Introduction
This page is dedicated to information, updates and pictures for the exclusive range of Darstaed finescale O gauge Thompson Coaches.
This is the best place to keep up to date on news, project status, and if you scroll further down the page, information on liveries, coach types and some sample running formations.
We're always on hand to help, so if you need anymore info please feel free to call or email us by visiting the contact page of the website
A Short History of the LNER
(Courtesy of the LNER Society)
The London & North Eastern Railway was one of Britain’s ‘big four’ railway companies, created by the 1923 Grouping of smaller companies on a geographical basis.
The ‘big four’ formed Britain’s railway system through the difficult 1920s, 1930s and World War II, until they were nationalized in 1948.
Coal and heavy industrial goods traffics were the inherited economic basis of the LNER.
Nevertheless, it pioneered the development of magnificent passenger trains, particularly on its East Coast Main Line, where the ‘Flying Scotsman’ was followed by the ‘Silver Jubilee’, ‘Coronation’ and ‘West Riding Limited’ streamlined expresses.
Then, in addition, there were the Pullman trains and East Anglian boat trains.
The LNER was a very large business organisation employing well over 200,000 people in 1923. As well as operating services over 6,500 miles of track, it had interests in shipping, hotels, motor transport and many other ancillary activities.
The company produced many iconic locomotive classes such as the A3 and A4 Pacifics, together with the V2 2-6-2s and latterly the maid-of-all-work, introduced in 1942, the B1 4-6-0s.
A Little History on the Thompson Coaches
During the war, it was evident to all the big four companies, the LNER included, that new post-war coaching stock would be needed to replace the vehicles that were in need of withdrawal.
It was in 1944 that a memo was passed on to the emergency board of directors, outlining the amount of coaches that were due for withdrawal, totalling over 2,500 vehicles.
That same year a 3 year coach building programme (CBP) of 4,600 vehicles was approved, and was to include both vestibule (mainline) and non-vestibule (suburban) coaches.
However, due to both a lack of materials, and postwar constraints, the CBP was adjusted to take place over five years between 1946 and 1951, with 3,400 vehicles built by contractors.
With the formation of BRin 1948 the stock built by the LNER was adopted into BR general and express services, with many of these coaches still in preservation today.
Liveries
Simulated Teak, 1946 - 52/3
The first of Thompson's coaches were completed in 1946, and as had been instructed they were painted in the 'Simulated' teak livery. This was in a bid to retain the prestigious look of the wooden 'Gresleys' which the Thompsons were to replace.
The finish divided opinion, and when BR adopted the LNER coaching stock in 1948, they eventually decided upon using the popular 'Crimson & Cream' livery for their coaching stock. All coaches were eventually repainted into this livery, however it was by no means a priority, and so many remained in the teak livery as late as 1952.
Crimson & Cream, 1949 - 1956
The first 'Thompson' coaches appeared in Crimson & Cream in 1949, with a small number never even receiving the teak finish. This livery was used up to 1956 (and possibly slightly later), when BR decided to overhaul all it's coaching stock, repainting most of it into lined maroon. It is very possible however, that many coaches remained in Crimson & Cream livery for quite some time after 1956.
Lined Maroon, 1956 onwards
The final livery which all coaches received was lined maroon, which was used until BR began scrapping its Big 4 coaching stock. Having said this, many of the full brake coaches survived to be painted in full blue livery. It was also very common to see Thompson coaches mixed in with rakes of Mk1s, both in Lined Maroon, Crimson & Cream, and a combination of the two.
The Darstaed Models
The Darstaed range covers a wide variety of coach types, liveries and running numbers enabling you to model from 1946 all the way into late BR and the diesel transition period.
In total, across the 5 liveries on offer we have 68 different models to choose from! We've catered for 8', 8' 6" and 8' 6" heavy bogies too, including many other design difference from vehicle to vehicle.
If this large range of models feels a little daunting, then fear not, as we have prepared some sample coach formations for you and we're always on hand to help by phone or email (click HERE for our contact details)
Key Info
RRP
£229 Per Coach
(Pre-order with no upfront payments)
Multi Buy Discount Price
3+ Coaches: £220 each
Specifications
Finely detailed brass sides - professionally painted and lined
Brass luggage racks
Fully detailed die-cast under-frame
Super detailed interiors with installed lighting
Compensated die-cast bogies
Super detailed door hinges
Magnetic coupling corridor connectors
Capable of running on Peco 2nd radius curves
Brake ends and full brakes with detachable plug in rear light
Sprung buffers
Sheet of waterslide transfers
Kadee couplings fitted as standard - link couplings available separately
Typical Thompson Coach Formations
Typical 3 Coach Rake
BCK
TK
BTK
Typical 4 Coach Rake
BTK
FK
TK
BTK
Typical 5 Coach rake (without catering)
BTK
TK
TK
FK
BTK
Typical 5 Car Formation (with catering)
BTK
TO (RTO)
RF
TK
BTK
Typical 7 Car Formation
BTK
TK
TK
TO (RTO)
RF
FK
BTK (or BCK)
Standard 8 Car Formation
BTK
TK
TK
TK
RF
TO (RTO)
FK
BTK (or BCK)
Typical 11-Coach Formation
BTK or BCK
TK
TK
TK
TK
TK
RB
RF
TO (RTO)
FK
BTK, BCK or BG
Notes: The catering section of a train was often made up using an RF (Restaurant First with Kitchen) and a TO (Third Open) acting as an RTO (Restaurant Third Open).
Below is a chart with the full range of Darstaed Thompson coaches
Project Updates
As the models were being produced, we kept you up to date with various blogs and newsletters. These may now be superseded by all the above information, however we have kept these below just in case.
28/04/2021 - Thompson Coach Formations Update - if you scroll down to the bottom of this article, you will find that we have created a handy guide with some sample coach formations
24/02/2021 - Update on the LNER Bogies
We are now offering LNER bogies factory fitted with ball bearings, click
HERE to read all about it
01/02/2021 - Thompson EP Sample Lands!
Click
HERE to read about it and view the sample pictures
Huge Project Update June 2020
We've just posted a news article outlining all the project updates, plus a new release date.
To view this, click
HERE.
UPDATE 15/12/19 - Numbered Coaches & Final Production List
For the first time since teaming up with Darstaed, we are now offering each coach with the option of a factory installed running number.
Below is a comprehensive table which covers all the coach types, liveries and running numbers which we are producing.
UPDATE 01/11/19 - 'The Elizabethan' Express
We are proud to announce that we will be producing a very limited run of Elizabethan coach sets (11 coaches in a set).
The rake represents the London to Edinburgh service which ran from around 1953 in BR Crimson & Cream livery.
These coaches are not just standard Thompsons added together to create a large rake: Instead, we are actually making a number of changes to the detailing. Due to The Elizabethan Express being a high speed express service, the coaches had their sides or 'fairings' extended over the solebars to create a 'streamlined' appearance. Not only that, but the coaches were also fitted with pressure ventilation (to most, with the exception of the BG), and, due to the extra weight, 8' 6" heavyweight bogies. These are all details that we will be reproducing for this set.
We have modelled this rake based upon that seen in the British Transport Film 'The Elizabethan Express' and as was common, they mixed a couple of standard Thompson coaches in and among the 'streamlined' versions to make up a full train.
Price - This limited edition set is priced at £2,449, with our usual approach to pre-orders (ie. no deposits or upfront payments required).
Numbering - Coaches will all come pre-numbered.
