RedGemAlchemist Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) I'm still working out prices, but almost certainly £10 or under for a coach (compare £33 for a Roxey Mouldings etched one!). The plan is to sell through eBay to save having to set up an online shop, although if people want to buy direct through RMWeb PMs, paying through PayPal, I could probably manage that. Thank you. Indeed you're right, I'm going for the sheeted projections rather than the beaded ones. I could be tempted to do the beaded ones but they'd need a bit of thinking to get the laminated card layers (necessary for the beading) to curve nicely. They'd likely be quite fiddly. I'm also looking into producing the thirds with partial-height compartment dividers, and the longer, single quarterlight rather than two separate ones as per this drawing. I need to go for another dive into my Big Book of Stroudley Coaches! Wow. OK didn't realise these were for sale. Definitely going to need to have a look... May need to invest myself... Edited March 28, 2018 by RedGemAlchemist 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) My goodness, at this rate I'm going to need to buy in another couple of packs of card... On the other hand, it's flattering that what started out as a project to see if laser-cutting a coach could be plausible, has turned into something people want to buy! The only way this could be better would be if you'd all like to just put money in my bank account... Edited March 28, 2018 by Skinnylinny 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 My goodness, at this rate I'm going to need to buy in another couple of packs of card... On the other hand, it's flattering that what started out as a project to see if laser-cutting a coach could be plausible, has turned into something people want to buy! The only way this could be better would be if you'd all like to just put money in my bank account... There has long been a gap in the market for affordable, and not too difficult, pre-Grouping coaches. You may be about to fill it. Prepare to be overwhelmed. Let me know when it's time for the IPO. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Fair enough! Just a thought, but there are valid reasons why my idea may not work. Given that you have yet to suggest future stock, may I be of the greatest cheekiness and request some bogie stock? Also, hows about a loco? A bizarre concept, I grant you, but I feel that perhaps a combination of laser cut 'flat' components,or even some less flat components, with some 3D Printed components could produce a relatively inexpensive loco kit. I will have a look through my archive of loco drawings and report back as to what I feel may be a suitable candidate. Here I'm thinking a Neilson Box Tank could be an ideal candidate, but also some of the saddle tanks that have been built over the years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 It does seem rather fitting that in modelling pre-grouping coaches, I'm going back to the modelling materials that were being used at the time (card, paper etc), albeit with more modern production technology! Perhaps I should see if I can get some Seccotine to assemble them properly! I'm not quite sure what you mean by the IPO? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Bogie coaches are a thing I'm considering investigating. I know Ratio make plastic bogies which they sell separately (in kit form) for their LNWR coaches in both 8 foot and 10 foot wheelbase. I don't know enough about bogies to know whether they are similar to any other pre-grouping bogies (or indeed if they're suitably generic, like Fox ones, to appear beneath various different pieces of rolling stock). I think trying to make swivelling bogies out of card might be pushing my luck a little, but I'm game to give it a try! Compensation, on the other hand? No chance! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 It does seem rather fitting that in modelling pre-grouping coaches, I'm going back to the modelling materials that were being used at the time (card, paper etc), albeit with more modern production technology! Perhaps I should see if I can get some Seccotine to assemble them properly! I'm not quite sure what you mean by the IPO? Initial Public offering, i.e. when you need to float your coach-kit empire on the stock exchange. Seriously, bogie coaches and Fox 8' to cover the 3 main southern companies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedGemAlchemist Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) It does seem rather fitting that in modelling pre-grouping coaches, I'm going back to the modelling materials that were being used at the time (card, paper etc), albeit with more modern production technology! Perhaps I should see if I can get some Seccotine to assemble them properly!Yes, that is an interesting note actually. Didn't think of that. How droll. Edited March 28, 2018 by RedGemAlchemist Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I also like that idea, and I think this is why you've had Coarse-Scale 'O' modellers banging on your door! Returning to my annoying loco suggestion, I began thinking more about the Box Tank. If the chimney, chassis, safety valves and myriad other small details and the motion were printed in FUD, the other parts (the actual loco body) could be formed from laser-cut card. As I said, the same goes for the likes of Manning Wardle Saddle Tanks where, again, details could be printed whilst the bulk of the loco could be cut. Anyway, keep going with the fantastic work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Now, i wonder if I could find something to fit that rather nice Electrotren 0-6-0T chassis... So much for this being my layout thread, I might need to start a separate laser-cutting thread! