Mk 1 coaching stock

Prototype
Operating company/organisation	British Railways, British Rail, preservation societies; also in other liveries by private operators
Years of operation	From 1955 (see below)
Model
Manufacturer	Jouef for Playcraft
Catalogue numbers and list prices, with liveries and nominal operating dates	Restaurant/ kitchen Corridor Open Brake corridor Price (MAR68) BR blue & grey 1965-96 P4551 P4571 P4561 P4581 11/3 (56p) Midland Region maroon 1956-65 P455 P457 P456 P458 9/9 (49p) Southern Region green 1956-65 P335 P337 P336 P338 9/9 (49p) Western Region chocolate & cream 1956-65 P345 P347 P346 P348 10/3 (51p)
Construction	Ready to run, plastic with metal parts. Couplers: Triang-type pivoted upright hook (removeable), on bogies. Bogies are type BR1, with near-correct wheelbase, supplied with 11.4mm diameter wheels on 24.5mm axles, See replacement wheelsets.
Availability	Produced from 1961 to 1968.
Decals	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)
Suppliers	See Buying second-hand.
Notes	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."

British 1:87 Scale Modelling