Since we first announced our new NIR Hunslet locomotives, the most frequent question we’ve been asked is:
“Will you do your Mark 2 coaches in original livery to go with the maroon ones?”
Our answer has always been yes—and true to our word, here they are, in their classic maroon and blue finery.
But we haven’t forgotten about our blue Hunslets either. Although we’ve produced them before, we’re bringing back the grey and blue livery too!
History
Built at Litchurch Lane, Derby, in 1970, eight examples were constructed for Northern Ireland Railways for its new Enterprise service between Belfast and Dublin. This landmark service featured a range of bespoke vehicles that were quite unlike anything then in operation in Ireland—or indeed on British Rail—despite being a derivative of a BR design.
The eight Mk.2b coaches acquired by the newly formed Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) included several new types: one First Open (FO), two Brake Driving Trailer Seconds (BDTS), and a single Grill-Bar—the latter being the only purpose-built Mk.2 catering vehicle. The other four vehicles were designated SOs, although they were almost indistinguishable from BR TSOs. Delivered in NIR’s blue and maroon scheme and fitted with B4 bogies set to the Irish 5ft 3in track gauge, they initially worked in push-pull formation on the Belfast–Dublin Enterprise express service, powered by one of the three Hunslet DL Class 101 locomotives—or by pairs of them, either top-and-tailed or double-headed during the summer months.
In 1978, the fleet—which now included five Mk.2c coaches purchased in 1972—was refurbished and repainted in a new silver-grey and blue livery. However, the increasingly unreliable Hunslets—despite sharing an engine and many mechanical and electrical components with the BR Class 20s—were replaced in 1980 with General Motors 111 Class locomotives.
The lack of electric train supply on the new motive power required the addition of a generator coach to each Enterprise formation. In 1980, NIR acquired five ex-BR Mk.2b BFKs for conversion, along with an additional ten secondhand Mk.2b coaches and three Mk.2cs. The use of driving trailers on the Enterprise ended with the introduction of the 111s, and the trains reverted to being hauled as conventional coaching stock.
With this extra stock, it became increasingly common to see Enterprise trains away from their usual cross-border route. Formations of three to five coaches were regularly used on Portadown/Lisburn–Belfast–Bangor and Belfast–Derry/Londonderry services, typically with a single Hunslet operating in push-pull mode. By the mid-1980s, several ex-BR coaches were rebuilt as open coaches, while others were converted to strengthen 80 Class DEMU sets or replace bomb-damaged vehicles.
The Model
Our Mark 2 coaches have been meticulously researched and designed, based on surveys of numerous surviving vehicles across Britain and Northern Ireland. Using original works drawings and even partial 3D scans, we’ve ensured the characteristic tumblehome and shape of the ends are as accurate as possible.
The research extended to the interiors, with particular attention paid to the iconic winged headrests—each a separate part—that are such a defining feature of first- and second-class seating in early Mk.2s.
This new production run of maroon/blue and light grey/blue cars introduce new "Mk.2c" versions that were not included in the first run, taken from the 1972 batch for NIR and the secondhand BR coaches acquired in the early 1980s.
Incredibly there are four different roof vent styles across the 12 new coaches, the original Mk.2b 'dome' plus the large 'G', intermediate sized 'GM' and the classic Roe-Vac that were also seen on British Rail's own Mk.2c. This variation has been faithfully replicated on the model. We also correctly replicate the unique to NIR Mk.2c roof without the hatch seen on the British Rail coaches.
In our first run of NIR coaches, we depicted Grille Car No. 547 in its modified format. We have now tooled the original version (with the differing window arrangement on one side) to accurately portray these coaches in their original livery. We’ll also be offering No. 547 in grey and blue livery, in its unmodified form as it appeared before the changes made in the early 1980s.
The NIR examples presented a particular challenge, with numerous unique variations, a wider track gauge, and additional underframe and roof details depending on the vehicle type. We even tooled an Irish-gauge B5 bogie—used only once—which was fitted to the generator end of the BGV coaches to accommodate the additional weight.
The bogies for the NIR coaches are also bespoke compared to the BR versions. The prototypically wider frame has been faithfully represented, allowing for 21mm fine-scale conversion.
Common Features:
- Highly-detailed OO Gauge / 1:76.2 Scale Models on 16.5mm track
- Extremely fine exterior rivet detail on roof and coach ends
- Separately-applied etched metal and high-fidelity plastic parts, including handrails, brake/steam heat pipes, ETH cabling and sockets, footsteps, dummy drophead knuckle coupler, and roof vents
- Prism Free Glazing
- Pre-painted/printed Western Region destination boards and holders plus water filler covers provided for customer to install
- Fully-detailed underframe with numerous separate parts, pipe runs and accurate differences between versions
- The most accurate B4 and B5 bogies ever produced, with provision for re-gauging to EM or P4 (Irish 21mm) gauges
- Blackened RP25.110 profile wheel-sets with 14.4mm back-to-back measurements, and 26mm over pinpoints
- Different buffers for retracted and non-retracted positions
- Accurate interiors with characteristic 'winged' headrests, separate metal interior handrails on the brake and corridor vehicles and fully-detailed guard's compartment
- Full lighting package, including magnet 'wand' controlled interior lighting with 'Stay-Alive' capacitor in all coaches and directional lighting with DC or DCC control (Driving Trailer only)
- Minimum Radius 438mm (2nd Radius Set-track)
- Correct height NEM standard coupling sockets with mini tension lock couplers and kinematic close-coupling
Unlike our first run, we will be selling coaches individually instead of triple packs. This allows to build the rake as long as you like, or indeed bolster your existing grey and blue rake!
Each coach is priced at £74.95/€89.95, with the DCC ready driving car priced at £84.95/€97.95 each, with 10% off when you buy two, three or four coaches, and 15% off when you buy 5 or more in one transaction. Delivery is Q4 2026, giving your new Hunslet locomotives the perfect train to haul.
Available direct only via the Accurascale website, you can pre-order yours today via the link below. This is very likely the only run of NIR Hunslet locomotives and coaches we will ever do, so do not miss out. You have been warned!
