D&S Kits

I have recently received a price list for D&S 7mm kits.

Currently available GCR items:

DS68-7 15 ton Double Door Van.  £55   (This is diagram 15)

DS 69-7 15 ton Brake Van  £55  (Every GC layout needs one!)

DS 73-7  5 ton Milk and Fruit Van  £59-50

DS 75 Horse Box  (ex LDEC)  £59-50

DS 77-7 CCT 4 wheel,  £59-50


UK Postage £3-75 per kit.

Intriguingly, the following are listed as RTR only, but no price is given:

DS24-7 Third Class Coach (Code 5050)
DS26-7 Composite Coach (5139)
DS27-7 Brake Third Coach (5101)

Also available DS50CB1 10' 6" bogie, £25, plus postage as above.

Also:
DS801-7 Cowans Sheldon Crane (Mark 1) suitable for MS&LR
DS802-7 As above, but Mark 2 (GCR)

These are £195 each plus £6-50 P&P. For these cranes enquire before ordering as production is not constant.

D&S Models, 46, The Street, Wallington, Baldock, Herts. SG2 6SW


D&S also produce GE 4 wheel coaches. I hoped these might be the type supplied to the LDEC, but a check of the data confirms they are not.

The GE Lowmac Wagon (DS104-7) £37 plus P&P, is however, very similar to the ones supplied to the LDEC and can almost certainly be used in a GC context.

Diagram 7 open wagon

Tucked away in the Gauge O Guild Gazette is a mention that Quainton Road Models are planning a 7mm scale kit for a diagram 7 wagon. Built from 1911 these were the most numerous Great Central wagon of all, more than 6,000 in number. So if you have a GC layout you will need at least one. If you have a large GC layout, you really need about ten! Moreover, after 1917 when these became common user, they would be a fairly common sight everywhere. From Kyle of Lochalsh to St.Ives and from Red Wharf Bay to Dereham. So anyone modelling a British railway up to roughly 1939 could do with one too.

QRM are now only doing limited editions, so if you want one of these you need to reserve one. It's no use waiting until they are ready, because if you do, they won't be, as far as you are concerned. So order one (or more) ASAP.

This is a venture which needs supporting, because if anything in the way of a GC product is to be popular, this should be it.

Furness Wagon Company

I understand from Marc at the Furness Wagon Company that the following LDEC wagon kits are (or shortly will be) available:

15ft 5 plank open
16ft 5 plank open
16ft box van
16ft 3 plank drop-side (Labelled Taff Vale Rly) 
16ft 10ton Brake van



This is practically a whole goods train all in one swoop! I hope I need not tell anyone reading this that these wagons all became GC property in 1907. Although, obviously, they would have taken a while to repaint and some would still have been in LDEC livery for a while.

Furness Wagon Company are on the web and also often attend Exhibitions, especially GOG ones. Their kits vary in complexity, as is explained on the site.

As an aside, I should mention that there is some debate about the LDEC wagon livery. Dow says chocolate, but there are other sources that say grey. So take your pick, unless anyone has definite information. "Chocolate" in early 20th Century terms does not necessarily mean what we generally mean by "chocolate". It could be "lake" as per LNWR coaches, which look brownish or reddish according to light - and perhaps the viewer's colour perception.

So perhaps GCR grey is safest after all. 

By the way, good luck finding photos of these prototypes. They are rare at best, and for some, like the brake van, make hen's teeth look relatively commonplace.

Updates - important note

I have tried to update some of the outdated information relating to suppliers on this blog. However, I can only pass on what I glean from the model press and similar sources. Details such as addresses should always be carefully checked, especially if you are sending money.

There has been a great deal of change lately, and sadly most of it is in a negative direction as traders have retired/fallen ill or generally fallen by the wayside. Unfortunately this has not been matched by Dapol (or anyone else) bringing out RTR GCR items! This trend is likely to continue, so please support the remaining traders and buy what you can when you can.

If anyone has additional information, or wishes to correct errors or outdated data, please let me know. Similarly, if suppliers would like their products mentioned I am happy to oblige. I do not make any charge, as my objective is simply to help other modellers of the GC.

Finally, although I try to keep things factual and rarely offer criticism, I have quite likely made mistakes and do not accept responsibility for any difficulties or loss caused thereby. Or to put it another way please check for yourself that any product I mention is suitable for your needs, and is still available before dishing out any money.

Manvers Main Wagon

Some time ago I mentioned the sad fact that the extremely useful Manvers Main wagon had vanished from the Slater's range.

