Original page created on 30/04/2018; updated on 08/08/2021.
Brand - Reference
Märklin 43530
Type
NMBS M2 coaches for domestic service.
| Type | Number | Revision date |
| B | 42.307 | 27.9.61 |
| B | 42.648 | 17.2.62 |
| AB | 43.218 | 22.3.62 |
| BD | 49.251 | 12.6.62 |
Weight
156 to 162 g; 115 to 128 g after removing the ballast (NEM : 110 to 143 g).
Comments
The respect of the scale is very good, except for the width and the height a little too small. But these coaches run only in a homogeneous set; this little defect will not be visible.
The coaches are too heavy, but the 45 g ballast, not glued, will be easy to remove to respect the NEM recommendation.
The bogies don’t have a 3-point suspension. They are articulated only on the y-axis (perpendicular to the symmetry plane). They don’t have brass bearings. Anyway, the wheel sets will be changed for isolated models complying with the NEM 310 standard.
Disassembly is very easy: just remove the bellows and spread the body bottom a little. We discover a slightly rustic interior, green in 2nd class and red in 1st. The luggage part is cream. Attention: when reassembling, glazings, not glued, tend to escape. You’ll have to verify that they are well engaged in the small pins located at the top.
Modifications
- Replacement of axles (insulated, NEM compliant).
- Folded bellows at the ends of the train, 1st class end of the AB coach and luggage end of the BD coach.
- Ballast removed.
- Lighting of compartments by twelve LED strip; the tail lamps installed at one end of the AB and BD coaches, as well as the lighting of each coach, are controlled by bistable reed switch. The train electrical supply is ensured from the BD coach by contact strips on its eight wheels, and by Viessmann type electric couplings (modified Fleischmann Profi).
History
Series of 612 coaches built between 1958 and 1960 for the NMBS by La Brugeoise and Nivelles. Weight: 33 t; maximum speed: 140 km/h; bogies Schlieren. They were used on the internal lines of Belgium, with incursions into the neighbouring countries: France (Lille), the Netherlands (Maastricht), and Luxembourg.
From 1977, some train sets were equipped for push-pull service with BD coaches equipped with a driving cab.
At the middle of their career (1980), these coaches received a red livery with white horizontal stripes. They were withdrawn in 2004.
Example of a train to be
reproduced in the 1970s: Express 2706, 2720 Brussels Midi - Lille, with
a Diesel Series 51 or 62 — here, the 6321 Van Biervliet — (source:
Ferrovissime No. 60 of May 2013).
Documents
- Wikipedia Article (in French).
- traintamarre.tassignon.be website (in French).
lijn58.be website. Broken link.- cooltrain.be website (in Dutch).
Photo 15038 on flickr.
| Dimension | Actual | 1:87 | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall length | 24 000 | 275.9 | 276.3 |
| Chassis length | 22 700 | 260.9 | 261.0 |
| Width | 3 098 | 35.6 | 35.1 |
| Height | 3 774 | 43.4 | 42.8 |
| Pivot distance | 15 300 | 175.9 | 175.7 |
| Bogie wheelbase | 2 700 | 31.0 | 30.9 |
| Wheel diameter | 900 | 10.3 | 10.3 |
| Detail of the coaches, for the
diagrams reproduced by Märklin, according to |
|||
| Type | NMBS No. | UIC No. | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| B11 | 42 301 to 650 | 50 88 20 38/48 601 to 950 | 350 |
| A5B5 | 43 201 to 304 | 50 88 39 48 601 to 704 | 104 |
| B8D | 49 201 to 316 | 50 88 82 38/48 601 to 716 | 116 |
Axle with plain wheels 1-side isolation.
Diameter 10.4 mm - 24.4 mm between tips,
€1.76 — price 2018
ref. LU-NEM-10,4-24,40S at micro-modele
Set of four M2 coaches in original green livery: an A5B5 coach, two B11 coaches and a B8D coach. Product released in 2001.
The box is huge (640 × 175 mm): not easy to ship or store! It reminds me of a certain EAD 1st generation!
Appearance very correct. Wheels burnished. The train set is delivered with four folded bellows for non-coupled end. These bellows are easily interchangeable, unlike those of other manufacturers. One annoying detail, however, and common with Märklin, is the upward shift of the buffer heads so as not to interfere with the couplings. No electric heating cables.