And so onto the 2015 build programme.

First off is a 56' open third, built at Dukinfield in 1911 and drawn up in Volume III of Great Central.

In keeping with the other carriages in my rake of 1911 stock, the donor vehicle was a Mainline/ Bachmann LMS period I composite. This scales up to about 57' in length, so is (unlike my other 1911 stock) pretty much bang-on for a conversion.

The first thing I did was to copy George Dow's drawing to 4mm scale on squared paper (the use of this paper makes it so much easier to get straight vertical lines and exact measurements). I was then able to use my sketch as a master for drawing up on 0.5mm plastic sheet.

Before I cut any new plastic however, I reduced the carriage to its components and removed the glazing. I then used a small saw to cut away the window mullions, cleaning up with a file once I had cut them all away.

I then draw up the new window layout on a sheet of 0.5mm plastic sheet, and cut this out. It seems wasteful of plastic doing it like this however it ensures all new mullions are vertical and also that the windows are of identical dimensions. The plastic which has been cut out can be retained as we have use of it later.

The new window layouts were then glued into place in the carriage body. To build up the mullions to match the carriage sides, the plastic removed for the windows was used as packing material.

It's a lot simpler than it sounds- it might have helped had I taken photos whilst I was doing this...