BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Has anyone converted darstead coaches to S7 yet? If so, is it straight forward?
Darstead coaches
- Thread starter BrushType4
- Start date
Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen
Western Thunderer
Phil,
The Mk 1 coaches have 3' 1" wheels rather than 3' 7" so if the correct size are used they sit too high. I believe that the bodies are too high also. We have had a couple of converted examples appear on Love Lane and they don't look great, almost towering over the Brittannia. I don't believe changing the wheelsets is difficult. They would not be my choice of Mk 1 carriage.
On the other hand converting the suburban coaches is easy, They are much more accurate and look good. Their only real weakness is the grab handles which are over scale. I've just substituted Peartree wheelsets for the originals which fit with no problem. The bogies are all screw together so easy to get apart. They do have working lights so disconnecting the wiring is fiddly and if you want to keep them operating there will be some work to do on the pick-up to ensure they touch the backs of the wheels.
all the best
Tim
The Mk 1 coaches have 3' 1" wheels rather than 3' 7" so if the correct size are used they sit too high. I believe that the bodies are too high also. We have had a couple of converted examples appear on Love Lane and they don't look great, almost towering over the Brittannia. I don't believe changing the wheelsets is difficult. They would not be my choice of Mk 1 carriage.
On the other hand converting the suburban coaches is easy, They are much more accurate and look good. Their only real weakness is the grab handles which are over scale. I've just substituted Peartree wheelsets for the originals which fit with no problem. The bogies are all screw together so easy to get apart. They do have working lights so disconnecting the wiring is fiddly and if you want to keep them operating there will be some work to do on the pick-up to ensure they touch the backs of the wheels.
all the best
Tim
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Thanks Tim. It was the suburbans that I was looking at. With the extra door hinge detail they look great.