Side Lines LMS Coaches and Haywood GWR Coaches

[Focalplane]

I like Malcolm Binns' kits (Side Lines). It all started when I had a small inheritance and I bought a Lee Marsh Jubilee (Bushbury 3B Jub 45688 Polyphemus) and had enough left over to buy a coach. Lee recommended I contact Malcolm and he had a Crimson and Cream Open First Period III to sell. So I then though about creating a 6 to 8 coach Midlander rake and have worked on a number of them so far.

Then along came Finney7 and their Princess Coronation kit. It took a lot of courage and a long chat at Bristol GOG 2018 to convince me that I should tackle this project.

Meantime I have been advancing a completely different project at Penmaenpool and the two projects sometimes compete but more often take over from each other due to me living and modelling in southern France where Slaters parcels take a week to arrive instead of overnight, bla bla bla. I am not picking on Slaters, they are just an example! I have three to five projects on the go at any one time.

At the moment I have three Sidelines kits on the go, one Period I Brake Third I acquired from LarryG of this parish, and two Period III Portholes for the Midlander rake.

Now there has been some revision as to which coach will go with which locomotive. Kits I build will always be more loved that locos I buy, so the Jubilee will stay in its glass case while the Semi is being built and some of the coaches destined for the Midlander will be turned out in crimson for the Birmingham Scot. The Period I coach will find a place on Mid Wales excursions. By the way, here it is in Halfords Etch Primer:



But this thread is about the other two coaches so my next post will be associated with them, the Portholes!

Paul

 

[Peter Cross]

A week for postal deliveries what luxury. My November gazette arrived last week.
Those sidelines kits seem to be very good, shame they don't do southern steam stock.

 

[Focalplane]

Hi, Peter

Yes, all things are relative! I am in England for a week or so which means I can source a lot of bits and pieces I need, and as I mostly drive these days I can carry rattle cans, etc. which otherwise cost a lot to ship via courier.

Paul

 

[Dikitriki]

Hi Paul,

I really like the Sideline's coaches. IMO, they are just the right balance between level of detail and ease of construction, particularly if you need a number of them for a layout. One thing I do is replace the etched truss rods with brass angle, otherwise a straight kit build.

Richard

 

[Pencarrow]

Hi Paul, I wouldn't be to concerned about having 3 to 5 projects on the go at any one time - I have a whole room full of part finished stuff on the go for Pencarrow! I am trying hard at the moment to finish some of the part complete buildings, some of which were started in 2013. Bit embarrassing really.

Your coach build looks great. As Peter says, it's a pity that Sidelines don't do Southern subjects.

As a side thought, I wonder what percentage of Halfords rattle cans are used on subjects other than cars? I know I get through a fair few cans...

 

[Focalplane]

Hi Paul,

I really like the Sideline's coaches. IMO, they are just the right balance between level of detail and ease of construction, particularly if you need a number of them for a layout. One thing I do is replace the etched truss rods with brass angle, otherwise a straight kit build.

Richard

Yes, so do I, 2mm x 2mm brass angle. It makes life a lot easier. I received the missing parts from the kit (duckets) the other day and they will be added when I return. Also, it may be useful for others to know that steam and vacuum pipes are not included in the kit but they are available as an extra.

Paul

 

[Peter Cross]

Hi, Peter

Yes, all things are relative! I am in England for a week or so which means I can source a lot of bits and pieces I need, and as I mostly drive these days I can carry rattle cans, etc. which otherwise cost a lot to ship via courier.

Paul

I always come back with a suitcase full of stuff when we return from the UK. Trying to making sure I have everything for a few projects is the main goal.

 

[Focalplane]

Although the 46235 research has taken up some time, I have been moving forward on the Corridor 3rd/2nd Porthole. Just the ends, dynamo and vacuum cylinders to fit. And then the seats and partitions. Another 6 hours work to go before priming!

Paul

 

[LarryG]

Hi Paul, I am sure Sidelines used to produce more of an LMS roof at one time. The one I found in LMS coach kits purchased a couple of years back was simply the wrong profile. It's the same in 4mm scale. The best LMS roof was originally produced by Peter Chatham but it sold out years ago. A fellow coach producer and I purchased the final quantities of various LSWR, LNWR and LMS extrusions from Wheeltappers and I expect the LNWR cove roof will be buried with me!

