No not as those whom know me might think, something to do with a prog rock band I’m a very big fan of (some say nerdy about), but a new range of detailed, but ‘generic’, 4 and 6 wheel ready to run coaches in a variety of styles and liveries, including initially ‘SECR’ and ‘SR’ options with LSWR to follow.
The Hattons announcement advised: “In the mid to late 1800s, the many operating companies in the UK were producing their own versions of the 4 and 6 wheel coach, which introduced many features onto the railways – lighting, continuous braking and even upholstered seats for all passengers. This led to them being a very common sight. Many designs consisted of only a handful of coaches, built to fill a specific need. These would also only wear the colours of the company they were built for. A good number were absorbed at the 1923 grouping and some found new leases of life on branches that were in need of simple stock to run on them. Some were taken into departmental stock or used by sheds and depots as simple stores vans and used until the 1950s.
Project Genesis faithfully represents the trains of the Era 2 & 3 period and brings modellers the opportunity to run a detailed train of coaches in liveries not normally seen in ready-to-run form.”
The following versions are proposed:
- 4 wheel – 5 compartment
- 4 wheel – 4 compartment
- 4 wheel brake
- 6 wheel – 5 compartment
- 6 wheel – 4 compartment lavatory
- 6 wheel brake
These will be used to represent a lot of different coaches when allied to the painting and printing they are applying to them. The individual styling has been made to include the most common features from some of the most widespread and longest lasting coaches.
There are also three types of wheelset and either oil lamp, gas lamp or electric light roof fittings to represent different designs produced by specific companies. Lit and unlit versions will be available. Full details of the specification can be found on the Hattons Genesis project page here
A variety of liveries are planned in the first batch that includes: SECR ‘Crimson Lake’ lined and SR Lined Olive. LSWR brown and tan and Longmoor Military Railway versions are planned for batch 2 and 3 respectively.
The estimated release for the first coaches is Q1 2021 and anticipated prices are £30 ea for unlit and £36 for lit version with bulk packs available. Full details of the range can be found on the Hattons project page here
Thanks for the news Graham although I must admit some LB&SCR coaches would have been nice too.
Best wishes
Pete Williams Hillingdon Railway Modellers
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Detailed AND generic rather beggers belief.
Yes they are generic but can still be detailed with common features though… I am sure they will find a market with many modellers
Hi Graham, other than the IoW, were the SR coaches seen on mainland branch lines during the 30s? SEMGonline doesn’t appear to mention them.
I doubt many survived in service into the 30s but possibly mid 20s at the end of the day on your layout rule 1 applies
Thank you, Graham. I would have to apply rule 1 to the generic, and rule 1 to the era. Given the availability of good SR stock for that era, that seems like a rule 1 too far! 😉
I love pre-grouping layouts, and we are both familiar with Alan Paley’s Loughborough Road (http://www.rdmrc.org.uk/Loughborough%20Road%20Pages/LoughboroughRoad.htm) and the manufacturer’s seem to be moving backwards down the railway evolutionary road in search of unique prototypes.
But I do question the creation of a ‘generic’ model. It seems a backwards step but I will probably be proven wrong.
I’m struggling to find any info on 6 wheeler LSWR stock, apart from a 30′ full brake Did they actually exist?
Remember that these models are generic to allow representations of early rakes to be created. If modellers want 100% accuracy then it’s the kit building route.
After consideration I do not feel these are for me.