Replacement wheels for old Hornby BR early MkIIs

[Noel]

Need recommendation for a source of replacement wheels.

 

I have a rake of old 1970s Hornby early BR MkIIs. They won't make suitable donors for repaint to CIE or IE colours due to the window frames and extra doors. The wheels are metal rims over plastic wheels and square axils, but they are gauged too narrow for Peco points. Probably fine on old 1970s Hornby set track but not Peco 100 points. I'd like to try and salvage them for nostalgia reasons as I've had them since I was a youngster.

 

 

As a matter of interest, any idea why BR and NIR mk2 stock had the split window frame panels, whereas the CIE/IE mk2 stock had single window panes (i.e. like BR mk3s)?

[Magpie1951]

HI Noel I have replaced wheels on these old coaches with new Hornby wheels which are much better quality and will run fine on peco points. Here is a link to where I buy them , http://www.ehattons.com/7285/Hornby_R8096_Metal_disc_wheels_on_axles_10_axles_/StockDetail.aspx .

 

5 types of mark 2 coaches have run in ireland at one time or another. These were Mk2A, Mk2B , Mk2C , Mk2D and NIR's Gatwick set.NIR were first off the mark with their new enterprise set in 1969 which I believe were Mk 2A's. Over the years that followed they bolstered their stock with second hand BR Mk 2b's and c's all of these including the Mk 2a's had windows like the yours in the pic above and some also had center doors like yours as well. In the 1990 Iarnrod Eireann swapped withdrawn C class locos for second hand Mk 2 a's/Mk2 B's like yours also which they refurbished and ran for about 13 years.

 

The Mk 2d's and NIR gatwick sets were AC coaches and had the fully sealed windows ( like the Mk3 coaches) with CIE introducing the MK 2d's new in 1972( the ran until 2008) and NIR bought the Gatwick coaches ( similar to BR Mk 2F) secondhand in or around 2000 and ran them until recently.

[Noel]

Thanks Magpie. That is very informative especially the mk2 history which I was not aware of. Now do I re spray them CIE, or keep them in BR livery for childhood nostalgia and run behind a 40yo Hornby CL 37. On balance I think I'll just rewheel and keep the old blue/grey livery. Cheers

Noel

Edited October 3, 2014 by Noel

[burnthebox]

Noel, I've just been looking at richrua's site & he is I think, just repainted the carriages your talking about, now I may be very wrong as I'm not sure what's what when it comes to the various carriage codes

[Noel]

Noel, I've just been looking at richrua's site & he is I think, just repainted the carriages your talking about, now I may be very wrong as I'm not sure what's what when it comes to the various carriage codes

 

Thanks BTB, found it (see below).

 

I am actually quite emotional. I never thouğht i could model irish anything

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13708[/ATTACH]

 

This is great richrua. What livery were the coaches before you repainted them? I hadn't realised the Mk2a/b's had run in ROI (i.e. with middle door and opening window frames) until Magpie's post. Your success is causing me to rethink what to do with these early BR Mk2s.