Prototype BR Mk2 Coaches

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Heather, you can have the original files if you wish... just ask and beware that same are circa 4 to 5 MB per image.

These images suffer from the perennial problem of photographing a moving train whilst travelling on the same service... and where the footbridge between platforms is so far from the carriage as to prevent getting from one platform to the other and back before etc.. All of the photos bar the last three, posts nos. #22 / 23 / 24, are of the same side being the side with the toilets to the RH end of the carriage.

regards, Graham
 

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
A slight hiccup - no diagram done - not realising I was out earlier this evening....

Anyway a quick description of the location of the brake cylinders on the Vacuum braked Mk2's would perhaps help.

On the BFK, BSO, SO(48) & SO(64),both brake cylinders lie directly in line with each other along the longitudinal centreline of the underframe. Both are placed 7'-2 5/16" either side of the vertical centreline of the vehicle. All had automatic slack adjusters between the cylinders and bogie brakegear. The handbraked vehicles of course having the addition of the handbrake mechanism operating on each cylinder from levers placed almost on the vehicle centreline.

The FK is slightly different. Whilst the both brake cylinders still lie directly in line with each other along the longitudinal centreline of the underframe. both cylinders lay almost side by side, the centreline of the cylinder being only 1'-5" from either side of the vertical centreline of the vehicle. again all had automatic slack adjusters between the cylinders and bogie brakegear.

The question is - whose going to produce a half decent Mk2 / Mk2a kit?
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Pete W said he wants to do them at the Reading show weekend before last.

It did sound like he wanted to, I must admit. Whether there's the will to make the new masters for the ends and sides remains to be seen. I'd like to see them, I must say. Early Mk2s in maroon lined livery would make an interesting addition to steam era trains.

Incidentally, Bob said: "Both are placed 7'-2 5/16" either side of the vertical centreline of the vehicle." That must surely be an imperialised metricalisation! Seven feet, two-and-five-sixteenths?! :drool::))
 

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
It did sound like he wanted to, I must admit. Whether there's the will to make the new masters for the ends and sides remains to be seen. I'd like to see them, I must say. Early Mk2s in maroon lined livery would make an interesting addition to steam era trains.

Incidentally, Bob said: "Both are placed 7'-2 5/16" either side of the vertical centreline of the vehicle." That must surely be an imperialised metricalisation! Seven feet, two-and-five-sixteenths?! :drool::))

What makes you think that Heather? - Until the late 60s onwards the Swindon draughtsmen (as all the other BR drawing offices) continued to use imperial measurements on the constructional drawings - many remained that way though some were redrawn with metric equivalents in later years (in brackets alongside the original imperial size)!

The colour issue of the early Mk2's is an interesting point. Only the Prototype FK 13252, and the first 70 FK's only were painted in BR Maroon (with the exception of the Southern Region's batch of S13387-13406 which were painted green) all of the remainder of the build appeared of course later and blue & grey from new.... with at least three years of steam haulage remaining

I have to say this is my favourite photo of the contrast of blue & grey with the steam era...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/7686973946/

HTML:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/7686973946/" title="M9395_Blaenau-Ffestiniog_24-9-66 by robertcwp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8006/7686973946_c4d106a2aa_b.jpg" width="1024" height="681" alt="M9395_Blaenau-Ffestiniog_24-9-66"></a>

p.s. does any know why I can't post Flickr's HTML/BB code into the body of the text?
..
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Until the late 60s onwards the Swindon draughtsmen (as all the other BR drawing offices) continued to use imperial measurements on the constructional drawings - many remained that way though some were redrawn with metric equivalents in later years (in brackets alongside the original imperial size)!

I don't doubt it, but it seemed an odd measurement. Surely making it a plain 7ft was not beyond the realms of practicality. It's the 5/16ths of an inch that make it seem so arbitrary.

It's all useful info, though. Thanks for posting it. And that photo - is that an ex-GW toplight lurking on the right? The image also raises the issue of windows, because that brake doesn't appear to have frames.

JLTRT will never want to make a kit to cover the earlier designs. Too much to get wrong!
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
When you have the picture you want on screen, just copy the contents of the address bar and paste it into your email. I use Firefox and that works for me.

Dave
 

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
Thanks Dave. Maybe I wan't specific enough. Some forum software allows hotlinking of the image (in this case from Flickr) straight into the posting - such that whilst held on Flickr it can be seen within the post to the forum (rather than just linked to)...
 

Bob Reid

Western Thunderer
I don't doubt it, but it seemed an odd measurement. Surely making it a plain 7ft was not beyond the realms of practicality. It's the 5/16ths of an inch that make it seem so arbitrary.

It's all useful info, though. Thanks for posting it. And that photo - is that an ex-GW toplight lurking on the right? The image also raises the issue of windows, because that brake doesn't appear to have frames.

JLTRT will never want to make a kit to cover the earlier designs. Too much to get wrong!

Such is engineering for you Heather. There's too many other variables involved in the overall design that affect the required position of individual parts, such that you end up with measurements like that.

It's not an odd BSO - it will have frames, all of them (bar the prototype 13252) did. There just not clear in that shot. I believe it's an ex-LMS vehicle sitting in the adjacent road.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
It's not an odd BSO - it will have frames, all of them (bar the prototype 13252) did. There just not clear in that shot. I believe it's an ex-LMS vehicle sitting in the adjacent road.

They aren't clear in the shot, but then that shows how thin they really are, unlike the lumpen efforts of JLTRT. My first guess was LMS for the toplight - now I look properly, it can't be GWR as their toplights were fixed. The LMS ones were ventilators.

Oh, the joys of carriage picking! Much more fun than engine picking! :thumbs:
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Does anyone have any close up/ detail shots of a B4 bogie, showing position of steps and any other detail that i should really put on.:thumbs:
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Just seen on Heathers Mk2 workbench a couple of pics showing steps:oops: but its not clear where/ how many brackets there are for the large step board.:confused:

Rob:)
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Just seen on Heathers Mk2 workbench a couple of pics showing steps:oops: but its not clear where/ how many brackets there are for the large step board.:confused:

Rob:)

Three. The outer one is longer for the lower step. Essentially, there are up to six brackets fitted to each side of every bogie, but you need to check photos to be sure. The steps are only fitted to the outer end of the bogie on the left, as viewed from either side.

You need to talk nicely to tomstaf to get some of his superb etches. :thumbs:
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Hi Tom. :thumbs:

They do look very nice but i have already fitted some steps using bits of scrap materials that i have.;)

But a question for you, you say Shawplan do the 7mm version of window frame for a Mk2 F how much were they and is he planning on doing window frames for the Mk2 a,b etc ??

Rob:)
 

tomstaf

Western Thunderer
Hi Tom. :thumbs:
But a question for you, you say Shawplan do the 7mm version of window frame for a Mk2 F how much were they and is he planning on doing window frames for the Mk2 a,b etc ??

Rob:)

Hi Rob,

Shawplan do frames for the MK2 d-f coaches. I can't remember how much I paid. Drop them an email or give him a call and he'll let you know.

He's got MK2 a-c frames and MK1 frames in the pipeline. I believe the MK2 a-c frames are imminent.

Cheers

Tom
 
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