These 70ft carriages were built in 1923/4 for Great Western services to South Wales, they soon moved from these services throughout the GWR system. 

 

 

I doubt whether they would have made it to Henley-on-Thames, but they will add variety to my train composition .

 

 

The aim of this blog is to run through the build of the carriages and hope to inspire others to pick up a Comet kit and build it yourself.

Firstly, I would suggest that this Comet instruction manual is a good place to start:

 

 

It’s here:  https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/bctcw/

 

I have also downloaded the loco construction book (again from Comet) since building my last carriage. The change I’ve made is to ream out the holes for the bearings, where previously I had filed them out.

 

The wheels ran ok - maybe with a bit of fettling, but I’m hoping these will run just like RTR stock!.

At this point I should explain…. Reaming vs Filing…..

A round file will extend the hole …. Potentially in different directions, which could mean that the holes for the bushes are off centre. 

Whereas a reamer, will cut more even evenly…. We are talking about a 5 sided reaming broach - don’t worry about the term, it cuts more evenly.

 

Plus, I am countersinking the bearing slightly.

 

This photo (below) and the lined one above have been taken from the Wizard models / Comet website - This is what the carriages will look like.

 

 

The build process:

 

 

The bogie was cut out and folded up after the bearing holes etc. were reamed. The etch above and below also shows the underframe as I start to remove the parts.

 

In the photo below, I am opening out the hole for the Bogie bolt.

 

 

Reaming is done by leaning on a piece of plywood - I have a hole cut in it to support the holes being reamed. Similarly, when cutting the etch, it is cut on the plywood to give maximum support. (I used to cut on the cutting board, but again got this tip from the loco building manual).

 

Underframe in progress:

Having reamed out the required holes, its a simple case of folding / cutting out the various parts of the etch. Unusually, this carriage has a cross support, which is making the truss frame a lot more rigid.

 

The sole bar is soldered into holes on the underframe using posts. Note: These posts needed filing off a bit to ensure they go in without leaving any gaps.

 

The truss frame is soldered to the sole bars - this time round, I have not removed the end parts of the truss road, simple soldering it to the rear of the sole bar.

 

I am very pleased with the standard of soldering - since my first carriage all those years ago, my soldering has improved leaps and bounds.

 

 

Then onto the carriage body and I opened up the door handle holes etc.

 

 

Note: Throughout, I read the instructions! - I know, it's a novel concept, but essential if these are going to be my best ever kit built carriages.

 

The body was soldered together and I had forgotten how difficult it is to solder them together - wall to end, then repeat... I need more hands and more gadgets to hold it all square.

 

And thats it... (almost) looking finished 🤣 There is a lot more work to do yet. But thats enough for a pause on this carriage and move onto the next one. Certainly when it comes to a few carriages it's easier to do the same build together and most definitely when I am spraying. The time it takes to prep one carriage, II could do 4 together!

 

Remaining work to be done: Cut the roof to length; fix it to the sides and ends; fit roof ventilators; fit interior detail (seats & corridor partitions); fit underframe details; then it will be onto the finishing straight of rubbing down (keying for the primer), then spray (3 coats plus varnish); then add the door handles etc.

 

 

This mornings bogie construction for the E112 70ft Carriage.

 

The contents of the 9ft Bogie pack (it doesn't included bearings or wheels):

 

The bogie is reamed; drilled etc. whilst on the etch:

 

and then cut up into the constituent parts:

 

and the folded up:

 

Soldering uses any gadgets that are to hand.... sometimes including your fingers (momentarily) - Yes! You get burnt. 

 

Wire is then threaded through the holes in the cross brace and soldered:

 

After soldering 1

 

After soldering 2 - on the track:

 

 

Continuing on the E112 Composite carriage:

 

This is the basic carriage etch, as supplied:

 

 

The solebars are cut off, together with the V hangers; truss frames and cross frame:

 

 

When you are building a carriage - you always need more hands! I've got 2 "helping hands" crocodile type clips on stands and I use these for soldering as well as  spraying, but sometimes they are just not sufficient.

 

This is the end panel. The instructions state that the fixing point needs to be soldered 1 x etch width from the bottom. So I have a section of etch underneath as the end is held upright by the Square.

 

It looks crude, but it worked. The box at the bottom will be used to bolt the carriage body to the floor.

 

 

The sides are soldered up to the ends and placed on the underframe and placed on the track, complete with the roof which still needs to be cut to size.

