Great Central Barnum Coaches

[DLT]

Some years ago I built a pair of Great Central Barnum coaches in O-Gauge for a friend. The GP Models kits are superb, very well designed and produced, they fitted together perfectly, in all they were a joy to build. I deviated from the instructions slightly in a couple of areas, but didnt make any modifications whatsoever. Recently I borrowed them back for some decent digital photography.

 

This is my first thread on the new RMweb. As its not a constructional thread, I'm not sure if it should go in this section or "The Showcase". There isnt a "Heres One I Made Earlier" forum, in the best Blue Peter tradition.

 

Anyway, I hope the photos are of interest.

 

Dave.T

 

 

[iak]

Looking very nice.

Shame none of these exist in 4mm - now that would be heaven B)

[Forward!]

WOW! They really are superbly finished- the very tight-grained teak finish is well observed. The GCR's use of matchboarded teak resulted in a very different finish to the Gresley GNR/LNER teak finish.

 

I second that Garth's kits are very well designed. I have built a couple of his wagons and will be starting a dock tank loco soon. I hear that his range of MSLR six-wheel carriages are 'coming soon' too.

 

thanks for posting the images-

 

Will

[60526]

I believe that Bill Bedford still has the Barnums in his catalogue

[jwealleans]

Bill does indeed still list them. These are lovely - the extra detail you can achieve in 7m really shows to advantage here. How are the window crests done?

[iak]

Beeeg Bill and Falcon Brassworks {Ta Mozzer} for us 4mm bods so it seems...

You know the feeling when a new subject gets the creative juices bubbling......

[DLT]

WOW! They really are superbly finished- the very tight-grained teak finish is well observed. The GCR's use of matchboarded teak resulted in a very different finish to the Gresley GNR/LNER teak finish.

 

I second that Garth's kits are very well designed. I have built a couple of his wagons and will be starting a dock tank loco soon. I hear that his range of MSLR six-wheel carriages are 'coming soon' too.

 

thanks for posting the images-

 

Will

 

Hi Will,

Thanks very much, I was really chuffed with the finish on these coaches. I was a bit doubtful about the shade, but my friend assured me that this was how he remembered them. Definitely redder than Gresley teak.

 

One thing I did change was the door handrails; ornate twirly rails are supplied in the kit, (in cast brass) but these were only fitted to the first few vehicles. The rest had a plainer pattern as modelled.

 

All the best,

Dave.

[DLT]

Bill does indeed still list them. These are lovely - the extra detail you can achieve in 7m really shows to advantage here. How are the window crests done?

 

The window crests are printed on paper, (IIRC they were part of the instruction sheet) You are supposed to cut out a square and fix it to the inside of the glazing. I was a bit doubtful about the long-term effectiveness of this, so I sandwiched the paper between two thicknesses of glazing material, held with a little glue at the edges.

Cheers,

Dave.

[45609]

These coaches are just beautiful. Lovely job DLT. Barnums look so Continental in style but I guess that fits with the GCR's grand plans for European links. Shame it never worked out for them.

 

Cheers...Morgan

[Ressaldar]

Hi DLT,

 

very nice indeed. Garth's kits are very good - I built the J63 tank shortly after moving to the Wirral, to get on the right side of the locals as some of them were shedded at Bidston

 

 

8207 straight from the paint shop

 

 

8207 after a few weeks in the docks

 

 

8207 after a few weeks in the docks 2

 

 

8207 after a few weeks in the docks 3

 

Hope you like it

 

regards

 

Mike

[Forward!]

I really like it!- the coal on the roof is a very well observed touch. I look forward to building mine. I don't have an excuse not to- I model Grimsby docks, and have run out of Manning Wardle types to model now! Must say, I'm more scared about lining it out in GCR livery than I am tackling the actual kit!

 

cheers for posting the pics,

Will

[DLT]

8207 after a few weeks in the docks 3

Hope you like it

regards

 

Mike

 

Certainly do Mike!

Any small tank engine with outside cylinders gets my approval. I'm unfamiliar with the prototype, as I am with the rest of the GP Models range.

The Barnums were built for a friend, but since then he hasnt asked me to build anything else

Cheers,

Dave.

[coachmann]

Someone produced some etched brass Barnum coaches in 4mm a good few years ago. I may be wrong, but I don't think they ever went into full production. Lawrence Scale Models purchased all the test/initial etchings and built them RTR. I did the painting. The tough looking brake thirds with recessed doors always took my fancy as they appeared in trains over Standedge. Must say I didnt realize the LNER actually grained the wood......I assumed they slapped their non-descript brown on them. This colour usually went on constituent coaches that had never been grained & varnished (North Eastern maroon stock for example).

 

The 7mm models look very nice indeed.

