Darstaed Mk 1 Coaches

◆ MODEL Darstaed 7mm Finescale Mk 1 Coach Set A, BR chocolate & cream PRICE £750.00 ◆ AVAILABILITY Ellis Clark Trains, 07799 554491, www.ellisclarktrains.com; Scale Link, 01747 811817, www.scalelink.co.uk

As a new entrant into the ‘O’ gauge market, how do Darstaed’s Mk 1s fare? Richard Foster and Chris Gadsby take a look.

The ‘O’ gauge ready-torun revolution continues, this time from a most unlikely source. Darstaed is a name that will be familiar with fans of coarse scale ‘O’ gauge. Now, this company, formed in Switzerland in 1966 to produce replicas of famous pre-war models, has entered the mainstream British outline market with a range of new Mk 1 coaches. And what a range of 63ft 6in Mk 1s it is! Received for review, in a handsome and sturdy blue box, is Set A in Western Region chocolate & cream. Set A, also available in crimson & cream, maroon and Southern Region green, comprises two Brake Corridor Seconds (BSK), a Corridor Composite (CK) and a Corridor Second (SK). You can also buy Set B, which features an Unclassified Restaurant (RU), Restaurant Second Open (RSO) and Restaurant First Open (RFO). Then you can buy a Full Brake (BG), Brake Corridor Composite (BCK), Corridor First (FK), Sleeper First (SLF) and Second (SLSTP), Tourist Second Open (TSO) and a Restaurant Miniature Buffet (RMB) individually. Coaches in Set A and B are also available individually for just £189.00. Confusing, isn’t it? The only RTR Mk 1 previously offered in ‘O’ came from Heljan. It was a bit of a mixed bag with lots of fine detail, but was criticised for overly thick window frames, flat body sides and a poor roof profile. How does Darstaed’s compare? Very well, in fact. Each coach in our box set is individually packaged. First impressions are good. All four coaches had the subtly curved sides and roof profile, which was a trademark of the Mk 1s. The window frames look good too and, at 466mm over headstocks, each vehicle scales well against diagrams in Keith Parkin’s British Railways Mark 1 Coaches. There are a couple of areas where Darstaed’s Mk 1 falls a little short visually – the rolled edges under the body rather than an angle, and the ends, where Heljan’s Mk 1s offer more fine detail. Darstaed’s offering more than makes up for this with some very neat touches. Take the interior – there are different seat coverings for first and second class, and the level of accuracy extends to printed mirrors on the compartments! CLASS IN BRASS Bodies are a mixture of brass (sides) and plastic (ends and roof). The separately fitted brass grab handles provide a nice touch. Mk 1 roof ribs are difficult to get right, so Darstaed has taken the easy way out and omitted them completely. The