Blue Plastic Tracks

Inspired by Nigels lovely gift of a Hornby / Triang 70th Anniversary 0-4-0 locomotive, I spent some considerable time rooting about in my attic to find a cardboard box labelled "Triang OO".



This contains the remnants of the OO layout that I had as a boy, only the locomotives, rolling stock, and a few bits of track remain. My recollection is that I spent most of my time fishing de-railed trains out of tunnels. My dad did the electrics - the switch box that controlled the points and track sections was originally the bomb-release control box from a WW2 RAF Lancaster bomber - exactly like this:





Triang R.52 Fowler class 3F 0-6-0T 'Jinty' 47606 (1955-66)
Triang R.251 Midland Railway Johnson/Deeley class 3F 43775 (1959-66)
Triang R.355 Industrial Loco 0-4-0 No.7 'Nellie' (missing her nameplates) (1961-72)
Triang R.350 Southern Railway L1 class 4-4-0 31757 (1960-67)
Airfix plastic kit Great Western Railway Prairie class 2-6-2 6167 (1964-78), kit-bashed / motorised by me following instructions in a model railway magazine, and now missing its front pony.



Triang R.424 British Railways Mk.1 Buffet Coach
Triang R.383 British Railways Mk.1 Brake Coach
Triang R.422 British Railways Mk.1 Composite Coach



Triang R.227 Utility Van (1958-61)
Triang R.120 Suburban Brake 2nd Coach (1956-62)
Triang R.121 Suburban Composite Coach (...)

I also have a bunch of wagons of various kinds, maybe I'll show you those later on?

I really like that Great Western Railway Prarie class 2-6-2 6167 and the little guy in the cab. What does it mean its a plastic kit? Did you have to glue it together? What happened to its front pony?

What might be this room in the Brake Coach with the bars on the windows...a Jail?

I really like this small collection you've got, my favorites having to be the L1 and the Deelley 3f. I didn't know that the MK1 toolings my coaches are made from were that old.

@Super that would be the brake compartment

Yes, a construction kit like this one:



I've no idea what happened to the pony wheels.

The bit of the coach with the bars on the windows would have been the luggage / mail compartment.

So this was just a plastic model kit much like the the old car or airplane model kits of the 50's and 60's and you retrofitted a motor to it?

I should imagine the Airfix kit was grafted onto a donor chassis, I think it would be quite an effort to convert the basic plastic wheels in the kit to make them suitable for running on an electrified track as for a start they would be plastic in the kit

As already pointed out the bars on the window of the carriage indicate a guards compartment that would sometimes also carry parcels, mail and precious goods. That particular carriage would be referred to as a 'composite brake coach', whereas the others are full blown passenger carriages with compartments and a corridor connecting them on one side. That is apart from the top carriage in the two pictures, the first picture top carriage is a buffet car, the top carriage in the 2nd picture is a full mail/brake car.

You got a nice selection there Chris, although I notice there is a conspicuous lack of pacifics such as an A1/A3, A4, Duchess/Princess/Coronation class or alternatively a castle, hall or similar. Out of interest is the full baggage car a kit as well? I just wondered as it looks like the glazing has slipped a bit.

(04-01-2023, 08:24 PM)Nigels Wrote: [ -> ]I should imagine the Airfix kit was grafted onto a donor chassis, ..................

Out of interest is the full baggage car a kit as well?  I just wondered as it looks like the glazing has slipped a bit.

Yes, quite right, the kit has been hollowed out enough to take a donor 0-6-0 chassis with motor, metal wheels, etc. Just like putting a 3D printed shell onto a Plarail chassis. I guess I could get it out again and show more detail.

Yes, the glazing has slipped a bit, but it's not a kit, it's a Triang original. The acetate glazing has just come un-stuck over the years. The same has happened on some of the other coaches as well.

Personally I think there is something to be said for the older Triang and Hornby models, sure they are not as detailed as the current crop. But they were built to last, they are typically heavier than most new releases and the majority out there still seem to run fine or at worst just need a little fettling. I wonder if the same will be said of todays highly detailed plastic wonders in 50 years time?!? Of course the new Dublo models should last as like their forebears are mostly metal, the only potentially weak link may be these modern can motors, but of course they are at least easy to replace for the most part - well that and the cost of course as they're not cheap...