I am glad to note that Manvers Main transfers and/or pre-lettered kits and RTR kits are now available from Powsides. This is excellent news. The reference is ID0956.

There are of course many other wagons that are suitable for the GCR (or parts of it) available from Powsides. Although for the present the South Yorkshire coalfield is lamentably under-represented, while there are hosts of wagons for obscure railways serving the south and west of England. This probably reflects customer demand, as it certainly doesn't reflect the proportions of prototype wagons.

If you are modelling pre-group, avoid anything intended for 1923 standard wagons. This ought to be obvious, but observation at exhibitions suggests it isn't. If you look at the Powsides online catalogue, the pictures of the various transferred can be 'zoomed'. This does not always, unfortunately, enable the subsidiary lettering to be read. Again (obviously) for pre 1923 any reference to LMS or LNER (or indeed SR) should be avoided. If in doubt, ask Powsides. The converse is not necessarily true, as pre-group designations on wagons remained, in some cases, until BR days!

As ever, I recommend the excellent books by Keith Turton and Bill Hudson on this subject. One thing is certain - if you are modelling the GC at any time up until the 1960s you will need some PO wagons, and if you are modelling pre 1939 you will need (relatively) a lot. After 1939, they did get grubbier, and some were eventually repainted plain grey. Again, do check the published works for details.

Mousa Models

I notice from the Mousa Models site that several more GC wagon kits are now available from this source, including the six wheel brake van.

GCR cattle wagon numberplates/owner plates

Those of you who have GC cattle wagons (or the kits to build them) may be interested to know that David Howes of Quainton Road Models is considering producing the necessary 'GCR' and number plates to finish them off.

However, this will only come to pass if there is sufficient interest in them. So, if you want them - and at least some of you must - please get in contact with him. Sooner rather than later. Today would be good. Because otherwise the only way to get them will be via private commission, which is likely to be a lot more trouble and expense.

HMRS Wagon Bodies

HMRS wagon bodies are now available for the Harrison and Camm 7 plank open to the 1887 RCH specification. As are builders plates for individual years.

Wagons of this type were used by many owners served by the Great Central, Sherwood (Mansfield) and Elsecar (Earl Fitzwilliam's Colliery) being but two of the more obvious. I have no doubt at at all that a little research through Mr.Turton's books or inspection of the MS&L/GC PO Registers at NRM York will reveal many more.

Suitable components to finish the wagons are available from: ABS, Ambis, Exactoscale, Hobby Holidays, Slater’s and other makers.  Depending on how fussy you are, these extras could well add up to more than the cost of the resin body. The Hobby Holidays detailing parts are particularly complete - and complex.

Exciting News from Quainton Road Models

David Howes has informed me:

The kit for the MS&LR 6-wheel 29ft Passenger Brake Van D.1Y2 is now shipping at £85.
Next 6-wheeler will be the MS&LR 5-compartment 3rd at £90, with several more 6-wheelers coming over the summer.
Development work has started on a kit for the GCR 45ft Bogie Fish Van, based on a project in laser-cut MDF initiated by Steven Mills. Hopefully for August release.

My comments:
The six wheel coaches will be very useful to GC and LNER (C) modellers, and as for the bogie fish vans...I can only say that if the laser-cut bodies turn out half as good as the signal box from the same source they will be wonderful. Certainly preferable to soldering up multiple layers of etched brass, that's for sure. I can hardly wait. How lucky we are to have such an excellent throughput of GC kits coming along. May this state of affairs continue. To ensure it does, please support our friends in the trade with as much of your hard-earned as you can muster.

Mousa Models

Mousa Models (Bill Bedford) are producing a new range of complete kits for GC wagons, one of which is already available, with several more seeking deposits from the interested.

These are very reasonably priced and the range proposed looks very interesting indeed with a number of 'must haves'.

Ambis Engineering

Great news - Ambis Engineering are back. They supply an extremely useful range of bits and pieces for wagons. See MRJ 207 for more details.
The contact address is Ambis Engineering Products, 27 Stanhope Gardens, Ilford, Essex, IG1 3LQ. Strictly mail order only.
The 7mm scale products can also be had from Hobby Holidays. However, the products don't seem to show on the Hobby Holidays website yet.

Quainton Road Models

David Howes tells me that the Quainton Road Models GC six-wheel fish van to diagram 49 is now in production, and the first batch is selling well.

Having moved during 2010, up to date contact details are:
Quainton Road Models
Chyanbre
Polyphant
Launceston
Cornwall
PL15 7PT
Quainton.Road.Models@mac.com

He is now working on on a MS&L 29ft six-wheel brake van - a new kit. Following that there will more six-wheelers - significantly enhanced and improved versions of the simpler etched sides/ends he marketed in the 1990s.

