Jump to content
 
  • entries
    268
  • comments
    567
  • views
    130,658

Slaters Toplight Third

The Fatadder

Entry posted by The Fatadder

1,147 views

 Share

Modelling the right mix of different coach diagrams is key to modelling the GWR, as such I have long planned to add some Toplight coaches to the fleet.

 

The demise of the Slatters range put something of a spanner in the works, compounded by the high cost they go for on eBay (I have already been stung by a second hand Slatters clestory kit that came with badly warped parts)

 

Fortunately at Wells last weekend Coopercraft had some parts available, including a pair of sides and ends and corridor wall for a third and a roof for a brake third. This left me short of a floor, bogies, corridor connections and details.

 

I started by building the body, gluing one end to each side before,fixing together and adding the roof.

 

The next step was to add a floor, for this I raided the spairs box for a DC Kits mk1 TPO floor, which was cut to length and test fitted within the chassis. To this plasticard compartments and DC Kits seats, along with the Slatters corridor wall were added.

 

The roof needs modifying to an all third, and the chassis trusses need scratch building. Plus bogies will be needed (regretting not buying them from Dave Geen at the weekend) then the coach can be painted, detailed and added to the Up M Set

  • Like 6
 Share

4 Comments

Recommended Comments

  • RMweb Gold
Mikkel
  • RMweb Gold

Nice to see one of these, for some reason there have been very few documented builds of these on the web. And quite surprising that you actually managed to get some parts from Coopercraft, although I assume they are old left-overs rather than new ones. I look forward to following this one.

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
The Fatadder
  • RMweb Gold

I still struggle to understand why these kits are so uncommon (before the Coopercraft takeover), Slaters clearly were pretty awful in marketing them. I think Coopercraft had sides for 2 more thirds and 2 composites, but only 2 more roofs and one set of ends. I'm rather regretting that I didn’t pick up at least one more while I was there. If I see Coopercraft at another show and they still have some, I won't make that mistake again. Given there was still a lot of talk about the ongoing legal action, I'm sure all of the Slaters parts on offer must have been old stock.

 

Progress on the build is rather limited now, as in order to do much more I need to place an order for more parts (in particular the posts for the underframe truss, bogies (for which I need to confirm what type I require) and corridor connections. The aim is to stock up at

 

While focus remains on the layout, progress will remain slow…

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...