Westernfans workbench inspection saloon

[westernfan]

looking for something different to run on my western region layout I fancied an inspection saloon . , an ideal bit of rolling stock to form a short train on a small space layout , in all gauges but in this case oo . so after trawling the net and various kit manufacturers the A1 models coach overlays seem the best option and the cheapest . but on contacting the supplier ,I had the usual story of *they've stopped making it . so on to plan B.

I got a Harry potter mk1 comp off the bay as a donor for a couple of quid , for my inspection saloon  project , the hornby coach being a new model has good wheel sets and flush glazing . this build is a bit freelance as opposed to following a certain diagram , but on researching the  versions I don't think it matters that much as they were built or converted from various old coaching stock .

so armed with a Stanley knife , small set square ,cyno and plastikard I proceeded to cut up the coach sides and rearrange the windows and doorways  and shorten the chassis . I have formed the coach ends from  plastikard , at this stage I had a choice of either two or three pane window ends ive gone for two windows .

Does anyone know if these saloons were given a livery of Brunswick green with full yellow ends other than maroon  in the 50s-60s ? so far so good I fancy cutting up an o gauge lima coach next if this is a success [attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

 

[Ressaldar]

inspection saloon workbench

Hi Westernfan,

by concidence, I am doing a bit of research into some Inspection Saloons at present - particularly, those newly built to diagram 1/552 at Swindon in 1962/63 - numbered DB999506/8/9, and all used on the Western Region.

These were the two end window version and as built, were all over maroon - the liveries then changed quite a bit - which is where I am at present. I have trawled Flickr (enter the numbers in the search engine) and you will see what I mean - I have come across 12 variations so far - but none were ever green. The only green versions were on the Southern Region - DS70155 from 1962 to the early 90s followed by 'Caroline', which took over from DS70155 and is still running today. If you want to do a non maroon one DB999509 was in Western Region Chocolate and Cream in July 88, but I have not yet established when it recived this 'make over'. The Great Western Hawksworths that were built in the 1940s all had three windows at each end and some of these are running on preserved lines today and all ran in the Chocolaate and Cream livery.

Send me a PM if you want some further information.

cheers

Mike

 

[westernfan]

inspection saloon workbench

hi Mike thanks for your input and offer of help . re liveries ,yes the only green image that I came across was a southern variant ,so ill go for the maroon although if I was modelling  a later era the blue grey livery with those orange curtains looks appealing . I also read on the net that the saloons had an alcohol bar on them  until an accident  in the early 50s also that they had to be pulled  not pushed by a loco from 1991 onwards .

Paul Bartlett's photo site has come in useful again especially with an image of the roof showing the plumbing which will be my next task .

ive made a start on the interior by fabricating seating and tables from plastikard . I also painted the ends yellow and filled in the gaps from cutting up the coach sides with milliput

 

[westernfan]

inspection saloon workbench

many thanks Mike for the email containing images of your saloon and floor plan , i throw my project in the bin thats a real beauty i reckon you should post it up on the forum for all to see 

 

[Ressaldar]

inspection saloon workbench

Hi Westernfan,

I think that I have posted some of those pictures before, so I'll leave it for now. Yours is coming on a treat and is all of your own effort, mine was just building a very good and well thought out kit - not many of those about these days

cheers

Mike

 

[iploffy]

inspection saloon workbench

Mike hear, hear. I have 1 to do when I get the table back again.

Ian

 

[Ressaldar]

inspection saloon workbench

they do make the ultimate 'short train' and you can put virtually anything pushing/pulling them as well.

cheers

Mike

 

[marsa69]

inspection saloon workbench

Tup it's one on my to-do list 

 

[westernfan]

inspection saloon workbench

the fabricating of the piping on the roof and coach ends has been the most time consuming task with this build so far ,I made them and the door grab rails using florists wire ,all that was available also, fitted under frame detail , the hand brake wheel is from a wheel barrow ,fitted coupling and vac pipes to the buffer beam and fitted steps. my next task is to make lamp irons and wipers ,and then fit the glazing

Whilst searching for information  on inspection saloons on  the net I came across this site , http://www.departmentals.com/     I think ill have to buy some more Harry potter coaches and  plastkard [attachimg=1]

 

[westernfan]

Since my last post , I have fitted the glazing, made up some underframe  boxes , fitted lamp irons, wipers,  cab end detail ,  a couple of figures and filled the corners between the coach sides and plastikard cab ends they are more or less flush

I  need to get  some markits 4mm air horns for the roof ends and fit curtains , and rectify the bad yellow paint  finish on the cab ends , maybe a couple of coats of silk or matt varnish

on the web I came across  an image of a inspection saloon in blue grey livery sporting a B R coach roundel instead of the arrows of indecision  ,and another had air horns and a bell ( like a auto trailer bell ) and I could make out from the lettering that maximum draw speed was 80mph and propelling speed was 20mph max [attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

 

[Ressaldar]

some nice work there, looking forward to seeing the finished model.

The ones with the gong are the Hawksworth 1940s ones - like this one on the SVR

http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/5811880717/

I think that most of this series are in fact 'running' on preserved lines.

cheers

Mike

 

[westernfan]

Hi Mike  :wave: ive just pm you re colour of curtains blue or orange for 50s-60s stock?

 

[westernfan]

To rectify the horrendous finish  on the cab ends i fabricated some mini sanders by supergluing some cut 3mm sqaure bits of  fine wet and dry to some old brush handles , and proceded to flatten down the paint work . this worked out quite well and saved me having to totally dismantle the detail bits on them . the markits air horns arrived today along with some acrylic warning yellow . to make the curtains up ive painted some thick paper orange ( ta vey much for the pointer Mike) and glued them onto the glazing using pva . after fitting the horns and repainting the cab ends ive given the body a coat of thinned matt varnish. pics to follow 

 

[westernfan]

a couple of images with the air horns and curtains in situ[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Westernfan,

very nice finish, something to be proud of.

cheers

Mike

 

[Phill Dyson]

Very nice indeed  8)  .............I bet an O gauge version could be done with a Lima MK1  :scratch:

Phill 

 

[Ressaldar]

Very nice indeed  8)  .............I bet an O gauge version could be done with a Lima MK1  :scratch:

Phill 

with a bit of luck and a following wind, there may be an announcement from Shawn Kay shortly regarding the Swindon built diagram 1/552 Inspection Saloons.

cheers

Mike

 

[Phill Dyson]

with a bit of luck and a following wind, there may be an announcement from Shawn Kay shortly regarding the Swindon built diagram 1/552 Inspection Saloons.

cheers

Mike

Better still 

 

[Ressaldar]

should have included this picture with my last post - DB999509 under restoration

 

[westernfan]

Hi folks
              thanks for the positive feedback re my freelance inspection saloon build , a o gauge lima conversion may well be on the cards  but i will have to consider the cost of buying a set of easybuild bogies and detailing parts etc against a kit . on my oo gauge saloon the markits turned brass air horns cost more than the hornby donor coach !