Suggestions for other kits are invited.

People modelling the GCR in 7mm are truly blessed to have so many kits available and/or promised. It is fast getting to the point where the only thing outstanding will be a cast figurine of Sir Sam Fay! And maybe even that will come.

Bill Bedford Kits

Bill Bedford has a new website.

The 7mm stuff is now slightly harder to find, but go into 'Products' and then 'Made to Order Lists'.

There are a wide range of items available but they cannot be accused of being cheap. It's good that they are to be had though, for all that.

GC Cattle Wagons

I understand from Simon Spare that his GC cattle wagon kits are more or less ready to go out. Cost £25 each plus post with a choice of grease or oil axleboxes.

Both fitted and unfitted versions originally had grease boxes but they would have slowly been upgraded, especially the fitted ones. Don't ask me exactly when.

There's a photo on the GCRS Yahoo website and they look to be another excellent product.

Please note for these wagons you will need 'GCR' and 'number' plates NOT the usual lettering. Now how shall we procure those??? Photos of these wagons in GC days (to show you what I mean) are quite rare. There is a partial on p 73 of Locomotives of the Great Central Railway, volume 2, by E.M. Johnson, that shows enough if you look at it carefully.

Dragon Models

Dragon Models now has a website. It is still under development but already it includes a full price list.

For the GC modeller Dragon provide a very good single bolster wagon in 7mm scale but also a range of wagon transfers including the GC, LDEC and CLC.

The 'small' GC lettering is too large to fit bolster wagons. Strangely, what you need for this purpose is 'small' lettering in 4mm scale. The small lettering is OK for certain ballast wagons in 7mm scale, although if you want to be accurate you will need to scratch build the actual wagons. (Or you can cheat and use modified Slaters Midland 3 plankers.)

The Furness Railway Wagon Co

The Furness Railway Wagon Co now has a website.

There are (last time I looked) three kits suitable for the GCR, all ex LDEC vehicles.

GCR Six wheeled fish van

In the latest GOG Gazette is an advert headed 'Quainton Road Models' - a fondly remembered concern that appears to be in new hands.

Apparently they are working on a kit for a GC six-wheeled fish van. This has to be diagram 49, which looks rather like a 6 wheel coach gone wrong. They were built by Metro Amalgamated C&W at Ashburys in 1900. There were only four on the whole line (No. 28591-28594) so even if you're modelling Grimsby Docks I can't think you'll need more than one kit. Interesting choice of prototype!

I've never seen a photo of one of these, and how they were lettered is anyone's guess. Indeed, I wouldn't even like to swear what colour they would be. Probably brown first, grey later.

Why the GC chose to built 4-off of this non-standard type is a mystery to me, but I suppose it adds variety to a fish train or passenger train tail traffic...

Manvers Main PO Wagons

I have asked Slaters about the current unavailability of these kits. It appears they will come back, but in a slightly revised format, although we might have to wait a little while.

Unless you're absolutely desperate it's probably worth hanging on instead of trying to find second-hand examples.

GC 3 plank wagon kit (diagram 6)

I understand that Simon Spare's initial batch of 3 plank wagon kits has completely sold out. However, if there is enough demand he will run a second batch.

I have already put my name down for another as they are excellent kits and well worth having. I don't think it's a major task to finish them as the earlier diag 3 if you want to do something different with one. I'd suggest the main difference is a single set of brakes with no lever on the other side.

Anyway if you want one (or preferably several) please contact Simon to confirm your interest. (His contact details are included in my earlier post about the kits.)

GCR 4 wheel brake van (from D&S kit)

This photo demonstrates that I do sometimes make models as opposed to just talking about it. It's a GC 4 wheel brake van (diagram 64 to be technical) built from a D&S kit, primed and ready to have the various castings added prior to final painting.

I never work continuously on a model, but I estimate it took me about a day's work to get it to this state. Which means that a competent professional could probably assemble it thus far in a morning.

It's a very easy kit to build - if any brass kit is - the hardest bit being to fix the handrails to my satisfaction. There's also some tricky detailing to do inside the verandah. The parts aren't supplied for this, you have to make it up yourself from plastic or wood, and it's more fiddly than anything. Not sure how I ever used to manage in 4mm, but I suppose my eyes were younger.

If you have never tried to build an etched brass kit, this one could be a good starting point. The GCR had dozens of these brakes. If I needed more than the two I've got, I'd happily build several more as the kit is a delight.