Finally caught the postie this morning with my delivery of Darstaed coaches from Ellis Clark, very well packed and worth waiting for. Good stout boxes, useful as I doubt I'll be leaving them on the track when not in use, usual expanded polystyrene moulded base with a clear lid, decals for numbering etc included, couple of blanking ends for the corridor connectors and a nice illustrated history pamphlet.
So looking at the BSO, corridor end connector. The supplied blanking plate is magnetic and slots onto the end nicely if the connector is not in use.
Here it is fitted at the brake end. You'll notice the tail lamp, this is removable and just plugs in.
Decent amount of underside detail, this is the bogie with fitted pickups for the switchable internal lighting.
I'm already familiar with Kadee's, having used them extensively on my 00 gauge layout. The coaches come fitted with Kadee's as standard, with the option of link couplings if preferred. As I'll be keeping these coaches in a fixed rake I'll leave the Kadee's except for the outer end one's which I'll change to link ones as per the rest of my stock.
Interiors look fine, roof removes fairly easily, just need to remove bogie securing nuts and move aside to get to a hole at each end just inside each Kadee. There is a captive Phillips head screw at each end, loosen and remove the roof after unclipping the 'water pipes' at one end. Fitting passengers should be straightforward, and as lighting is prefitted, there's not much else needed.
.....and finally. So for £189 each (with a £20 discount code for further purchases if you buy 3) ,making them just under £183 each, I think it's hardly worth building from kits as unless you are a really skilled modeller, you'd be hard pressed to beat a factory finish model with a kit at the price. Then add in the fact that the Darstaed's come with choice of coupling, fitted internal lighting and fully decorated interior, brakes come with a removable 'plug-in' tail lamp, and flexible corridor connectors with blank plates. I enjoy kit building, but I can't see much point in doing so for such as these coaches since most decent kits come out at between £180 and £204 plus interiors and lighting as extra's. Darstaed's aren't cheap, but probably cheaper than equivalent kits, and with the possible exception of fitting passengers, there's little work to do except fit numbering decals etc. Now Ellis, about those Pullmans we're promised...... Keith.
And the Blue Grey ones look good as well. You'll be impressed when you form them up and the corridor connections connect. Paul
These coaches are very well finished but I have found a number of problems, Wheel back to back, some needed adjustment, to much side play in wheel sets, I had to take the bogies apart file the pivot back on the side frames made some thin washers to take the “slop” out. Would not negotiate a reverse curve, took the magnets out of the corridor connections so they are able to slide against each other. After rectifying the above they now run satisfactory.
When I get some track laid in maybe a few months time then I'll investigate and check how they run, so thanks for the heads up. At least they have quite a substantial feel to them, not flimsy and a fair weight so no need for any lead flashing adding. The corridor connectors do seem a bit rigid, maybe not quite flexible enough to allow for movement on reverse curves. Did you stick with the Kadee's, or change them to link couplings? I'm thinking of keeping a fixed rake and just replacing the Kadee at each end for link couplings as I doubt you'll see the Kadee's under the corridor connectors. Keith.
