a GWR livery dining car in the middle. When not in high summer, this is often pulled by a SR reigon 09. In summer it can be either a polish TKH or a ex GWR loco in BR black.

XYZ

[Mr. Fink-Nottle]

What loco would have pulled the bright red Royal Mail coaches (not maroon red)? Thanks. 

[JJ73]

Well I have the Night Mail set & that came with the LMS 0-6-0 No. 7414 - That's the nearest I've got!!!

But in saying that Click here for loads of photos from Microsoft bing - which should help you - quite a few Diesels & a few Steam Locos - & even a few photos from the Royal Mail London Underground Tube Train (Defunk now I think???)

[LCDR]

What loco would have pulled the bright red Royal Mail coaches (not maroon red)? Thanks.

 

I presume you mean these. These pictures were taken on the night the last TPO left York on 9th January 2004, not the best quality I am afraid, but a unique occasion.

 

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As you can see here it was a class 90 electric loco, but there were a fleet of class 47 diesel locos s in Red RES livery that regularly hauled the train.

[JJ73]

Good Photos LC  😀