Prototype
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Operating company/organisation
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British Railways, British Rail, preservation societies;
also in other liveries by private operators
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Years of operation
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From 1955 (see below)
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Model
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Manufacturer
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Jouef for Playcraft
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Catalogue numbers and list prices, with liveries and nominal operating dates
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Restaurant/ kitchen
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Corridor
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Open
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Brake corridor
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Price (MAR68)
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BR
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blue & grey
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1965-96
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P4551
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P4571
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P4561
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P4581
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11/3 (56p)
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Midland Region
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maroon
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1956-65
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P455
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P457
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P456
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P458
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9/9 (49p)
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Southern Region
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green
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1956-65
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P335
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P337
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P336
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P338
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9/9 (49p)
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Western Region
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chocolate & cream
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1956-65
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P345
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P347
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P346
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P348
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10/3 (51p)
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Construction
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Ready to run, plastic with metal parts.
Couplers: Triang-type pivoted upright hook (removeable), on bogies.
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Availability
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Produced from 1961 to 1968.
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Decals
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Cambridge Custom Transfers
- Sheet BL30 BR coach roundel crests
- Sheet BL32 BR Southern Region set numbers
- Sheet BL34 BR coach window labels (FIRST, NO SMOKING, SECOND, LADIES ONLY)
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Suppliers
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See Buying second-hand.
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Notes
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In the January 1995 issue of Scale Model Trains, Malcolm Carlsson wrote:
"For the benefit of newcomers to our hobby, it should be mentioned that much of this Playcraft range (manufactured
by Jouef) was to British HO scale outline. Although put on the market well over 30 years ago (for Christmas 1961
originally), items often turn up second-hand and at swap meets. They were rather basic and toylike in some respects
but the models had great upgrading potential and, for this reason, I stocked up with whatever I could lay my hands
on when the range was discontinued and remaining supplies sold off cheaply. The coaches were representations of
BR Mk 1 stock, although somewhat dimensionally inaccurate - being about 2mm overwide in the body but built lengthwise
to 1:95 scale. Presumably this slight shortening was necessary in order to ensure trouble free running on sharp
'train set' curves. In practical terms it meant that the 63ft 6in coaches now had a scale length of 57 feet - with
all intermediate longitudinal dimensions being compressed to the same ratio."
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