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) I have one of those chassis on loan, so perhaps we could collaborate on that one? Could be candidates? If I can find drawings... I really want to do this one at some stage, but it probably won't fit the chassis. Copyright of all images belongs to their respective holders. All images are publicly shown on the internet, and none of them are my own. Edited March 28, 2018 by sem34090 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I have, courtesy of Gary, drawings for suitable non-corridor LBSC short bogie coaches. Then again, I have the Weddell LSWR books, with all the drawings you could ever need. These include some nice 1909 conversions of 1890s short-bogies to form branch line sets. A pair ran on the Lyme Regis branch and would be the perfect pairing for the Adams Radial. Happily I also have some SE&CR drawings, of both bogie coaches and the push-pull 6-wheel 3-set converted for the P Class (though Sem might want to try the latter). A judicious selection might find all current pre-Grouping RTR locos with suitable coaches to accompany them. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 The latter set has already been covered: Mr Simon Dawson on here (Rue D'etropal) has done the SECR 6-wheeled coaches in WSF. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 The latter set has already been covered: Mr Simon Dawson on here (Rue D'etropal) has done the SECR 6-wheeled coaches in WSF. Yes. They are WSF, which in my view is not a suitable material for coach sides, and expensive (at over £40 per coach), particularly so given the material. I have rejected that option as unpersuasive and really not for me. Linny has the ability to produce these at less than a quarter of the price, and the material means they will yield a better finish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 That is a fair point, and I agree with you entirely! I have convinced myself, as an advocate of 3D printing, that it is currently unsuitable for the printing of coaches. Locos, yes, coaches, no. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Rue D'etropal has mentioned that they will often be able to produce their kits in Frosted Ultra Detail if asked, although personally I'd pay a little more extra for Frosted Extreme Detail where possible, having a still-better, very smooth finish with very minimal stepping. I'm not sure how well I could manage a 6-wheel chassis in card... this is on my list of things to try.My main period of modelling is 1900-1910, so ideally I'd like to produce stock that could have been seen during that time period. Sadly, the P class (and R1) that I have/am getting in full SE&CR livery are pushing that a little, but there's little else available RTR for the SER and LC&DR. Some coaches for them would definitely be of interest. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Rue D'etropal has mentioned that they will often be able to produce their kits in Frosted Ultra Detail if asked, although personally I'd pay a little more extra for Frosted Extreme Detail where possible, having a still-better, very smooth finish with very minimal stepping. I'm not sure how well I could manage a 6-wheel chassis in card... this is on my list of things to try. My main period of modelling is 1900-1910, so ideally I'd like to produce stock that could have been seen during that time period. Sadly, the P class (and R1) that I have/am getting in full SE&CR livery are pushing that a little, but there's little else available RTR for the SER and LC&DR. Some coaches for them would definitely be of interest. Fair points about FUD. I don't know what the mark-up is, but £42 for WSF is not good value, in my view, and given that starting point, I'm not sure I'd want to ask what they would cost in FUD! Contrast this with Mike Trice's flat-pack 5-wheelers, both in terms of price and finish. I think there is enough overlap between what would interest you and what would interest the likes of me, Gary, Sem and doubtless others here, for a sensible programme to be identified that a number of us could buy-into. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Any LSWR, SECR, SER, LCDR, or (even better) LBSCR stock is of great interest! I would also be very interested in NLR, Metropolitan and District stock, followed by LNWR, GWR (Including BG) and GER stock. Beyond that pretty well any pre-grouping coaching stock is of interest. I would suggest, however, that you ignore the LNWR and Midland to begin with as they are spoilt rotten when compared with the rest of us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 I just need to make sure that I keep some time to myself to build my own layout at some point! That being said, more funds going towards the model railway are always a bonus... I think that I probably want to focus on the most common type of coaches for each railway company, to suit RTR models. Knowing that Bachmann are working on some LB&SCR atlantics, it would be rather nice to produce a few Billinton bogie coaches to go behind them... plus, with care, and a little thought, they might be able to be made in such a way that the livery can be painted easily. Hmmmmm...The other thing that might be interesting would be to produce a small range of "generic" four-wheel coaches for light railway use. Something that can be used for workers' trains, hauled by a grubby industrial. Leave the roof fittings and livery to the customer, and maybe provide a choice of three-arc or single-arc rooves (easy enough to make a modular kit for that sort of thing) and then go forth into more specific prototypes. Either way, I know what my next two projects are: Attempting to make a six-wheel chassis and a short bogie chassis. No details, just to see if it can be done. