Garden Railway Forum

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could help me. I have an IP engineering Ffestiniog flying bench that i have built and painted. I would like to build the canopy and covers as the real one has been restored but I can find any drawings. I tried emailing the Ffestiniog but got no reply so thought i would try here as i have seen models with the canopy at shows.
Thanks for the help.
Best wishes
Colin

Hello!

I've just checked the 7mm Association drawings book (which happens to live on my desk at work...) but they don't show the canopy.

Since your model is to be a conversion of the IP kit though, which was deliberately overscale to suit generic RH and Accucraft locos, a drawing might not be much use. There are some reasonable photos here http://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/The_Flying_Bench and no voubt others out there too - I think if it were me I'd start experimenting with a wire frame until I'd got something that looked about right and take it from there. The canopy itself is going to be a challenge!

Good luck with your model,

Andrew.

Thanks for the advice Andrew. I will have a play.
Best wishes
Colin

Knowing Boston Lodge carriage works it is more then likely that there aren't any drawings and that it was something of a case of making it up as they went along, something which it must be said they do very well!

Aah - the benches and the porthole bugboxes.

The canopy and leatherapron were almost certainly provided by Brown, Marshall from their upholstery department.

Important points to remember:

• the canopy is ^ shaped, not curved, it was also slightly higher in the roofline (about an 1") than the contemporary Birminghams.
• the ends of the canopy are asymmetric - the 'solid' end was always at the the uphill end - of course they may have been turned on the triangle at Boston Lodge, but no pictures survive of them.
• the short canopy end has a tensioning device, probably adapted from a brace and bit. This was used to pull the apron up and down.
• don't forget the belt buckles!