LarryG's loco & coach WB (4mm/00)

LarryG

Western Thunderer
It's the late 1950's and this coach hasn't seen a lick of paint for years, nor will it with withdrawal looming in 1961. Passenger door handles were recessed. The guards door on these MR coaches was slightly recessed and opened inwards. I have cheated and denoted the recess with dark grey lines and some weathering. Luggage doors too were slightly recessed but I thought the coach would look too fussy...
WEB MR D1284 10B.jpg
 
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LarryG

Western Thunderer
The D1284 carries an extreme coating of muck because of its use mostly on parcels traffic. One more model will carry blood & custard, but in a cleaner condition.

I had presumed lined maroon on certain non-corridor coaches had been introduced in 1960 until I came across a photo by Trevor Owen of a GW B'Set in lined maroon dated 26th April 1959. Naturally I was glad to come across it because it means the period of my layout does not have to cross into 1960 in order to have lined maroon non-corridor coaches. For me, 1960 was a phycological turning point on BR as I watched DMUs taking over services on branch lines radiating out of Manchester in 1958. Steam remained on peak hour services until the end of the 1959 summer timetable and so the branches retained much of their old character including run-round loops for a little while longer.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
It seems a while since I was able to take some outdoor shots, albeit in weak sun. Proper lighting puts the weathering into perspective, as it will be seen that the weathering around the door hinges etc is not as dark as it appears under artificial lighting.

WEB MR D1284 11.jpg

The rust on the chassis, ends and roof also shows in truer colours. Blue above the backscene is real sky. Note the windows in the duckets are off centre, as was often the case on MR-built coaches...
WEB MR D1284 11B.jpg
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Thanks for the seasons greetings. I should have posted the 'card' in Gallery but it was too late to move it when I realised my mistake.

The LMS All-Steel D1730 was sprayed today but it didn't get very far. I suppose the actual body sides are in ex.paintshop condition, but tomorrow they will get a light overall weathering using the spraygun followed by detail weathering with powders. The running number shows my hopelessness at lining up 'Pressfix'....

WEB LMS D1730 10.jpg

M5400M, the coach I have been working off. Only the luggage door carries a grey chalking patch and once again the lookout ducket window is off-centre. A handfull of LMS Period I coaches lacked the red band above the windows, and the coach nearest to the camera was one of them. It is a D1751 composite and I have one awaiting painting...
WEB LMS D1730 10B.jpg
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Thank you,

The D1730 coach sides were given a spray over with much diluted 'rust' , although I am not sure if it shown in this mornings bright sunlight. It has given the cream a custard appearance, but not as much as on the previous Midland brake third...
WEB LMS D1730 10C.jpg

Before the above operation took place, I had to connect up the small Sparmak spraygun, seen on the left, to give a very fine spray. The cellulose 'rust' colour was diluted a lot to prevent fine dots of weathering. The larger red gun is for putting on colours, but it is hopeless at spraying a very fine weathering jet...
WEB Spraygun 1.jpg

Fortunately the compressor has two air outlets and so both guns can be permanently connected and are ready for instant use...
WEB Spraygun 2.jpg
 
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LarryG

Western Thunderer
Back to indoor flash photography. Pretend you can see corridor connections :cool:...

The silver dots on the main windows were handles to pull down the whole window...
WEB LMS D1730 11B.jpg

A grey line was drawn under the lining to simulate the shadow from raised beading, a characteristic of these all-steel coaches...
WEB LMS D1730 12.jpg

The corridor side had hoods above the main windows, but the hoods on passenger doors had been removed in BR days...
WEB LMS D1730 11C.jpg

Placing the above coach alongside the Midland brake third, it is clear both have a similar finish. I didn't intend the D1730 be so dirty. I think there are enough now in blood & custard, so it;'s time to move onto BR maroon.
 
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Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
The silver dots on the main windows were handles to pull down the whole window...

Interesting, I didn't realise UK railway companies had full (or half?) window droplights.

I wonder why we did not carry on with these 'full' window droplights in the same manner as the European railway companies did with the 'top half' full window droplight until the advent of fully air conditioned coaches.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Interesting, I didn't realise UK railway companies had full (or half?) window droplights.

I wonder why we did not carry on with these 'full' window droplights in the same manner as the European railway companies did with the 'top half' full window droplight until the advent of fully air conditioned coaches.
I used the drop windows on the Afon Wen-Bangor services. They only dropped part way if I remember correctly and were great on a hot summers day or evening. The down side was they could be draughty when down and blow things of tables of open coaches and there were no baffled to prevent the ingress of smuts from the loco exhaust. The Stanier windows were a safer option.
 
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Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
I presume if you modelled one of these coaches with the top half of the large window open most of the punters would say it's wrong. ;)

I also see only the compartment side had the large opening windows, not the corridor side as well.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I presume if you modelled one of these coaches with the top half of the large window open most of the punters would say it's wrong. ;)

I also see only the compartment side had the large opening windows, not the corridor side as well.
The corridor windows were fixed lights. Open Period II coaches also had fixed windows with only two frameless droplight per side. Stones or Jewel pattern glass vane vents above the windows gave additional ventilation.
 
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