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

[LarryG]

While waiting for Dart roofs, I've had an enforced break. Anyway, I decided today to build a Stanier D1968 corridor brake third for another Inter-District set made up of LMS Period III stock. It differs slightly from the other D1968 in representing one of the batch built at Wolverton with 'normal' depth sides that did not overlap the solebars. This entailed removing with tinsnips half a millimetre from the top edge of each aide. It is being built around a scrap roof for the time-being...

 

[LarryG]

The Dart Castings roof arrived this week after the stipulated "Allow 28 days" time scale....


Some coaches had the two extra shell vents that I have marked in green. It is merely another subtle detail difference from the D1968 I built earlier...

 

[LarryG]

 

[Tim Hale]

Larry,

May I ask your source of coach seats if they are not supplied with the kit? I have a Roxey brake to build but the recommended Southern Pride seats are no more.

Thank you for your advice.

BR

 

[LarryG]

Larry,

May I ask your source of coach seats if they are not supplied with the kit? I have a Roxey brake to build but the recommended Southern Pride seats are no more.

Thank you for your advice.

BR

I etched corridor partitions with my own corridor coaches plus seats. However, I also buy Mk.I seat units from Replica Railways and saw them up to suit.

 

[LarryG]

The first shall be last and so to keep this thread flow up to date, the D1755 Period I corridor brake composite last seen in post #419 acquired a Dart Castings roof this morning. Extra vertical beading over repaired panels was added in thick cellulose paint ruled on with a draughtsman's pen. I also did this to denote the doors below the waist. Full thickness lines can do this on an etching, but the way I form a tumblehome leads to bulges between the door and panel lines...

 

[LarryG]

I abandoned the LMS Period I set idea (its gone to a friend) and have decided to concentrate on a modern Inter-District set as last seen in post #423. This LMS D1925 corridor composite will go with the two Stanier brake thirds. My stock of parts is dwindling and I only have enough LMS solebars left for two 60' coaches.

 

[LarryG]

My coach floors have fold-up ends. I add the detail while they are in the flat including the curved top piece that the roof is glued to. The ends are folded up...




The coach bodies were then soldered in place and the model washed with Ajax powder and a stubby brush...


Grooves for the solebars are seen on the underside of the floor...


Next, a roof is sawn to length in a template used for making picture frames...


Important to check the roof overhang. It is easier to cut slightly over size and file back.

 

[LarryG]

Solebars soldered in the slots...


All the extra parts were purchased from Wizard Models including the turned brass threaded 8BA bolsters...


Vacuum cylinders were securely gripped in pliers while being drilled out ...


Much of the underframe now completed...


Regulator box will be glued to cradle. Roof detail and interior still to be done....

 

[LarryG]

Nearly there. Roof and interior completed. Pair of bogies to build after tea....


Masking tape used for roofing strips instead of Letraset tape (no lifting at corners)....

 

[LarryG]

I built the bogies while the fish was cooking. Not built the MJT LMS 'welded type before. They are very nice castings with stainless steel tie rods...

 

[LarryG]

Continuing the unabridged version of building & painting a coach then it is all together in one place.

Halford Upol Acid 8 etch primer first...



Cellulose paint adheres better to primer than it does to Acid 8 and so a light coat of Halford white primer was applied after an hour...


BR Cream of choice (mines cellulose) came next. First coat to cover then after 10 minutes a good "wet" coat so the paint will settle.....


Black lines to aid masking for carmine red......


Masking off for carmine red top and bottom...


Halfords Matt Black followed on ends, chassis, roof and bogies. While still wet, my weathering rust was lightly sprayed on all these parts. Insignia applied when dry plus yellow lining adjacent to the black lines...


Spray-weathered body sides using the small detailing spraygun, followed by Halfords Satin lacquer.....

 

[LarryG]

Glazing followed not forgetting to paint curtains in first class and paint green-grey the lavatory windows...



Hoods above the doors were fixed with Loctite...


Close up showing the rust on the end steps etc and oil on the axleboxes...

I went to town on describing the building & painting of this, the final LMS coach, seeing as coach-building is coming to an end. Three GWR coaches remain to be built.

 

[LarryG]

Llanfair Road Workhouse became a raincoat mail order firm in the mid 1950's and this meant parcels vans. I wanted a GWR K40 with bow ends but before starting, I built a pair of 7' bogies using comet sideframes and my brass top plates first. Some tricky soldering was required with the very small castings, but all went well...

 

[georgeT]

Like the tip with AJAX Larry to clean up brass, works a treat...

 

[LarryG]

Whenever I design a coach for etching or use another manufacturers etched sides, I commence from the point of view of fitting glazing and then work back to the start of construction. Seeing windows falling out because there was insufficient space on which to apply glue has caused me to scrap coaches rather than go through the rigmarole of dismantling everything in order to get into the interior again.

These droplights are too wide to form a pair and so were trimmed to suit and laid into pairs. Etching droplights as part of the coach sides is much easier for builders, but kit manufacturers dont build coaches ....


One of my GWR 61ft floors had its fold up ends removed and was then shortened to suit the Comet sides...


Expecting fok to drill out holes for grab handles beside the recesses was optimistic, so I slotted them in the end. I will drop a straight piece of brass across the slots when the slots have been blanked off from the back....

 

[Gismorail]

I too noticed the AJAX cleaner didn’t know you could still get hold of that my Mum used to scrub the sink religiously with that stuff back in the sixties

 

[LarryG]

AJAX......Amazon is your friend.

Droplights soldered in place and handle recesses blanked off. Drilled out in centre and etched 'T' handle soldered in hole...



Guards door has two grab handles which surprisingly are not recessed...


Work on the two sides is now complete. Grab handles for recesses will be fitted after painting the coach...


A look at what's going on on the back. Extra 12 thou plates have been added to make a much bigger surface for when gluing in the glazing over the droplights...

 

[Nick Rogers]

I will have to remember to do the same when I build my kit, Larry.

All the best,

Nick.

 

[LarryG]

Flat brass ends from Wizard Models were soldered to the floor...


Followed by the two sides. The end joints were filed and tidied up ready to take the cast whitemetal cosmetic ends...


The extruded roof was cut over size to take into consideration the bow-ends...


The cosmetic ends were attached with Evostik contact adhesive and the roof filed back to suit the plain bow end. Then it was turned round and the same was carried out to other end of the roof...


This is as much as I need to describe really because the construction of the chassis etc is pretty wel straightforward