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

LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
It appears the LMS constituents, apart from the LNWR, were not keen on kitchen-only cars initially. They really took off after the late 1920's. WW2 put an end to their activities and many were stored out of use for long periods in the post-war years while some were converted into Buffet Cars by BR.
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Ages ago, a friend told me he wanted a GWR non-corridor as used on the Bala-Ffestiniog branch. Adrian Rowland chose the Dia. E157 brake composite, so he designed the CAD's and I covered the etching costs. Circumstances delayed things and it was only today that I got around to test-building one.

The standout feature of these coaches were the deep windows and low waist ~ features adopted by Hawksworth after the war on his non-corridor coaches, however, his were slab sided...
WEB E157 4mm scale.jpg

This is the first new model for ages but it is only for ourselves. Hornby Pressed Steel bogies from scrap Hawksworth coaches were fitted. I had to fit my etched adaptor plates so that tension-lock couplings could be fitted...
WEB E157 2.jpg
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Having learned from yesterdays build, I built the last of the three sets of etches this morning while making all the alterations before assembly. I didnt like the amount of daylight between the bogies and the undeframe and so I fitted LMS solebars which are deeper. The Hornby bogies were also replaced with Bachmanns. The latter are readily available and are easiliy adaptable.

I glued a peice of 60thou plastikard between the sideframes. Then it was drilled so that when the bogie was mounted on the coach, the bogie sideframe was just behind the bufferbeam...
WEB Bachmann Bogies 1.jpg

The tension lock mounting bracket was far filed level and the coupling mounted further back...
WEB Bachmann Bogies 2.jpg

Yesterdays E157 was found to be too low compared with other coaches. So it was re-mounted on Bachmann bogies today to reduce the air gap between the bogies and the solebars. It still looks a little naked but will look better once black paint is applied...
WEB E157 3.jpg

Todays E157 was also mounted on Bachmann bogies. Deeper solebars reduced the daylight showing above the bogies...
WEB E157 7.jpg
 
Last edited:
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Two GWR E157's have been painted for friends, so i'll do mine tomorrow. Halfords Grey Primer under Ford Rosso Red provided a decent portrayal of the duller appearance of carmine red on non-corridor coaches. The Bachmann bogies are long in the tooth, too wide and too low on the wheels...
WEB E157 Andy A.jpg

A Hawksworth BR built brake composite in carmine red...
WEB E157 color view 2.jpg
 
Last edited:
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Some months ago I bought two Hornby Bow ended suburban coaches and set the boxes aside. Today I removed the glazing, which came out easily. One coach was given a light coat of Halfords Plastic Grey Primer (for carmine) and the other Halfords Plastic Red Oxide Primer (for maroon). The Carmine red was Halfords Ford Rosso Red. The roof was matt black weathered with a light coaching of my weathering rust...
WEB GWR D91 Bk 3rd 1.jpg

The other coach got my LMS lake, however, the HMRS 'Methfix' transfers would not adhere to the cellulose and so I wafted over a light coat of Halfords Rover Damask Red knowing the transfers would stick to this paint. I also lined out some glazng material with black window bars for the double luggage doors as I couldn't live with the chrome plated ones(!)....
WEB GWR D91 Bk 3rd 2.jpg

This is what hornby should have produced ~ two distinctive liveries covering 1949-56 and 1956-1965. This would have given them two bites of the cherry by first producing one livery and then the other instead of spraying them in an indistinct colour that is presumably intended to cover the whole BR era from 1949 to scrapping...
WEB GWR D91 Bk 3rd 3.jpg
 
Last edited:
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I have my own etched GWR chassis and ends for late 1930's low-waist coaches. This GWR E148 corridor brake composite is only 57' long, so I made use of a spare LMS floor & solebars plus Comet models GWR flat ends and steps. The sides are Comet's too...
WEB GWR E147 3.jpg

I have never found GWR corridor coaches a commercial proposition. This one took most of today to construct, so I only build them for myself.
WEB GWR E148 4.jpg
 
Last edited:
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Another GWR coach joins the fleet awaiting painting. It's a D124 corridor brake third with all the windows in line at the waist. I started building an earlier D121 with both high and low waist, but the etchings were faulty. With half a day wasted, I started on this one. Hemnceforth, all real 'sunshine coaches' had the bogies further inset from the ends. The roof wasn't mounted centrally in the top picture...
WEB GWR D124 1.jpg WEB GWR D124 2.jpg
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
A GWR Dia. C77 corridor third was added today. This is the diagram that Bachmann has produced since the year dot. I fitted Hornby Pressed Steel bogies off a Hawksworth coach as they looked less clunky than Bachmann's on this coach. Comet sides fitted with lower door hinges...

WEB GWR C77 1.jpg

The bogies are further inboard than on the prevous coaches. One thing about GWR coaches; be aware of different arrangements of V hangers and Vac cylinders. No brake rodding was fitted this time as I have damaged it on the other coaches even before they're painted....
WEB GWR C77 2.jpg
 
Last edited:
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Onwards & upwards, A GWR C81 was built today using Comet sides. As usual, I soldered in the bottom hinges. They were introduced in 1941 three years after the C77, but while the roof vents and interior were exactly the same as the C77 (apart from the compartment with an external door), the V hangers/cylinders were spaced the same distance from the bogies and both faced towards the ends. Corridor windows were of a style later adopted on Hawksworth stock. One minor thing: The door handles were not centrally mounted to the grab handles.

WEB GWR C81 1.jpg

Finally, no matter what a drawing of an underframe shows, ensure the battery boxes do not foul the bogies. The image shows the positions of the two V-hangers...
WEB GWR C81 2.jpg
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Done an hours work on a GWR C67 corridor third this morning. It is a 57' vehicle so one of my standard floors was reduced in length to suit the Comet coach sides. Brass lower door hinges and horizontal hand grabs were fitted and the ends detailed before the basic box was soldered up. Barrel distortion is down to the cheapo lens...
WEB GWR C67 1.jpg

These coaches preceded the 61' sunshine coaches and were the last to the high waist design. I am off now to cut the hedge on this hot fine morning...
WEB GWR C67 2.jpg
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Too kind Mike. I feel guilty when it my job, or was. Talking of job, the job's stopped again while waiting for roof vents and etchings for 3-point bolsters. Also got a couple of GWR Restaurant Cars to complete. Helping a pal out so they're not for me.
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
In case anyone is thinking "What's the fellow doing with a diesel?", my pal sent me this 4mm/OO model last weekend. I believe it is the latest thing fro Heljan. The 'carmine red' is good enough for me, but I'll respray the cream if the windows will oblige by being easily removable. The model certainly looks the part...
WEB GWR Railcar 1.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
What's New?
Top