Darstaed O Gauge MK1 Coaches

BR’s standard passenger coach design numbered in the thousands and reached all parts of the country. Wearing coats of many colours – and with a significant number living on today – the MK1 was the ideal subject for our first joint O Gauge venture with Darstaed.

Our O Gauge MK1 coaches stand out from the crowd by virtue of their professionally decorated etched brass sides, which add weight as well as realism to these superb models. Authentic seat moquettes and full interior lighting raise the detail stakes on the inside, while an intricately realised metal underframe and magnetically coupled corridor connections seal the deal both practically and appearance-wise without.

British Railway Modelling Awards 2019
Bronze Award - 'O Gauge Rolling Stock'

Hornby Magazine Awards 2018
Winner - Best O Gauge Coach or Wagon'

3D Spin

3D Spin

Specifications

Specifications

  • Diecast compensating bogies
  • Finely detailed etched brass sides, professionally painted
  • Flush glazing
  • Fully detailed metal under-frame
  • Kadee automatic buckeye couplings
  • Detailed interiors with working lights
  • Magnetic coupling corridor connections
  • Sprung metal buffers
  • Underside brake rod detailing
  • Brake Ends/Full Brakes with detachable working (plug-in) rear light
  • Capable of running on Peco 2nd radius curves (40.5’’)
  • Diecast compensating bogies
  • Finely detailed etched brass sides, professionally painted
  • Flush glazing
  • Fully detailed metal under-frame
  • Kadee automatic buckeye couplings
  • Detailed interiors with working lights
  • Magnetic coupling corridor connections
  • Sprung metal buffers
  • Underside brake rod detailing
  • Brake Ends/Full Brakes with detachable working (plug-in) rear light
  • Capable of running on Peco 2nd radius curves (40.5’’)

Specifications

Specifications

  • Diecast compensating bogies
  • Finely detailed etched brass sides, professionally painted
  • Flush glazing
  • Fully detailed metal under-frame
  • Kadee automatic buckeye couplings
  • Detailed interiors with working lights
  • Magnetic coupling corridor connections
  • Sprung metal buffers
  • Underside brake rod detailing
  • Brake Ends/Full Brakes with detachable working (plug-in) rear light
  • Capable of running on Peco 2nd radius curves (40.5’’)
  • Diecast compensating bogies
  • Finely detailed etched brass sides, professionally painted
  • Flush glazing
  • Fully detailed metal under-frame
  • Kadee automatic buckeye couplings
  • Detailed interiors with working lights
  • Magnetic coupling corridor connections
  • Sprung metal buffers
  • Underside brake rod detailing
  • Brake Ends/Full Brakes with detachable working (plug-in) rear light
  • Capable of running on Peco 2nd radius curves (40.5’’)

Need to Know

Need to Know

Scale
7mm Finescale O Gauge

Price
£189 Each

Offers
10% off when buying 3 or more

Release Date
Out now

Variants
8 liveries, 11 coach types

Scale
7mm Finescale O Gauge

Price
£189 Each

Offers
10% off when buying 3 or more

Release Date
Out now

Variants
8 liveries, 11 coach types

A Brief History

A Brief History

Following nationalisation (and in a time of economic hardship), British Railways sought a standard carriage design to replace those inherited from the ‘Big Four’ railway companies. It aimed to incorporate the best features of current passenger coaches while offering better protection for occupants in the event of mishaps.

The first MK1 coaches entered service in 1951, and over 13,000 were built between then and 1963. Passenger coaches were 63ft 6in long while brake vehicles came in at 57ft. MK1s also formed the basis of many early-generation multiple unit designs, particularly on the Southern Region.

As long-distance vehicles, passenger comfort was a key factor in the MK1’s design; seats were aligned so as to align with windows, and the latter were large with low sills to afford better views of the passing countryside. Designed for sustained running at 90mph, later-build coaches were built with the distinctively ‘meatier’ Commonwealth bogies for improved ride comfort, and some vehicles were refitted with B4 bogies to allow operation at 100mph in express passenger rakes.

The Mk1 family consisted of both corridor and open variants, with sleeping, restaurant and mail coaches also entering the fray – all of which are covered by our extensive range.

MK1s were retired from everyday use in 2005 (with two slam-door EMUs working the Lymington branch until 2010) but can be seen today in charter and departmental use as well as on heritage railways.

Following nationalisation (and in a time of economic hardship), British Railways sought a standard carriage design to replace those inherited from the ‘Big Four’ railway companies. It aimed to incorporate the best features of current passenger coaches while offering better protection for occupants in the event of mishaps.

The first MK1 coaches entered service in 1951, and over 13,000 were built between then and 1963. Passenger coaches were 63ft 6in long while brake vehicles came in at 57ft. MK1s also formed the basis of many early-generation multiple unit designs, particularly on the Southern Region.

As long-distance vehicles, passenger comfort was a key factor in the MK1’s design; seats were aligned so as to align with windows, and the latter were large with low sills to afford better views of the passing countryside. Designed for sustained running at 90mph, later-build coaches were built with the distinctively ‘meatier’ Commonwealth bogies for improved ride comfort, and some vehicles were refitted with B4 bogies to allow operation at 100mph in express passenger rakes.

The Mk1 family consisted of both corridor and open variants, with sleeping, restaurant and mail coaches also entering the fray – all of which are covered by our extensive range.

MK1s were retired from everyday use in 2005 (with two slam-door EMUs working the Lymington branch until 2010) but can be seen today in charter and departmental use as well as on heritage railways.

Hear what the experts say...

Hear what the experts say...

These models are the result of some three years of development, starting initially as a coarse scale venture, they have blossomed into fine scale models.

These models are the result of some three years of development, starting initially as a coarse scale venture, they have blossomed into fine scale models.

Robin McHugh, GOG, May 2018

Robin McHugh, GOG, May 2018

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