Hi,

I just have received the set I bought to use with my wine-red Br E19:

Liliput:

L383003 SALOON PRESS CARRIAGE
L385203 MACHINE BAGGAGE COACH
L385103 SALON CARRIAGE FOR THE REICH MARSHALL

Era II - Deutsche Reichsbahn



Although they are sold separately I tend to think they make up a nice set. I just bought a Märklin Mitropa diner to add to this set.

Here's what I think of the Liliput coaches: Like many products coming from companies who think models are commodities, these are also packed in a way that it is almost impossible to put back into their boxes. I will try not to buy such stuff before my layout is complete because these are made to put on the layout and never to be touched again.

All coaches have close-coupling mechanism which is very good. One downside is that the stairs move sideways to give way to couplers. Bit annoying to know but tolerable.

They have spring loaded bumpers - not a bad feature but may become a nuisance as the structure is exclusively plastic, which makes buffers weaker than non-spring loaded ones. I will not be happy if they broke in the first accident, so I plan to super-glue them before I start to use the set.

All coaches come with zillions of spearately applied parts in bags. But guess what? No user manual ... you just need to be a coach expert to figure out which will go where.

The same thing (absence of user manual) is also a pain if you like to put figures and lighting into the coaches.

Overall construction quality is good, body moulding have no flaws, printings are of high quality, interior decoration is better than of regular Märklin coaches (i.e. different colours for tables and chairs). One thing the rivet counters will not be happy with is that the bottom (underside) have very few and shabby details.

The RRP of the set is 88.40 pounds Sterling which I think way above what they deserve. I get about 60% off (paid 30 pounds + post).

I think I'm happy with what I get for what I paid.

Cem.

Merheba Cem bey

Have you tried these coaches on R1 & R2 K-track curves yet? I bought some Liliput SBB Ep2 coaches recently (shorter wheel base), fitted AC wheelseets and they survived my R1 & R2 curves + curved turnouts.

Herman Steyn

What you have there is Goering's private train from WW2...

The Liliput skirted coaches are excellent models, only let down by the need to add close couplers (they have the mechanism, but the coupler heads are standard ones) and the fact that mine at least were glued together and I can't see how to get into them without damaging them.

I don't understand this business about plastic being weak - does everyone else re-enact Gomez Addams style crashes on their layouts or something? Providing you handle them with care the Liliput models will survive most things.

Matt hi,

I don't think plastic is weak. But the buffers are another story ... they are spring loaded and already twisting and turning if I push them in with my finger. They just don't give much confidence

Anyway, I like the set and will find a way to handle them properly even when they are off the layout

Cem.

The baggage car have square ones. They're the ones I will glue

Cem.

That's right.

And thanks for the advice on gangway, will do that.

Do we know how to remove the roof to fit lighting?

Cem.

Hi Matt,

Very nice!

It would be such a shame if we cannot find a way to put lights into those beauties [xx(]

I'll try this evening ... see what happens.

Cheers,

Cem.

Does that Saloon coach fit with 37538 and is it a Marklin?

Hello,

They are great cars and blend okay with Marklin. I have some of skirted cars in era II green and III blue Rheingold scheme. I am particularly fun of blue DB observation museum car that came from Henschel-Wegmann consist and the camo versions including the modified one with 2 flak guns .

They couple fine, but not as close as Marklin cars. I tried to change the generic NEM couplers to Marklin type, but unfortunately they get on the way of bumpers.

The Liliput cars can have the roof removed but it is a real PITA!

Ed

Hi,

Matt, they look owesome!

I have tried to remove the roofs with no avail [xx(] gave up after 20 minutes ... well, they deserve to be without lights!

I'll be fixing the details tomorrow. Man .. Liliput are like women, they require much taking care of!

Cem.

Matt hi,

Yet another very nice one ...

Yes, I think I will save those dummy hoses and couplings for last cars of other consists. My airport set just arrived with an extra car which has a missing part. Maybe I'll install red lights and scale couplings etc. on it.

I will be very busy with the layout next week, and then the fun with locos and cars will start

Cem.