Further to my recent post on a number of SR / BR(s) related products that have arrived in 4mm scale this post catches up on recent 2mm releases. These are the Graham Farish Bulleid 3 coach sets and from Dapol the SR Class V Schools 4-4-0.
Dapol
The Dapol Schools Class V 4-4-0 was first announced back in 2012 and since then I have been assisting their development team, via Richard Webster, with some of the finer details and variations of this locomotive class. The first versions have recently arrived with the retailers.
Dapol have included within the tooling options for the correct cab variations (as 900 to 909 had lower cab side lookouts) and also those fitted with the Lemaitre multiple jet blastpipes and larger diameter chimneys by Bulleid. When looking at the picture left of 30926 ‘Repton’ remember that it is in fact an N Gauge model!
As I advised in my recent 4mm update post, Dapol have also recently announced (05/08/16) that they have Merged with Lionheart Trains. Richard Webster of Lionheart Trains has already been working closely with Dapol on the development of new models in all scales including this 2mm scale Schools class.
Graham Farish
Graham Farish also announced in 2012 their intention to produce newly tooled Bulleid coaches in N Gauge the individual coaches arrived towards the end of 2013, They have modelled the later versions of the Bulleid coaches built post nationalisation and therefore have the deeper 15″ window vents.
Earlier this year a three coach pack, comprising of two semi open brake thirds and a seven compartment composite, hit the retailers in the shape of Graham Farish reference 374-911. They are correctly numbered (s3971s / s5848s / s3972s ) for Set 830 and also have the set numbers on the ends of both the Semi Open Brake Thirds. Set 830 was the part of a batch 830 to 837 introduced in reverse numerical order between March and July 1950 for use on the South Western Section.
Although technically not latest news as I have not featured them on this blog before and now have received one these packs I thought I would give them a mention.
Graham,
A good stab at the Schools and for N Gauge it is another reason to join in with the 2mm brigade. Notwithstanding your involvement I note the smoke deflectors still protrude too far forward on the Schools, thus ruining the front end appearance (just like its Hornby cousin). As I pointed out to that nice Mr Kohler when he was at Hornby, the leading edge of the deflectors are in line or a tad behind the bufferbeam, definitely not in front of it.
The dome is a little too high and those safety valves are rather too tall and an odd shape too. Also the seem line in the casing and row of small rivets under the wash out plugs on the firebox are far too prominent, they’re not always visible in photos of the real thing, in N Gauge they are irrelevant.
Bearing in mind the compromises that have to be made for the small scale, all round a damn good model, but could be better.
Glenn
Ref the Bullied set, during the 1950s the southern would add a couple of the same design loose corridor thirds during the summer timetable to make them up to 5 sets. Now if only Bachmann would release an updated version of these in 4mm scale!
Hi Ian
Thank for the comment. Out of the original 20 sets numbered 830 (as per the Bachmann release) to set 849, numbers 830 to 837 stayed as 3 coach sets whilst sets 838 to 849 were strengthened with as you say eight compartment Thirds.
Thanks for the update, I was relying on my imperfect recollection of reading Oakwood presses Bullied coaches some years ago!