Pullman coach roof colour

[westcountryman]

Hi everyone,

Just a couple of questions that I can search your combined memory banks with.

I've just taken delivery of a Hornby Pullman coach from a guy on e-bay, & imagine the surprise when I unpacked it & it has a bright silver roof.

From the condition of the paint, I think it may be a 'homemade' respray, so not too difficult to get rid of with 'modelstrip' or similar

Due to it only having a rather fuzzy photo, I assumed the roof would be a white /cream colour.

All of my other Pullman stock have an off-white/ cream roof colour, & ideally I'd like to respray this one to match.

If left as it is, it will look rather odd in a rake of white-ish roofed coaches.

Can anyone tell me if there is a specific colour the roof should be painted?

I've got a stock of Railmatch, Pheonix & Humbrol paints, so something will hopefully fit the bill.

Also, is there an accepted method to remove the underframe & sides from the Pullman coach?

Is it a case of swing the bogies aside, & search for the clips?

I really don't want to damage the coach simply to make spraying the roof easier by removing it altogether.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Il Grifone]

The late 50s colour was aluminium (reference letter from the Pullman Car Co. to Meccano Ltd. dated 1959).

 

It would be helpful to have the catalogue (Rxxx) no. of the Hornby coach as there are several types.

[Silver Sidelines]

I had a look at this thread because I guessed it might be about Bachmann Pullmans.  Same applies - check the reference number both Hornby and Bachmann produce models with white  and grey / silver roofs. Buyer beware?

 

Regards

 

Ray

[Forester]

Hornby have a system -- for reasons known only to themselves.

 

1928 Pullmans, the old Queen of Scots unlighted (now Railroad) Pullmans have silver roofs.

Lights-fitted 8-wheel pre-WW2 (matchboard) Pullmans have white roofs,

Lights-fitted 8-wheel post WW2 (flush-sided) Pullmans have grey roofs.

Lights-fitted 12-wheel Pullmans have grey roofs.

 

The only sensible colour really is grey, to which white and silver-painted roofs rapidly turned once in service.

[RFS]

Do the lighted pre-WW2 Pullmans with white roofs come apart easily?  I'd just like to know if I can take the roof off and take it away to spray it grey.  I have a number of white-roofed Pullmans and would really prefer they were grey, but I'm hesitating at trying to spray the roofs grey in situ.

[phil-b259]

IIRC the roof is molded as part of the overall body. The body is fixed to the underframe via 4 small clear clips / tabs hidden on the underside at each end, which have to manipulated so that they can pass back through the underframe. The tabs are if I remember correctly, are actually part of the glazing assembly for the doors (securely glued into the body). Removal of the bogies may make this process easier but in doing so it is quite easy to break the wire (or the solder connection on the bogie) that supplies the interior lighting.

[John Tomlinson]

I think phil-b259 is correct here, you can't separate the roof from the body. I reworked a couple of the older 1928 Brakes a while ago, and masked the sides to do a roof respray - do use low tack tape such as Tamiya to reduce the risk to the paint finish on the sides. If your coach is one of the older Hornby Pullmans, there is quite a lot you can do to improve a basically sound body, such as proper bogies from Keen and painting the  white seat moulding. SE finecast did a pack of their flush glazing for these coaches as well.

 

Before respraying, you might also consider replacing the moulded roof vents with something a bit better, say from MJT/ Dart, which does a lot for the final appearance. In terms of colour, as has been said, white and silver are frankly fanciful for a train in service, and some mid to dark gray will look a lot more convincing.

 

John.

[JZ]

All my white roofed Pullmans have been repainted to match the grey ones and then weathered. I think it was Humbrol roof grey and this matches the Hornby grey.

[westcountryman]

Hi again everyone,

Thanks for the info so far.

I've had a look to see if there are any identifying serial numbers, & this is what is on the base of the coach:-

Hornby     Made In China    S8914

 

Having taken a second look, the roof is factory sprayed in a bright silver/ pewter colour.

My target is to have all of my Pullman coaching stock matching, with off-white/ cream roofs, suitably weathered.

Hope this is of some help.

Thanks again for all of your input.

Cheers

Rob

[BR60103]

I thought I saw a picture of a Pullman train with one white-roofed car but I can't find it in a quick look.  There's the occasional train with one or two cars with clean roofs. The only train with a complete set of white is the Royal Train. I'll have to colour my Devon Belle set (when my wife isn't looking).

 

I Like to vary the grey colour on the roofs.  I used to use a variety from a Dungeons and Dragons range (Gargoyle Grey was nice) but they aren't visible anymore.

[Il Grifone]

Roof weathering in steam days was a layer of soot, which was acquired very rapidly. It is possible that Pullman cars were cleaned, but I doubt it.