Conversion of Hornby non corridor brake third to auto trailer

[Phil Rowe]

I want to convert a Hornby non-corridor brake third to an auto trailer using a Comet  Models driving trailer windowed end. Does anyone have experience doing this?

[The Johnster]

You’d be better off with the entire Comet kit tbh.  The ‘cyclops’ trailers were converted by BR in 1953 from Collett flat-ended stock of a different length, body profile, window profile and roof profile coach on different bogies to the Hornby 57’ bowenders.  Comet kits are not difficult (definition of not difficult being ‘Johnster made one’) but the detail, especially the door furniture, is time consuming.  These BR conversions were based on 1938 Collett Brake composites for the Lydney-Sharpness service over the Severn railway bridge, which needed first class accommodation as it was a joint line with the LMS. 

 

Sorry, I know that’s not the advice you wanted to hear, and of course, if you are prepared to live with the bowender’s shortcomings under the auspices of Rule 1, it should be an easy enough conversion and give you a great deal of pleasure, which I’ve probably just scuppered by pointing out said shortcomings…
 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

What type?

 

Mention of Driving Trailer and Brake Third suggests LMS rather than GWR. 

 

Presuming you are using these

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/em5/

 

To convert to one of these

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/m25dk/

 

I'm pretty sure there is a previous thread on them. If I find one, I'll link it.

 

 

Jason

[Wheatley]

If it's the LMS version then the conversion is essentially cutting three holes in the end and (I think) adding or removing the side lamps. If you can cut straight you may not even  need the Comet end. 

[brossard]

I did this for two sets.  I had started doing the Comet kits but then Hornby came out with theirs and I found it easier to use the Comet driving trailer end than finishing the kits.

 

 

The driving trailer end has guard irons added, two vacuum pipes (Markits), a steam pipe (also Markits modified) and a screw link coupling.

 

I modified two locos for the job:

 

JInty 7479:

 

 

There's a scratch built vacuum regulator on the smoke box plus additional vac and steam pipes.

 

0-4-2T 10644:

 

 

These were actually Push Pull fitted.

 

John

Edited January 26, 2022 by brossard

[Metr0Land]

Surely the Hornby LMS model has duckets you'd need to remove that didn't exist on the auto-trailer?  (My filling in of such holes is rubbish!)

[brossard]

1 hour ago, Metr0Land said:

Surely the Hornby LMS model has duckets you'd need to remove that didn't exist on the auto-trailer?  (My filling in of such holes is rubbish!)

 

You are right.  Removal of duckets and filling thereafter was probably the hardest and scariest part of the conversion.

 

John

[The Johnster]

Apologies, all; my GW mindset and the use of the term ‘auto trailer’ convinced me that the OP was talking about BR(W) 1953 A43/A44 ‘cyclops’ compartment trailers.  ‘Auto trailer’ is, TTBOMK, specific to GW/WR usage, and terms such as ‘push-pull’, ‘motor train’ and so on were used by other companies.  That said, the WR used the term ‘rail motor’ in public and working timetables, decades after the last steam railmotors were converted to auto trailers.  Why the information was thought relevant in the public timetables I have no idea!

 

[Wheatley]

Ah yes. The sidelamps and the duckets they're attached to. Oops!