What are the part numbers for the shortened Hornby blue MK3 coaches

[ColinB]

Can anyone tell me what range of part numbers or how you can tell the shortened MK3 BR blue coaches used with HST from the later proper length ones. Obviously if I could see the things it would be obvious but from a photo not so. I could buy Lima ones which are the right length but for some reason all of them on EBay are minus their bogies. Is there any reason for this?

[atom3624]

I forget if correct, but I think I read the 'correct length' ones have an extra window?

Al.

[ColinB]

Yes those are the ones. So how many windows do the right one have? I notice Hornby are releasing some of these soon, so perhaps I should just wait.

[Going Spare]

If I remember correctly, in the beginning (1977-1984), the Hornby Mk3 coach had only 7 main windows as well as being under scale length to negotiate 1st radius curves; the underframes and other components all carried R439 that being the initial release and all were in blue/grey or IC125 livery with raised window frames.

Between 1984 and 1998, the glazing strip was altered to show 8 windows and the raised frames were done away with but the body was still short. Both versions had coupling bars moulded as part of the bogie frame.

In 1999, 'super-detail' scale-length coaches were introduced and these had clip-in Dapol-style couplings before later moving to NEM sockets.

[Rana Temporia]

The original Hornby ‘shortie’ coaches are easy to tell from the later ones as the bogies are unprototypically at the ends of the coaches whereas the scale length ones have the correct long overhang past the bogies, this was to cope with 1st radius curves. The Jouef blue/grey MK3 coaches could be used to create a realistic HST by cutting the buffers off and are often available cheaply, they also run superbly.

I have no idea why the Lima ones have no bogies??? I did have a few of them and had no problems with the bogies breaking or coming away.

[ColinB]

Great, thanks for the information. I forgot Oxford Rail do ones that are quite reasonable so I might go that way.

[ColinB]

The Jouef ones were a lot cheaper and I have had issues before with the Oxford couplings before, so I bought 3 Jouef ones. They also have the older Triang couplings which may look ugly but are a lot more reliable.

[atom3624]

I have a rake of Oxford Mk.3's, and invariably find them moulting parts.

I use the aftermarket magnetic couplings on them.

Al.

[Rana Temporia]

Such a shame that Jouef only did a class 40 and the Mk3s in OO. Great quality models. Some of the Playcraft range although sold as HO was closer to 4mm. The NB shunter was a very close to 4mm scale body on a chassis that looked nothing like the original and I believe the first model loco to have wasp stripes. Some of the wagons were also close to 4mm scale from the side with 3.5mm scale width. I think the brake van was closer to TT but I stand to be corrected.

[atom3624]

I enjoyed my Class 40, but do remember I had problems with the pony trucks on each bogie derailing, plus I think the tyres weren't the most robust.

I could be mistaken, this was over 40 years ago!

Al.