Revolution Trains Southern Region General Manager’s Inspection Saloon

Revolution Trains‘ Southern Region General Manager’s Inspection Saloon, converted from a former Hastings (short) unit buffet car, 4mm scale model has been available for about two months now.  These were produced predominantly to advance orders placed directly with the company and these have long-since been fulfilled.  If you did not place an advance order you may possibly – with a bit of a hunt – still find a sample of the least popular version in stock at one of Revolution Trains’ dealers.

The four versions are:

• OO-SGMIS-001 TDB 975025 in BR blue and grey livery
• OO-SGMIS-002 TDB 975025 in Network SouthEast livery
• OO-SGMIS-003 “Caroline” in the current Network Rail Brunswick green livery
• OO-SGMIS-004 “Caroline” in (~2008-2015) Viridian green livery as an exclusive edition from Rainbow Trains of Linlithgow.  Stock of this version is still available (22/10/23).

This very well detailed model incorporates tooling changes to reflect the modifications made to the real coach over time, including revisions to the front-end headcode boxes, lighting arrangements and multiple working equipment, as well as interior changes. The model features a highly detailed interior, working footstep lights as well as directional and switchable front and rear lighting, interior saloon, kitchen and corridor lighting, era-specific driver’s desk and separately fitted chairs, all wheel pickup on NMRA RP25 code 110 wheels and a kinematic coupling system with NEM coupler pockets.

Sorry, I cannot currently get to my scale drawings so I am unable to appraise my blue & grey and NSE models against them.  However, given amount of the research and development that went into these I have no reason to believe there are any errors.  However, I can readily comment that these are simply the best detailed Mk1 model coaches in 4mm scale I have ever seen and held.  There is an absolute wealth of fine details, both moulded-on and separately applied. There is also a packet of small parts to apply as appropriate.  The interiors are a work of art, very visible, and crying out for model dignitaries to occupy them.  The model is delivered with a working small tension lock coupling on one end and a dummy dropped buckeye coupling on the other.  The bag of parts allows, amongst other uses, the modeller to change the coupling arrangement.

Be warned though that these are delicate models that need handling carefully to avoid damage.  Not only do you not want to knock off a small part, but even more so you do not want to have to fiddle to put it back again!  I write from experience. In addition one of my models arrived with loose parts in the box and minor damage.  The former being a detached airhorn and the glazing to the above-the-cab central headlight.  These were easily re-attached.  The latter being the dropped buckeye coupling not only being detached but also broken into two.  There is a second dropped buckeye coupling in the bag of parts but in trying to insert this very small delicate assembly into the slot on the buffer beam, which requires a firm push, it went ballistic around the room and could not be found. Fortunately Revolution Trains has an excellent after-sales service and after a quick exchange of e mails a replacement dummy coupling was very promptly received.  I managed to fit this without incident, though to be sure I did the insertion whilst the model was in a large cardboard box in the hope of catching an airborne part.  A month later I found the stray dummy coupling in a part of my layout room I never expected it to get to!

The Southern Region General Manager’s Inspection Saloon was, in BR days, considered part of the electric fleet. Indeed in its pre-privatisation use it was even fitted with conductor rail pickups on its B5 bogie under the small saloon end (the right hand end on the above picture, left hand end on the below picture, where it can be seen clearer).  So this is a most welcome addition to BR era and later Southern Electric modelling.  Well done Revolution Trains!

Revolution Trains will be producing a 2mm scale version too.

Colin Duff. Modelling Officer 22nd October 2023