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboSnail Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) On the loco front, laser cutting would be a real benefit - I can make a body work in WSF but it takes a fair bit of sanding to make it look good (image attached is my Maunsell(ish) shunter, completed this morning!). 3D printing comes in to its own for the chassis though, as most people won't notice the surfacing as much, they're pretty cheap as they are much smaller than the body and you can make it easy to fit cheap or readily available motors/gear etc - next project is a replacement R1 chassis, since you mention it. I'm planning a few models that use a hybrid of 3D printing and card/plasticard parts but if I could get access to a laser cutter it could be much better. Also, how similar is the LSBCR 4 wheeler to the LCDR one? I have a Roxey brass kit of an LCDR brake, would be nice to turn it into a full rake... EDIT: forgot to attach pic. Edited March 28, 2018 by TurboSnail 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnylinny Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 On the loco front, laser cutting would be a real benefit - I can make a body work in WSF but it takes a fair bit of sanding to make it look good (image attached is my Maunsell(ish) shunter, completed this morning!). 3D printing comes in to its own for the chassis though, as most people won't notice the surfacing as much, they're pretty cheap as they are much smaller than the body and you can make it easy to fit cheap or readily available motors/gear etc - next project is a replacement R1 chassis, since you mention it. I'm planning a few models that use a hybrid of 3D printing and card/plasticard parts but if I could get access to a laser cutter it could be much better. Also, how similar is the LSBCR 4 wheeler to the LCDR one? I have a Roxey brass kit of an LCDR brake, would be nice to turn it into a full rake... EDIT: forgot to attach pic. Be aware that laser cutters will make a mess of plasticard - it melts all over the place and gives off some nasty fumes. It's banned from the place where I use the laser cutter. I can't seem to find any close-up pictures of the LCDR coach kits from Roxey. I *think* the panelling is quite different - square edges to the panelling rather than round, and much finer beading. It would certainly be a challenge to replicate that much beading, and so fine. LCDR coaches seem to have square corners to their windows too, rather than the rounded ones on the Stroudley coaches. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sem34090 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 With regards Light Railway coaches, may I suggest NLR 4-wheelers? I know rather a lot of them were sold to small undertakings, but they have the advantage of being an actual prototype, and having a 3D Printed loco kit available should one wish to model an NLR train. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedGemAlchemist Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 With regards Light Railway coaches, may I suggest NLR 4-wheelers? I know rather a lot of them were sold to small undertakings, but they have the advantage of being an actual prototype, and having a 3D Printed loco kit available should one wish to model an NLR train.Light Railways? But yeah, I just like vintage coaches. Helps with the "whatever we could grab" feel of my own Colonel Stephens inspired effort. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) Linny may want to move out discussion to another topic, for the sake of good order, but I'll leave that up to him. My suggestions so far: 1. LB&SC 48' Bogies - first generation Brighton bogie coaches, built from 1895, we have drawings for 1st, Lav. Comp, Third and Third Brake. If Bachmann produce Brighton coaches, I would bet these will be the 54' coaches produced from 1905 or later and/or corridor types. 2. L&BSC Billinton block set 6-wheelers 3. LSWR bogie branch 2-sets - can be both arc roof and elliptical - converted from 1890s coaches in 1909. There are no RTR LSWR coaches. We only have ex-LSWR types. 4. LSWR 30' 6-wheel birdcage passenger brake van 3. SE&CR ex-LCDR 6-wheel push-pull 3-set 4. SE&CR Bogie 3-set. Bachmann produced the latest and longest, but there were shorter and earlier sets. Edited March 28, 2018 by Edwardian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboSnail Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Be aware that laser cutters will make a mess of plasticard - it melts all over the place and gives off some nasty fumes. It's banned from the place where I use the laser cutter. I can't seem to find any close-up pictures of the LCDR coach kits from Roxey. I wasn't suggesting using plasticard to laser - I've made that mistake before, resulting in a 'polite' conversation with the lab tech. Will this picture do? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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