Nile

Could be a good plan, I've got one of those around here somewhere. I can see that the logical conclusion of this path is that nothing of the original model remains, which is probably a good thing.

I think you are reminding me why I buried this thing in a box all those years ago.

Probably dictated by the chassis design, their Bill and Ben are also rather wide. The spring clip holding the motor in sticks out a long way, hence the holes in the body sides. This Percy makes for quite a heavyweight industrial loco, think Maerdy Monster.

36mm across the buffer beam. The steps stick out another mm each side.

Yesterday while rummaging through boxes looking for things I found something interesting, an old Hornby Percy. Many years ago I'd started detailing it, but never finished it was put away. This included removing the motor, presumably I was going to replace it with something better. Anyway it occurred to me that Hornby's version of Percy is quite big for an 0-4-0, I wondered what it would look like as an 0-6-0. Some time later I had it sitting on a Jouef/Electrotren chassis. I think a Terrier chassis would also fit.

As before I've tried to match the colour of the Bachmann coaches with a mixture of Sky blue and white. After the windows were glazed I added bars of micro-rod, glued with glue'n'glaze. I've also added a weight (random lump of metal) just visible in the photo. Now with roof glued on. I've fitted Peco couplings as I'm not planning on doing any shunting with this. They could be replaced with Greenwich later if needed. I then had a Skarloey Railway moment at Scarside. Beatrice and Cora together. Bachmann may or may not have announced models of these vans at a NY show. Doesn't really matter to me, I'm already there.

Get rid of the quote button. It's possible to quote selected parts of a post, as I've done above, without it.

All these new coaches I've built or detailed needed testing to see how well they work on the layout. Here are some photos of that. Train with van arrives. Locos runs round and couples to van. Van is placed in the bay/loading platform. Loco couples to remaining coaches and positions them next to the platform, ready to depart. After the train has left, the van is left for unloading and loading. Another passenger train arrives, with different stock. Loco runs round and positions coaches clear of the siding. Loco fetches van from bay platform. Van is attached to train, which is positioned next to platform. Another combination of coaches tried. A bit long for the platform, but it just fits in the run-round loop. Another combination that works. Putting all the new coaches together. Definitely too long for the loop and platform.

Continuing on that theme, as I had a complete Corris brake van kit I thought I may as well build a model of Cora. Assembled as per instructions, apart from using Farish wheels and adding some brake gear.

They must have arrived as there is a parcel heading my way.

Bachmann have already announced Peter Sam (due this year?), so maybe in a few years it could happen.

Painted to match the coaches, it is now finished. This comparison with another GVT van shows the effect of the larger wheels. The complete train - on the bench and at Scarside. I'll be posting more photos in the Scarside topic later as I try out the new coaches.

Thanks Chris. Next I wanted a matching van to go with these new coaches. I chose a Dundas models Glyn Valley van kit - it has similar proportions and panelling to the coaches, and I had one in stock. Built as per instructions, apart from the chassis where I've added vacuum brake gear from leftover Colin Ashbury bits. I've fitted 7mm wheels to raise it up a bit, to better match the coaches. In the photo below it's had its first coat of sand paint.

You could try brass rod instead, it will keep its shape.

I shall have to try that sometime, if it's not too fiddly. The final additions to finish these off : Greenwich couplings, brake pipes (leftovers from a Dundas VoR kit) and various HMRS transfers.