Hello! Welcome to this Blog where I will be blogging my journey of making a set of Chiltern Mk3 coaches for the silver service.

I haven't had very much experience in relivering trains. Though I do often upgrade my trains; these are usually lighting upgrades. I have converted a Bachmann 170 into a 172; But it really isn't a very good job. Since I did that I have reliviered a Hnby wagon into a custom (make believe) livery as a Birthday gift for a friend. I have also repainted an old Hornby Triang cleaner car into a network rail like (and branded) livery. While it is a network rail livery the Hornby-Triang coach was never a real train (as far as I am aware) so I have to be careful on how I word that.

But now I go into the world of conversion into a a train which actually exists!

What I hope to achieve

A rake of 6 Chiltern Mark 3 coaches with DVT. I will buy a Dapol 68 when it comes out. 5 Standard coaches (3 without toilet and 2 with). 1 Business zone. 1 DVT (I'm not counting this as a coach in my original figure as though it is technically a coach it isn't as much hassle as the coaches will be).

Passenger lighting in all coaches (constantly on - I am NOT buying 7 DCC decoders for one train. I have a Hornby select which means I can only use expensive brand-only ones*)

I will be shearing costs of everything as I go along though I will not give all details to start with in protection of competition (once I have sourced all my coaches I will be happy to shear this info with you).

Now there is a forum post on these forums where someone started to make a Chiltern mainline train but there isn't really that much about it (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/44739-chiltern-mainline-project/).

Anyway lets carry on with

Progress so far

So on Saturday I brought a Mk3 Coach from a local(ish) model shop - Unfortunately there aren't any model shops very close to me. The nearest is probably ModelZone within WH Smiths**.

Work has immediately begun on converting it. I will focus on it as two parts. The interior and exterior.

Interior

So the first part is the windows. Though technically interior and exterior for today they will be included in the interior section.

My first job was to get the windows out. There is a white part painted onto one of the window panels which is not on the Chiltern model. I removed the paint with a method I will tell you in the exterior part.

On the interior seating plastic: I have put primer on and started painting. Not all colours are 100% accurate (and one not at all!). The coach I got was a first class coach so this will eventually be swapped with another seating set I will get from somewhere. The first class seating will eventually go into the business zone coach.

Exterior

So the first thing to do was to get the paint off. I did this to the windows to. I brought some detol antiseptic. After leaving each side in and scrubbing periodically one side took about 3-5 hours. I did one side in the evening. And left the other to soak overnight. However the box got nudged and it ended up just soaking on the roof so it took awhile in the morning too.

And after awhile...

and that is where I am up to now!

To do...

I need to obtain some more electrical contacts for the wheels so I can install lighting.

I have ordered a W&S DVT off ebay for £29 (inc. postage***) which I will need to remove the logo from.

I need to order more paints and coaches.

Your Opinion Please

I am not sure which shade of silver best represents the Chiltern mainline Mk3 colour. I have currently brought 3 shades and can't decide on which one is better. Could you please either vote in the comments which silver looks most like the Chiltern shade (left, centre or right). If you think another shade would be better then please also say however it has to be a shade available as an aerosol spray as I don't have an airbrush (and they are expensive) so need to aerosol/spray type.

(note the right one hadn't gully dried so I may update this picture).

I hope to update this blog after I have made a series of changes. Hopefully this will be weekly. So until next time: bye for now.

* Technically some others do work but the ones I know of are about the same price (or more) anyway.

** The coach did not come from this shop.

*** If you were one of the bidders I was against then at least you know my plans!