Bachmann Collett coach conversions

[rovex]

I have in the past used the Bachmann Collett coach as a donor to create a composite using the sides available from Comet. 

 

 

I think one problem is that the coach scales out at 60 ft 6 inch, whereas it should be 60 ft or depending on type 61 ft. I say "think" because it was quite a while ago, I just recall having to filler the ends to hide the shortfall in the brass sides.

 

I am wondering what other sides could be applied to these coaches given what is available and what could be done if sides could be designed. 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or better still examples of coaches they've created using these donors.

 

One thing I am thinking about is whether you could do a C74, excursion stock. I've found a drawing of one side and I think the other side was effectively identical but reversed.

[Star-rider]

I have done the same conversion myself (although regrettably not as well painted as yours).

 

With regard to the etches coming up slightly short, I must confess I cheated. The extreme ends of the exposed coach sides were painted black and seem to have visually "lost" themselves in the ends as I had hoped. It's not right I know, but good enough for me.

 

I don't intend to take this type of conversion any further though. There was enough work in moving around the roof ventilators without thinking about having to file off roof tanks that would have been in the wrong place for the stock I needed. My feeling was that I would be better off starting with a full kit from the outset, there is probably not much more work in it as I always find that painting takes the real time and is a task you face whichever route you go. In the end I sold off the Bachmann coaches I was keeping to fund the purchase of a couple of kits.

 

My apologies if you have already seen it, but there is a section in the GWR special interests group on this forum where clever people have done wonderful things with old Hornby (now Railroad) Colletts.

 

Life is always about time and money; I could afford the extra few quid for a kit but lacked the time to do a decent low budget conversion on what I had. Maybe it will be the other way round for me one day.....

 

The C74 may be a good possibility though, I did not give it much thought as I had enough "thirds". If it had roof tanks at both ends it may not be too bad to have a go at but I think those were "open" coaches so you will have a new interior to build.

 

Best of luck whichever way you go.

 

Pete.

[The Fatadder]

Its an interesting topic, one which I have often thought about as the sunshine stock type form a lot of the coach requirements for 1940s services in Devon.

 

I live in hope that Bachmann or Hornby end up releasing a decent Sunshine Stock range (that is scale length with the right sized windows).  For the time being my Mainline ones continue in service. 

 

At 60ft 6 the ex Mainline model certainly makes things difficult for the conversions, my logic is that I will focus on the 60ft sunshine stock for conversions (and chop 2mm out of the length as part of the conversion process).  The Large window coaches are another option (again either 60ft or 61ft), but I understand they had smooth rather than riveted roofs.

 

Will be interested to know if there are any other coach designs which can use the basic shell, though I guess it will still need lengthening or shortening in the process.

[chrisf]

One way of obtaining a shell of the correct length is to cut two shells in two and splice two bits together.  You will need one more shell than you want scale length coaches and a new underframe but it's an idea.

 

Chris 

[The Johnster]

I cut and shut a Lima 117 dmu into an all-second 3 car 116 in this way many years ago; it is fiddly but not difficult.  You need to cut a smidge more than you need to account for the thickness of the cut, and the worst part is filing and filling the joins; you can still see them on mine in some lights.  I made the cuts along the door lines in order to disguise them, but if I were doing it again I would not go down that road, as I now think reducing the length of the actual cut by doing across a window is a better option for disguising the joins.  IIRC it took 5 bodies to achieve the correct DMBSO/TSO/DMSO formation.

 

The set is over 30 years old but still runs an occasional excursion on Cwmdimbath (Cardiff for Rugby Internationals)

Edited February 17, 2018 by The Johnster