Grafar OO was the most expensive!

[Forum-1211528]

People used to moan how expensive Meccano then Wrenn were up to the Company's closure in 1992! This however wasn't the most expensive that goes back to the Fifties and Graham Farish OO some of their locos were so expensive its crazy as Peter Graham Garish must have realised there's only so much a Customer will pay for a model train and he was selling direct even in the fifties so did Meccano! Its obvious this led to the Ranges demise and an end to OO manufacture in 1980 when all Grafar had as a loco was the 94xx Pannier Tank everything else was long gone so why did they do this as I feel Farish is nice stuff if rather heavy!

[81F]

 I don't remember much Graham Farrish being available when I started in the mid 1970s but I do remember buying a wagon (a GWR16t steel minweal wagon) which I bought in Devon possibly around 1978.

 

It was a very smoothe runner but the non standard couplings meant it didn't get much use.

[Forum-1211528]

 I don't remember much Graham Farrish being available when I started in the mid 1970s but I do remember buying a wagon (a GWR16t steel minweal wagon) which I bought in Devon possibly around 1978.

 

It was a very smoothe runner but the non standard couplings meant it didn't get much use.

That wagon you had would have had small Grafar metal tension lock couplings these couple onto anything fine!

By then Grafars only loco was the 94xx Pannier Tank as everything else was gone when OO gauge production ended in 1980 but every time you phoned Romany Works in Poole you heard Grafar Limited Peter Graham Farish speaking so it was always the boss answering the phone and taking your orders as I had many a fine chat with Peter Graham Garish!

[2e0dtoeric]

Colin - if you phoned GF, and were answered by Peter Graham Farish, why were you chatting to Peter Graham Garish?

-

The only Grafar gear I recall was in N gauge, the 57xx often referred to as the coffee-grinder, because that's what it sounded like, and the four-wheel trucks that were so light they took 'short-cuts' across any curves in the track!

[Forum-1211528]

Colin - if you phoned GF, and were answered by Peter Graham Farish, why were you chatting to Peter Graham Garish?

-

The only Grafar gear I recall was in N gauge, the 57xx often referred to as the coffee-grinder, because that's what it sounded like, and the four-wheel trucks that were so light they took 'short-cuts' across any curves in the track!

I knew Peter Graham Garish Farish Pretty well as I did later with David Boyle founder of Dapol! Get yer facts right Grafar started making OO models in 1949 and one of their first locos was a Black Five it had plunger pick ups like the old Triang Princess did in its early fifties days! The 94xx Pannier Tank was introduced in the sixties and is a very reliable loco! Farish even got Rivarossi to make them an Americian Loco I've still got mine and she still runs well! Grafar started making stuff in Bromley Kent then moved to Poole in the late sixties!

[Rana Temporia]

Grafar were a major player in 00 at one time, maybe not for locos as the only loco they had for some time was the GWR 94xx which went through a number of improvements. Mine has a can motor and runs almost silently. Their range of wagons and coaches was well known, have a look at any model railway mag from the 1970s for some of their adverts. The early range was cast poor running wagons and some very heavy metal coaches that could be bought as kits and screwed together. They also did a range of cellulose acetate Pullman coaches. 

The later plastic coaches and wagons ran very well and were available in most model shops, certainly in the one I used to go in in Bolton on the way home from school had the full range next tot he Hornby boxes. 

There wasn’t a huge range of mouldings, they were mostly the same bodies with different names or railway company initials on them. I believe the coaches were based on LMS prototypes but were available in corridor and non-corridor types in GWR, SR, LMS, BR and LNER colours. The teak printing was very well done on these. The wagons were mostly private owner livieries and the original box vans were way too tall! The Terrys chocolates van is a classic! This use of the same mouldings in different colours was carried out by all manufacturers at the time. 

The couplings were a smaller version of the TRi-ang type but the coach bogies could be reversed and had fittings to add Tri-ang or Hornby Dublo type. Trix wagons also has the ability to mount Tri-ang couplings to replace the Dublo type.  I have quite a few items from the Grafar 00 range and am happy to run them. The couplings don’t work as well as the Tri-ang ones but they are acceptable. 

[2e0dtoeric]

Colin, before you start shooting insults at me, read what I wrote - The only Grafar gear I recall was in N gauge - - -

Note - I recall - - I didn't say there were no others!

I'm not going to turn this into a sniping match, so I'll say no more on this thread.

[Rana Temporia]

As my name is Colin too I hope I’ve not offended anyone!

getting back to the original title I don’t think the plastic versions were particularly expensive in the 70s as I bought some. i used to get 40p a week and the Airfix wagon kits were 38p so it didn’t leave a lot if I bought one. I only ever bought one Wrenn wagon new, a lowmac that was half price as normally I simply couldn’t afford them. From what I remember the Grafar 00 wagons and coaches were comparable in price  to Hornby, possibly a bit less. This may not have been the original case when the metal range was introduced As they may have been more expensive than the Tri-ang ones. I may go and have a look at some old mags if I get the chance and do some comparisons.

Of interest is that some people are selling the coaches on an online auction site for ultra-silly prices. I recently picked some up from a model train fair for £1 each “cos no-one wants them.” I suppose it’s the same as someone trying to sell a Tri-ang Princess or Jinty for £40 when they usually go for around £7 Which is also around the cost of a second hand X04. Not good for people who have to make a living out of selling second hand stock!

[SRmike]

I have 3 GF SR OO coaches that I got in the 70s second hand. They are excellent externally (far better than Triang or Hornby Dublo) but the internal detail is basic. I used them on my layout until the new Maunsell ones became available so they are in my display cabinet as I don't have boxes.

[Rana Temporia]

I found this advert, it was also in colour and there were some for the wagons but the majority of my old mags are difficult to get at. I will try and post some pics of actual coaches over the weekend. 

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[Rana Temporia]

In addition to my previous post some price comparisons from March 1976/media/tinymce_upload/175b7cc8548ccefdf3464cb163e92345.jpg

/media/tinymce_upload/544f6c9b51381256fc029a8531620508.jpg

[JohnnyGee]

I've got a few, they are comparable to the Hornby coaches of the time, very nice.

/media/tinymce_upload/269a9427830aa576e7c5f721b1da2507.JPG

[ellocoloco]

@Rana. 

 

I want one of the Fleischmann 3-6-0T locos from the advert above................

[Rana Temporia]

Elloloco

I have had quite a few 3-6-0 locos in boxes of ‘treasure‘, for example a Tri-ang B12 with one of the bogie wheels missing..........