Mk1 Coach Bashing

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Everyone,

Sometime back, someone was asking about whether the Southern Pride Etchmaster Mk1 Sleeping Car kits were any good ? In my opinion, yes, it's one of the best things they do. It's basically an all-plastic bodyshell, but with etched brass sides. Here are the unprepared etches and the clear plastic profiled sides. For these etched kits the clear sides have to be cut down, just using the bottom section at a depth of about 6 or 7mm., as roughly marked on these.

 

Here's the basic chassis block with the ends and cut-down clear sides added.

 

Here are the separated components of the plastic underframe, along with the solebar strips and buffer-beams.

 

The bare skeleton of the underframe assembled.

 

Nice roof ducting and details come with the plastic roof moulding.

Cheers, Brian. (to be continued)

 

[Brian Kirby]

Jumping ahead slightly, the door detail has been added and the sides cleaned up. When gluing the rigid sides to the plastic bodyshell, this is the moment to get everything nice and straight and square. The underframe has been attached and the roof detail completed. BTW, the moulded gangways are not Southern Pride, but from DC Kits. I have removed the moulded roof ribs, the remaining scars represent the welded roof joints of the prototype.

 

Having again cleaned and then roughened-up the sides, red oxide primer is sprayed on, since these will be finished in maroon.

 

This is followed by maroon paint (from an old tin of Cherry Paints)

 

All Mk1 Sleeping Cars had the same bodyshells, this one i finished as a Composite with yellow stripe.

 

Here are two more, comparing the profiles of various Mk1s. From the top, Kitmaster BG, SP SLC,SP Griddle, Bachmann RMB and SP SLF. Yes, the three SPs need v-hangers adding !

Cheers, Brian.

[Flood]

Thanks Brian, all very useful.

 

Only one question, do the Southern Pride sides arrive already curved or are they flat and need profiling?

[davidw]

Very neat Brian..

[the penguin of doom]

Some nice work there Brian.

 

I like the "14" in the background too......

[Brian Kirby]

Thanks Chaps,

Yes Graham, the sides are included as pre-rolled, so they are ready for soldering on the door detail.

 

A slight warning, although overall these SP kits make up into a decent looking sleeping car, there are a few errors concerning the windows. It was only pointed out to me after i'd finished them (by a Scottish etcher with ginger hair and a kilt), although i could only see it when comparing with a drawing. But then, i'll be running my ones prototypically in the dark !

 

Yep, that's my Alexander heavy metal Class 14 in the background, still haven't finished it !

Cheers, Brian.

[Penrhos1920]

Some nice work there Brian.

 

I like the "14" in the background too......

 

 

I like the bars of the windows. It never occurred to me to fit bars on my modelling den to stop me getting out.

[Alfster]

Nice work

Just one question, do you prime then paint the inside of the etched brass sides?

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Alfster,

No, the inside of the coach is only on the receiving end of overspray, i don't make a deliberate point of painting the interior of the shell. However, if you had internal lighting on your coaches, i suppose you may have to consider it.

Cheers, Brian.

[37114]

Thanks for sharing this with us Brian, they look excellent. I will definitely have a go at a couple having seen how well yours have turned out.

[Trainshed Terry]

Brain

 

Please could you advise on how you did the lining on you coaches, as I at a point where I am not sure if to attach the hand rails ond door handles before or after painting.

 

The vehicle that I am doing is "diagram 25 kitchen buffet".

 

You have done a great job on your coaches.

 

Terry.

[Enterprisingwestern]

A slight warning, although overall these SP kits make up into a decent looking sleeping car, there are a few errors concerning the windows. It was only pointed out to me after i'd finished them (by a Scottish etcher with ginger hair and a kilt), although i could only see it when comparing with a drawing. But then, i'll be running my ones prototypically in the dark !

 

Brian, how do the Hornby ones compare, a, to the SP ones, and b, to the real thing, these were going to be my weapon of choice, but if an esteemed modeller of Mk1's like yourself is going down this route, I'm now not so sure.

Cheers.

[Brian Kirby]

Thanks to all for the kind comments,

To answer Terry's question, yes some like to add the handrails after the lining, since they can get in the way, but i don't, i like to finish all the physical building before i paint. I don't like the idea of gluing things on after, one slip and the paint finish could be ruined. I suppose it's "swings and roundabouts" really, each to his/her own ! I hand line my coaches with bow pens, there certainly are some tricky moments, sometimes i apply the lining paint with a pointed knife edge, for those really tight spots.

Regarding the kits themselves, i've got a little stack of these sleepers (bought years ago), some i built at the time and was perfectly happy with them. It's only in the last few days, that a good friend of mine (Bob-65B) has pointed out a few faults , namely the spacing of the windows and the slight fatness of the windows. Believe me, you'd never notice without checking drawings or pics, i never noticed and i'm a Mk1 fan ! As alternatives, use Comet or Bob's own Sleeper sides, they appear to be spot on.

For it's considerable age, the Triang/Hornby Sleeping Car still looks pretty good, it only suffers from deep inset windows and a rather basic underframe by today's standards.

Cheers, Brian.

[Mallard60022]

Brian, could I ask if this is one of your coaches?

Phil

[Brian Kirby]

Brian, could I ask if this is one of your coaches?

Phil

Hi Phil,

    Blimey i'd forgotten about this old corpse of a thread, even the piccies have gone mammary glands up, since Botophucket withdrew their free hosting. Yep, the maroon RF is one of mine, part of a WR 2-car set with a RSO, created from the RK and RFO in Comet's 3-car dining set. Btw, the Pullman is a Westdale kit, all sitting on my old microwave, which makes a good photo stand. To complete the story, I eventually scrapped all my Southern Pride Mk1 Sleepers (the subject of this thread), and rebuilt them all into Class 126 DMUs!

                                                                                Cheers, Brian.

[Mallard60022]

Thanks Brian. Mr Foren suggested thius might be one of your masterpieces. It was seen by someone, at an exhibition I think? This chap had 'phoned me to ask if there was some chance of getting something like it so I posed a question elsewhere. We are in discussion as he thinks he has confused memories about what he saw back in 1968, a coach he wants to replicate just for display.

I hope he is contacting me again next week so we can identify what it is he wants and then we can see if anyone can sort it for him if there is nothing RTR (as he says he only wants a Maroon Restaurant Kitchen Car). I've no wish to build a coach for him at quite an expense when maybe a RTR product at about £40/50 would do just as well.

I much appreciate your replay by the way and aspire to your coach fettling abiulities.

ATB

Phil