 

LG

[Forward!]

Must say I didnt realize the LNER actually grained the wood......I assumed they slapped their non-descript brown on them. This colour usually went on constituent coaches that had never been grained & varnished (North Eastern maroon stock for example).

 

The 7mm models look very nice indeed.

 

LG

 

I'm not sure how the LNER decided it in later years, but even as these carriages were withdrawn in the early 50's the ex GCR 'matchboard' carriages seemed to have retained their natural teak finish. (that said, some did recieve BR C+Cream livery) I imagine they were just rubbed down and re-varnished as the years went on- because unlike the earlier GCR carriages they were finished in plain teak since their first days as mainline passenger stock. The earlier GCR carriages, i.e those painted chocolate/cream were almost certainly painted plain brown and 'scrimbled' (is that actually a word!?) in later GCR days- which I imagine was perpetuated in LNER days.

 

Coachman, with your skills I'd love to see some 4mm 'Barnums'!

 

Will

[Ressaldar]

Hi Will & Dave,

 

yes, little tank locos do have a certain charm of their own, especially those fitted with outside cylinders. I bought two at Telford from Agenoria - Pete Stamper, both Hawthorne Leslies from the Plymouth and Devonport & South Western - 0-6-0 A S Harris and 0-6-2 Earl of Mount Edgcombe. Undecided what finish to do yet, mainly as I cannot find a picture of the 0-6-2 in Southern livery. Coincidently, the ABC motor/gearbox for the 0-6-0 arrived yesterday, it should provide a really good drive.

 

By the way Dave, what is the loco in your avatar? it looks very good.

 

regards

 

Mike

[DLT]

By the way Dave, what is the loco in your avatar? it looks very good.

 

regards

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks very much. Its a narrow gauge Single Fairlie, scratchbuilt in 7mm scale, running on 16.5mm gauge.

I don't know how familiar you are with NG locos, but the Festiniog and Welsh Highland both had a Single Fairlie, and my model is a sort of cross between the two.

 

The model is pictured on my Charmouth layout.

All the best,

Dave.T

 

[t-b-g]

Another manufacturer in 4mm scale was Danny Pinnock of D & S kits. A bit hard to find nowadays but they do crop up second hand from time to time. His have plastic sides with punched out windows and a double layer lamination, so you stick some embossed planking lower sides and an upper window section to a backing part with a slightly smaller window, to create the frame. The end vestibules are etched and the bogies cast whitemetal. A Jidenco/Falcon Brass brake third has just gone into traffic on Roy Jackson's "Retford" and a D & S all 3rd is under construction and is to appear in "blood and custard" as a few vehicles did at the end. A small mod was made in LNER days in the several of the windows had the vents above them altered into conventional sliding small window types. I recall the the Jidenco kit has this detail and the D & S one has been altered.

 

Several real Barnums are preserved at Ruddington. They are certainly impressive vehicles.

[jwealleans]

Given the chance I'd leap at a set of Danny's kits for these but I'd have to take out a second mortgage given the prices they command at the moment. When I get round to them I expect they'll have to be Bill Bedford's as he does both the GC and LNER window variants.

[iak]

What ever happened to Danny P's masters then?

They must be out there somewhere or has he still got them?

His kits where/are a life blood in terms of the prototypes he did...

Mind, the Bearded Wonder does some tasty stuff I'll agree

[ArthurK]

Another manufacturer in 4mm scale was Danny Pinnock of D & S kits. A bit hard to find nowadays but they do crop up second hand from time to time. His have plastic sides with punched out windows and a double layer lamination, so you stick some embossed planking lower sides and an upper window section to a backing part with a slightly smaller window, to create the frame. The end vestibules are etched and the bogies cast whitemetal. A Jidenco/Falcon Brass brake third has just gone into traffic on Roy Jackson's "Retford" and a D & S all 3rd is under construction and is to appear in "blood and custard" as a few vehicles did at the end. A small mod was made in LNER days in the several of the windows had the vents above them altered into conventional sliding small window types. I recall the the Jidenco kit has this detail and the D & S one has been altered.

 

Several real Barnums are preserved at Ruddington. They are certainly impressive vehicles.

Perhaps I can answer the above. Many years ago Jidenco produced etches for at least two Barnum coaches, An Open Third and a Brake Third. They also produced a range GCR 60' coaches. I started one of the latter but disposed of it when part built. However I did build the Barnum open, again long ago. I am not a fan of Jidenco brass of that period but at least it was there and I acquired both the above mentioned second hand (unbuilt) at a very good price. Below is the Open 3rd, it is aging a bit and it shows. At that time I was modelling in OO. My major complaint was the bogies the were very flimsy and tended to drop the wheels at the slightest opportunity.