With my class 37 respray project now complete, its time to turn attention to the next item to hit the work bench.  There are a couple of painting projects that I have in mind, but they all need multiple airbrush sessions and before I can use it again I need to work out the cause of a major air leak in my compressor. 

I am awaiting components to enable work to continue on my next two steam projects, so not a lot that I can do there.  So instead I have turned my attention back to my VSOE formation, and the improvement of the 1951 build coaches.

Somewhere I have a copy of a drawing of the 1951 coaches, I just cannot find the dammed thing anywhere.  So far I have only found a scanned drawing from the VSOE safety case which is too low resolution to read the numbers on the dimensions.  So I am left trying to make something which “looks right” rather than is right using photos as a guide.  In particular one photo on Flickr showing Cygnus and Minerva in the same shot (all be it at a ¾ angle).   This is interesting in that it appears to show that both builds are the same height, and have the same height windows (with top and bottom of the windows being approximately level).  Yet the 1951 build has a cream band above and below the window, while the 1927 build has a deeper area of brown.  Again looking at photos on the 1951 it appears that the Pullman text is shorter than the 1927 (while I have already mentioned the 1951 build not having the additional second line above the lower brown panel.) 

Net result my original plan of reducing the window size was incorrect, instead it is just the design of the window which needs changing (as well as removing the slight step in the sides on the lower half of the window.)   It will make the use of the Precision Labels for the livery elements a little more tricky, as I think it would need to be a custom order…

That brings me on to the work that was done last night.  While looking for some Class 37 glazing for another project I came across 3 decoder boxes full of Bachmann mk1 coach glazing.   The opening section at the top of the mk1 windows looks very similar to that on the 1951 Pullmans and the windows are of similar size.  You can see where this is going…..

Taking the mk1 window and cutting away the plastic edging, the window was a really good fit (other than a slight rounding to the corners that is hardly noticeable once fitted).  I then tried an alternative approach keeping the plastic backing in place, which in turn this recesses the window slightly.  I am undecided which is the better solution.

I have also experimented with the finish, the window vents need repainting from blue to brown (I did this using a broken 0.45mm drill bit and Vallejo Cam Black Brown).  An approximation of the curtains was painted onto the inside of the windows

The next step will be to prepare the remaining window holes (removing the 1927 frames ) before getting on with adding the new roof extensions over the doors.  Hopefully by that point I will have found the missing drawing and verified the window sizes.