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Hi,

Would it be appropriate to include discussion of card rolling stock in this forum ?

 

I have been given a card kit for a Deltic loco and I have a couple of ancient Highfield N-gauge wagon kits that are tempting me...

 

Regards,

 

Chris Nicole

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Back in the '60s, there were regular articles in Railway Modeller by a chap called Sackett, in which he scratchbuilt loco bodies from card - and by the standards of the time they didn't look out of place. My own experience of card buildings is that - unsurprisingly - card and a damp environment are a poor mix.

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Lots of London Underground models from Mr Conner are available. They make very nice models as well. I made this C-stock with double glazing, including no smoking signs and recessed doors. It is on a brass chassis, but could do with better bogies. The other end is motorised with a Spud. Interior is under construction.

I have a DLR 2 car train in production at the moment. This will run on 3 black beetles, one powered and 2 dummy and will feature a fully detailed interior as well
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To my mind, there is not so much of a gap between card modelling and etched modelling as they both involve cutting, folding and sticking sheet materials.

I've seen some very effective card modelling of buildings, so I am curious to see how well the methods translate to vehicles.

 

With up to date printing, I think that there is still quite a lot of potential here.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

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The biggest problem with card loco bodies in steam or diesel is getting the curves right, particularly compound curves. Can you imagine the difficulties posed by a Class 47 roof or a Class 37 nose?

 

I think that card models of wagons might work though and I think that Peco's wonderful wagon range was so constructed.

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Can you post a link to some suppliers please, as I am keen to get some of these?

 

Thanks

 

Just for starters:

 

Freestone Model Accesories are the main stockists for a wonderful range of card kits for railway subjects, mostly buildings but some locomotives and trams too.

They have a tradestand at some of the bigger Model Railway shows:

http://www.freestone...o.uk/index.html (This is a trial website)

 

Brumtrams sell a good range of locomotive and tram kits on printed card mainly in 7mm scale.

http://www.freestone...brum_trams.html (This is a trial website)

 

CDC Design / Street level models (as illustrated above) have a range of tram and underground kits in OO.

They sell these through E-bay:

http://stores.ebay.c...ings-and-trains

 

If you want to try a free download paper model, Canon Japan Creative Park have a model of a Darjeeling and Himalya locomotive here:

http://cp.c-ij.com/e...rain/index.html

 

Ray Morris has a few locomotive kits as free pdf downloads, he also sells more kits on CD:

http://www.cardmodelers.org/Loco's/card_models.htm

 

There are a load more papermodels on the web, once you find some they tend to link to others...!

 

Regards,

 

Chris

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IIRC Peco also used to produce OO 'Wonderful Wagon' kits with card bodies.

 

P G N of this parish may be about to reintroduce some of the Highfield coach bodies in N-gauge.

 

There are a huge range of aircraft and ship models available in cardboard, I am rather surprised that railway subjects (apart from buildings) seem less popular.

 

Chris

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Indeed card is an excellent basis for modelling, available as it is in so many thicknesses and qualities and also with many grained finishes. Ask a printer friend if he can organise free sample sheets for you, A4 size used to be easily available. To deal with the damp worry, rub on a mixture of shellac in meths, both sides, and allow to dry (somewhere outside the house!). This would normally take only an hour or two. The resulting card cuts almost as crisply as polystyrene, given really sharp blades, and most of the usual glues will work well. Back in the 1950s I worked a good deal with this, and produced reasonable (1950s standard!) models.

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Peter Taft has recently produced a card model of a Deltic loco in BR Blue finish to OO scale.

I have one of these but have not started it yet.

 

He also has a Class 37 in large logo BR blue and is about to publish a 37 in coal sector grey.

These are available as scaleable pdf downloads or printed to order.

 

If you would like to know more e-mail Peter at peter.taft1@googlemail.com

(I have his permission to post his e-mail)

 

Regards,

 

Chris

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Back in the '60s ERG (Ernest Rankine Gray) from Bournemouth used to sell a wide range of card rolling stock kits. They also produced a booklet on the subject. I have a copy somewhere, must look it out.

Roger

 

Roger,

I have a copy of the ERG booklet. I think it was originally published around WW2 !

It makes an interesting read.

While the printed kits are no longer available, the techniques could be used to produce our own wagon bodies with home computer printer/scanner/copiers.

 

I have a fancy to work up some 2mm Hull and Barnsley stock for starters. :)

 

Regards,

 

Chris

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While the printed kits are no longer available, the techniques could be used to produce our own wagon bodies with home computer printer/scanner/copiers.

 

I have a fancy to work up some 2mm Hull and Barnsley stock for starters. :)

That should work well.

 

There are some examples intended for N gauge from Etched Pixels (Alan Cox) to commemorate the Royal Wedding, with the original at at http://www.rmweb.co....edding-freebie/ an improved version at http://www.rmweb.co....asier-to-build/ and another example at http://www.rmweb.co....n-for-tomorrow/

 

I have tried something similar myself for 2mm, using printed paper glued over a card (or plasticard) box, for PO wagons - examples can be seen at http://www.rmweb.co....ogress-sort-of/

 

David

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Chris

 

Yes the advent of cheap reasonable quality copying and printing equipment certainly has opened up the possibilities in recent years. Some years ago I made a number of S&DJR wagons using the techniques in the book. At the time they looked quite good :) I'm not so sure they would now however! Having said that I rather think that so long as you don't mix the latest super detail stuff with older stock and keep a consistent level/standard of workmanship they can look quite good. I guess that is part of the reason the likes of Buckingham and Borchester looked so good (and still do) is consistency, nothing stands out as being of a much higher standard than anything else.

Roger

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Back in the 1960s Trix produced card Gresley coach kits which had the virtue of relative cheapness (5/6 versus the 1/6 to 2/0 of a typical small Airfix kit at the time) and which enabled the varnished teak and lining to be reproduced. All the windows had to be hand cut (quick work with a rag prevented bloodstains damaging the finish) and what I themn thought a very good end result was possible. The only flaw were the card bogies which were complete non-runners! Cast bogies had to be substituted.

 

How did they last, was there any fading over time? I have no idea, because I could sell the results at a good profit (by schoolboy standards) at the time.

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There was an Irish O layout at Falkirk this year called Murphys' Quay which had some card rolling stock, it was far from pristine or precise but somehow suited the feel of the layout

 

Alphagrafix produce O gauge card kits for Irish stock, including locos.

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IIRC Peco also used to produce OO 'Wonderful Wagon' kits with card bodies.

 

 

The Peco kits used plastic chassis and metal (mazak?) bodies to which card sides were affixed.

Here's my effort using Peco sides on a styrene box van. Brakes and w-irons are etched.

 

post-6749-0-55958400-1322578858_thumb.jpg

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Some time ago there was a small range of card models for 009 under the name of, if I remember correctly, Guidelines. Some North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway and Welsh Highland Railway stock. Aside from the printed card sufficient blank material was included to make up the three layers recommended. Cut out the main body parts with a good margin, then glue to another two layers under weight. When properly dry, cut out neatly, add bodyside detail from single layers of card and carefully glue together avoiding smears. Again when dry give several coats of very thin shellac.

 

The resulting bodies were remarkably strong. I've had a small demonstration workbench at a couple of regional shows and whilst mostly showing the joys of soldering I keep one of these bodies handy to show there are alternatives. Gripped between the finger across the ends or floor (strongest points of course) you can squeeze them quite heavily without ill effect.

 

And I like Paul's van, it looks good and has character.

 

Michael

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