Time to build a railway...but where?

[ge_rik]

Another beautiful model, Peter. Cleverly constructed from the sound of it.

Rik

[Peter Butler]

At the same time the previous carriage kit was purchased on ebay, I also received another incomplete kit, The Lineside Hut, Ffestiniog Railway carriage No. 20. New, this kit would cost £120. without bogies, wheels or white-metal accessories. It is also a huge item, measuring 620mm over buffers, far too long for my line, and I guess for the previous owner too, as it arrived with both side panels cut down. Fortunately both were included....

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I reattached the pieces and then cut the sides in half to make two equal length carriages. I still needed additional parts to complete the build and the wonderful people at Lineside Hut were more than helpful in supplying new balcony ends and some missing interior panelling. Side overlays were laser cut for me by a most generous friend so the construction commenced.
This is the way the first class interior will look with the side panels, padded seating and wall decoration...

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The third class compartments look like this....

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So far I have put the main structure together with interior dividers, masked and painted the sides and ends, also sprayed the overlays ready to attach after drying.....

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I have to finish the exterior with clear lacquer before fitting the interior panels, which secure the glazing, so that should be next on the list.

[ge_rik]

Corrr, that looks very smart already. Your output really is impressive, Peter. Not only in terms of quantity but also quality.

Rik

[Lonsdaler]

Well looking at your collection of hearse carriages, it appears that the true meaning of BURPS is 'Buried Under Real Pembrokeshire Soil' If the funeral trains become a regular thing, will you be able to count the deceased as passengers, or would they be freight?
The workmanship on these and your 'salvaged' purchases from Ebay is, as usual, superb. And the colour scheme reminds me of something, maybe from your childhood as much as mine?

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[Peter Butler]

Thanks Phil, yes, you are correct about the similarity of the livery. I hadn't thought about it myself but I remember from my youth travelling on those buses. I lived in the Black Country and there was a 'border' at West Bromwich where passengers from Brum making a through journey had to pay a second fair to complete the trip. Better than having to change I guess.

[Phil.P]

Hello Peter, what is the 'upholstery' made from?
It looks like it may be the plastic 'foam' that is for sale in certain craft-stores, and that comes in bags of pre-cut shapes?
If so, it's use is inspired!
Thanks,
Phil.P

[Peter Butler]

The upholstery material is as you describe, although I can't take credit for it as it was supplied, pre-cut, with the kit from The Lineside Hut. Another bonus from them as they are a most professional team and always helpful and friendly.

[Phil.P]

Thank you..
The partition, seats, and blue upholstery, look so good..
Almost like a 3D render.

[Peter Butler]

A little progress on the build of FR coach 20 (or perhaps 2x coach 10?) This is a looooong carriage kit, and although built to scale from the original, is far too long for the average garden railway, certainly for mine!
Just to show how it should look I have placed the two cut-down sections together.....

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And with a PDF Hunslet for size comparison....

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Separated they now look like this and will retain their balcony ends when complete....

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Having applied transfers I'm now waiting for an opportunity to spray a clear lacquer finish before I can work on the interiors.

[Peter Butler]

The lacquer has now been applied and the interior seating and windows fitted....

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Which means the final touches can be attached. End balconies have handrails which are brass rod bent around a wooden former (provided with the kit). To fit vertical supports I placed two handrail knobs onto the handrail with the stem inserted into brass tube.....

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This works well and is firmly fixed with superglue into pre-drilled holes in the platforms. Brass door handles and Bogies from Swift Sixteen, buffers from Binnie Engineering, roof vents from Jerry Irwin complete the carriages....

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So... on to the next build.

[SimonWood]

It's been far too long since I visited this thread, and I knew that there would be a lot to catch up on Peter! Very enjoyable reading... I do especially like the coach 20 divided in 2. Very much in the narrow gauge spirit to acquire rolling stock and then modify it to suit the line or purpose it is to be used for, they make attractive and unique models. I also really like the livery you've used for these and the Talyllyn coach - very smart indeed.

[Lonsdaler]

What a smashing pair those coaches make. Love them

[Peter Butler]

Whilst waiting for my latest kit to arrive I have been working on a number of things, only one of which is now finished, so this is following on from a suggestion by a friend to check out a website I haven't previously purchased from before. I have to admit I wasn't particularly impressed, so I won't name names. However, I did see a kit for a quarry 'man-rider' wagon which inspired this build.
I have scratch-built several quarry flat trucks in the past, so already had one to base this on ....

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With the addition of a plasticard bench seat, shaped as the original, and heavily grained to represent aged timber construction....

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A final surface paint finish; grey primer, Citadel 'Dryad Bark', 'Citadel 'Agrax Earthshade' wash and matt lacquer, we have....

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[Andrew]

Very nice! You've really perfected the weathered timber look...

[ge_rik]

A rather fine looking wagon, Peter. Do the passengers sit astride the seat or back to back?

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Do the passengers sit astride the seat or back to back?

Rik

Fair question Rik.... I don't know! The only picture I have seen with riding passengers is that of a model with them sitting sideways, that might be correct?
The seat measures 18" wide (on my model) so astride might be very uncomfortable. On second thoughts, comfort was not the number one priority!

[Andrew]

Hello again!

Just wondering, how do you go about creating the corner strapping on those little flat wagons? I've tried "L" section plastic strip, heating and bending plasticard, and using separate pieces joined with filler, but I don't think I've ever got them looking quite as "right" as yours do.

I was just pondering the matter in relation to a wagon I'm planning at the moment (hopefully the first of five or so WHR slate wagons), then realised I'd seen a very nice example this very evening!

Thanks,

Andrew

[Peter Butler]

Aaaaaaargh!!!! I'm being tested now. I will do some investigation into answering your question Andrew, but I don't have the item in front of me now. I will try to explain my methods by saying....
1. I work by instinct.
2. I am the world's worst teacher.
3. I simply can't remember.
Now you have raised the question I will try to work it out in case I need to do it again myself.

[Andrew]

Sorry Peter!

Although it would be interesting to know, don't go to too much trouble - I've just realised that the wagons I'm planning won't have room for that sort of strapping because they'd be in the way of the uprights...

[Peter Butler]

Apologies for the am-dram Andrew, you caught me out with that one.
Having now checked on the corner strapping on those particular wagons it seems I have managed to bend very thin plasticard around the gentle curved corners. I don't pre-heat so it was probably done during warmer weather?
Other wagons, with right-angle corners, have been done in a similar way but some show signs of cracking. Possibly prototypes would too?
I feel sure I have also used separate pieces which overlap at corners, but with gentle sanding and ample solvent most joints can be disguised.
Hope that helps.