 

 

This morning, the first job was to cut both roofs to size:

 

 

The two carriages seen side-by-side - The left one has 12mm wheels as I don't have the correct 14mm in stock. (I have now ordered some!)

 

 

Next job was to solder in all the end steps - inside and out! - My soldering has improved so much over the years:

 

 

The final workbench image for today - with both carriages resting on their rooves as the white metal bits are added in:

 

 

Monday 6th November 2023:

 

Time for the interior partitions, given the position of the corridor windows, I need to add the toilet partition which needs to go up to the corridor connector. Part of the toilet partition is fixed to the end wall to clear the fixing for the body and underframe.

 

 

I then carried on through the carriage - cutting two of the corridor etchs to show compartment doors open. These will be tied up with open windows when they get added later in the build.

 

 

The (almost) complete carriage - it just needs the toilet made up on the First class end on the left.

 

 

Wednesday 8th November update:

 

The remainder of the partitions have now been fitted.

 

Then tedium set in! - Drilling all the holes for the roof ventilators.

 

 

Each compartment has two ventilators - which the photos and diagrams show. At some point this changed and there was only 1 ventilator per compartment - I have no idea when this changed.

 

 

Anyway, it wasn't too long before all the holes were drilled and then the ventilators fitted.

 

This is the E111, the E112 will be next - compartments and ventilators.

 

Thursday 16th November 2023:

Today saw the E112 having its roof ventilators added, together with end detailing etc.

 

 

and both carriages on the railway:

 

 

Both carriages roofs have now been glued onto the sides using impact superglue.

 

Remaining jobs to do:

• Fix couplings x3 (i bogie already has a coupling)
• Change the 12mm wheels soon 1 carriage for 14mm
• Prepare for painting. (Note: this stage is critical, to wash off any flux residue.)
  • Spray paint primer (two coats at least)
  • Spray top coats (two or three coats - masking as I go)
  • Fix glazing & droplights (some of which will be open)
    • I am going to try to replicate an open toilet window - which are hinged at the bottom. (I am still not sure which way round these carriages will run. Usually my carriages have a display side, with the other side not lined etc.
• Add transfers and 2 coats of matt varnish.

Then they will be finished 😎

 

By which time, there will be another 2 x 70ft carriages to join the rake and the build cycle starts all over again....

 

February 2024 update:

 

Both carriages have now been sprayed with white primer.

 

 

 

The interiors for both carriages have also been sprayed (Vallejo Air Mahogany) and the seats painted:

 

 

The carriages are now drying, having had their first spray of cream, following two coats of primer.

 

Sunday 18th February 2024:

 

Another coat of Railmatch cream and the carriages are getting there, they have had their final coat today. The next colours will be the chocolate, which again will be Railmatch paints.

 

 

One of the interiors has been fitted onto the underframe.

 

 

Friday 23rd February 2024: The carriages have now had two coats of primer; two coats of cream, with the body masked up for two coats of Chocolate. Today they have both had two coats of Vallejo 70.836 London Grey on the roofs:

 

 

 

I find it easier to spray everything with the cream all over - that way when masking tape is applied there is less of a chance of it pulling the paint off.

 

 

Saturday 24th February 2024: 

 

The masking tape has come off the e111 composite and as is sometimes the way, a section of cream came off at the same time☹️

 

Obviously the primer hadn't taken properly, so a small section of primer has been applied by hand. The unfortunate thing is that its on the corridor side and that is the side that I was going to have on view.

 

Other than that, the carriage looks very good. The ends on both carriages have been sprayed black as well.

 

 

 

This carriage will retain its London Grey roof. Unfortunately the e112 had a slight overspray of black onto the roof, so is being finished in Railmatch roof dirt. I have two more 70ft carriages to build - I will try and remember to do one in London Grey and the other in Roof dirt!

 

There's a big difference between a 70ft carriage and a 57ft one - 280mm vs 228mm

 

 

Wednesday 6th March 2025: Both The e112 and e111 have had their transfers applied and the e112 is seen here after it’s first coat of Matt varnish.

 

Fri 15th March.

Both carriages have now received their final spray of Matt varnish. Previously the section of cream that had pulled off when the masking tape was taken off had been repaired. Coat of primer and two coats of cream, unless you know where to look, you can’t see the join!
 

Thursday 21st March 2024:

 

The first carriage to be glazed and door furniture added is the e111 on one side only at the moment:

 

 

 

23rd March and both carriages are glazed and have their door furniture.