Bachmann Irish Railway Set Compatibility

[Rickenbacker 325]

As most of you may or may not know, I have been on the forum for a long time. Even though I do not post much, I still read most of the new posts on topics that interest me. That being said, I have never seen anyone talk about this, and I had no idea that this was even made. While I was on my Facebook marketplace, I saw a Bachmann Irish Railway set with a 2-6-0 steam engine with 3 passenger cars. The passenger cars are Gordon's Express Coach recolors and the engine seems to be one of the Bachmann UK engines in the Irish Green and Cream. It was for $80, is it worth that? From the quick research that I have done, It was only made for a very short time. The couplers on them match the Hogwarts and Toad's couplers. Can these be easily changed to match with my Thomas stock? I would like to mix and match the set with what I have. Something like the engine pulling a freight train and Edward or James pulling the passenger cars. I was never able to get the red and cream coaches for them and now they are going for $100 per car on ebay. This would be an awesome alternative.



Here is what it looks like for anyone else that hasn't seen it. Any advise will get helpful.

[Cheeky_ULP]

All of it is compatible with Bachmann Thomas equipment.

[JLK2707]

Good to know.

[Rickenbacker 325]

Thank you Sparks! The couplers look very tiny compared to the Thomas ones. I guess I am used to all the modern rolling stock I have.

Just thought of another question. I have 2 HO layouts, one that is DCC for my modern equipment and my DC Thomas layout which has 4 controllers on all different loops. Is this engine DCC ready or can be easily hardwired to DCC? I am used to putting sound decoders in engines and would like to have this on my DCC layout and or a club layout in the future. My NCE does not run DC engines on 00 like Digitrax can. Thanks.

PS. JLK, what does that have to do with this topic?

[Cheeky_ULP]

Couplers should be fine. The thinner hook/loops are a OO gauge standard nowadays. The Thomas range uses older toolings, but it is still compatible with the newer and thinner hook/loop couplers. I believe the engine is DC, and would have to be converted to DCC. I don't know how easy it would be to do so, if it's not DCC ready.

I'm not as familiar with DCC operations; that might be a question better suited for one of the Admins.

[JLK2707]

Rickenbecker 25, good point. I'll start a new thread for this topic.

[Len]

If that's a 'Class N' loco, these instructions should work with the decoder of your choice:
http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/bachmannndccinstr.htm

Len

[Ironroad]

Hi I came across this thread by accident today and while these comments are very late the following may be of interest.
I'm not knowledgeable on the Bachmann Thomas the Tank range but I suspect that since this is based on British locomotives and rolling stock,  the range of British models offered by Bachmann in Britain is easily adaptable by them to Thomas the Tank items. That being the case these items are modelled in OO scale (4mm = 1ft) and not HO scale. Note that traditionally British OO is designed to run on HO track a compromise most modelers there live with.
In the late '90s Bachmann produced a model of the British Southern Railway "N Class locomotive"    The Irish connection arises because circa 1924 the Midland Great Western Railway in Ireland purchased kits of the actual locomotive from the Southern Railway for assembly in Dublin and accordingly the Bachmann model is a good representation of a locomotive that ran on Irish rails until the late '50s/ early '60s, in Ireland it was the "K class"
Taking advantage of this an Irish company "Murphy Models" commissioned Bachman to produce this model in three Irish liveries. To accompany this they also commissioned Bachmann to produce matching coaches. These coaches are close to but not quite accurate models of coaches used on the Irish railways. They are in fact Bachmann models of British LMS coaches in an Irish livery.
Subsequently it seems that Bachmann offered these items as an Irish train set on the US market (maybe 4000 sets).  Note they were labeled HO whereas they are in fact OO. A set is very good value at $80.
All manufacturers of RTR British models provide tension lock couplings and with finer models these have been reduced in size but large and small should work together.  It should also be relatively simple to convert to Kadee.
As regards red and cream coaches, this was an old livery in Britain (early British Railways "blood & custard") and there should be plenty regular (other than Thomas the Tank specific) compatible models available.   Probably the best online retailer in the UK is Hattons, see https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/SiteResults.aspx?searchfield=Blood%20&%20Custard
Note their quoted prices in sterling include UK sales tax (VAT) of approx. 20% which is not applicable on sales to the US and there is no import tax on models/toys in the US. I've also found Hattons to be very reasonable with delivery charges.
Hope this helps