 

[Focalplane]

I have done some more work on the ends but all is stopped for now until the middle of next week.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

From some time ago and still waiting to be painted maroon, here is an LMS/BR kitchen car, D1697:



This a slightly less expensive and easier kit to build as it really doesn't have much of an interior, the kitchen areas being hidden behind frosted glass. The main details are on the roof! This design was also used for the special Coronation Scot streamliners. One rather odd feature by today's standards is that the coach had no electricity, though there were pass through cables on each end. All lighting and cooking was by gas. These coaches survived long into BR days and were used on many top link expresses such as the Midlander.

I hope to finish the coach soon!

It is sitting on my 60ft Midland Railway Centre turntable which will now be used off scene at Penmaenpool to turn locomotives at "Barmouth Junction", adjacent to the Barmouth fiddle yard.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

Another long term project, this time the corridor brake first for the Midlander rake which may end up at the UP end of the Birmingham Scot. It is to Diagram D1910:





This is an LMS Period III coach. The roof has received a coat or two of car bumper grey bought from the French equivalent of Halfords, Feu Vert. On the Midlander rake the coach would be next to the locomotive on an UP train from Wolverhampton to London. On a full load it would have a corridor first next in line, but on my version of 6 to 8 coaches the next one would be an open first adjacent to the kitchen car.

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

In between other jobs I have started to paint the sides of the two coaches shown above. First two thin coats of Halfords Red Primer over the existing etch primer. The kitchen car has also received two coats of Railmatch enamel BR Maroon. I like the colour, at least it's realistic to my eye.

I need a bigger spray booth for Gauge O models. It looks as though I will have to design and build one. I wonder what the French is for "Lazy Susan"!

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

Would you believe that here in France the Halfords equivalent closes for lunch? We went shopping today for things on a very varied list and at 13:44 arrived at Feu Vert to find them closed! To be fair the garden centre was also closing at 12:25, but Leroy Merlin (my favourite hardware DIY store) stays open over lunch time, as does our local supermarket. I had earlier checked my supply of plastic bumper rattle cans and discovered that my back up can was dark grey, not anthracite. The kitchen car roof needs touching up so I will have to make the 50km round trip later in the week to buy more anthracite. This means I cannot show a photo of the kitchen car just yet. Je suis desolé!

Paul

 

[Pencarrow]

Still amuses me that shops shut at lunchtime in some parts of the world although that's great for the staff. I do recall exhibiting at a French show in 2008. It also closed for lunch and exhibitors had a very relaxed lunch - so very different from a typical English show!

Coach looks great by the way.

 

[Focalplane]

I got to Feu Vert this afternoon and bought their last can of bumper spray anthracite, so finished off the roof of the kitchen car this evening. Some coaches will have anthracite, some dark grey roofs, just to ring the changes.



The following work still has to be done. Window glass, either clear or frosted; Lining and lettering (Fox's transfers); coach corridor ends; door handles, etc.

I have fitted MagClic couplers to this coach as it is within the rake. Coupling a long rake of coaches is never easy when your fingers get old and MagClic get around this. The brake ends will have standard scale couplers. I can't remember when I started this kit but I do know that early attempts at painting have been stripped twice. My first coach kit will always be my favourite!

Paul

 

[Focalplane]

Then there were two maroon with a third in between! The nearest is a Corridor Brake First, then an Open First used together with the Kitchen Car. The brake end of the first coach will have a regular coupler but the others will all be MagClics.



The roof of the open first has a dark grey painted roof, the other two are anthracite.

Paul

Edited after improving the exposure adjustment of the image to match the previous photo of the kitchen car.

 

[Focalplane]

The open first now has maroon and black paint added. I am slowly getting the three coaches ready.

 

[Focalplane]

And here are the three maroon coaches in a row:



And the latest to be painted (the one in the middle), complete with tables:



Normally my modelling looks worse in my photos but these coaches actually, in my eyes at least, look better than in the flesh! I must say that the bumper sprayed roofs do look smart even if the profile is approximate. (I think my friend LarryG might say the profiles are worse than approximate!)

 

[LarryG]

I'm sure I have seen a better extruded roof in 0 gauge. As an aside, I thought you might be interested to see your two coaches under construction alongside a batch of 00 gauge D1704A brake compos...