A couple of Scratch/Kit Built Emu’s, ideas of centre cars?

[OliverSR]

I recently picked up these two EMU’s for a good price but driving cars only. They have been identified as the driving cars of a 4Sub and a 6Cit/Pul.

 

They both have Triang motor bogies, one with later smooth wheels and one with replacement finer scale wheels, these will no doubt need a service before the emu is up and running however as the seller didn’t have the intermediate coaches what are my chances of sourcing some?

The 4Sub is of wooden construction which leads me to believe it’s CCW?, unless a second hand stall of eBay has some intermediate coaches this seems unlikely.

For the Cit/Pul which seems to be made up of a combination of triangle parts, whitemetal cab and maybe Ian Kirk sides? Would it be possible to make up the intermediate coaches with either Hornby or Ian Kirk Maunsells? I believe there would need to be Maunsell corridors of the high winder variety but not sure on what specifics would make either an exact or aproximate match. I also realise the Pullman would need to be either cut and shut or could maybe a renamed Brighton Belle coach be used?

 

Interested to hear peoples thoughts, I realise these are not the high fidelity models of etched brass kit makers but I think they would still be something I’d like to see running around my layout(once I add a third rail).

 

OliverSR

[SRman]

Depending on how accurate you want the PUL trailers to be, the Hornby Maunsells are good candidates for the general appearance, but are 59' stock where the PUL and PAN units were 63' (i.e. there was an extra compartment). You could easily use a Pullman coach in there, but the side profile was different from the standard Pullmans, so a Brighton Belle centre car would be more appropriate, or if you are happy to have shortie coaches, the original Triang Pullmans actually had the correct Southern unit profile. You could also consider hacking two of the Triang ones int o one longer car.

The 6 CIT units had one or two shorter 1st class coaches in their formation (edit: actually three!), but the first units had prototype motor cars, one of which had the a flatter side profile with the side sheets extended to the bottom edges of the solebars.

There's a lot more detail here: https://www.bloodandcustard.com/SR-6Pul.html

As for the 4 SUB, you might be able to find an old kit or two from MTK if you are lucky, or use a couple of the old Airfix GWR B set coaches with the upper sides reprofiled and blended into the roof - these won't have the lozenge shaped windows over the door droplights, but may pass muster at viewing distance.

Edit: note that the Southern Electric units in real life didn't have Pullman gangways between coaches, instead having the older British standard style gangways and side buffers. This also applied the the 5 BEL Brighton Belle units. There's a certain irony in that! 😅

Edited June 25, 2023 by SRman

[SteveCornford]

Surely the 6-CIT/PAN/PUL sets used SR electric Express gangways rather than "british", also Spencer-Moulton buffers throughout.

In the past Silver Fox produced some overlays for these unit but I am not sure if they are still available or available just for the trailers.

Worsley works also supply etches for these units.  It all depends on how accurate you want to make them.

Drawings are available from Mike King.

 

[Right Away]

Strictly for info, the 6-CIT/6-PUL Pullman cars were composites.

[number6]

Nice! Love a rough RTR bash.

 

Agree that an old Triang Pullman would work well and would fit right in - much more so than a modern Hornby 5BEL car. "Somewhere'[!] I have a scratch built wooden 6PUL Pullman trailer you are welcome to.. It came from a kit built ebay purchase and I didn't have the heart to get rid of it. Let me know if you'd like it and I can go hunting. My feeling is some cheap Kirk Manusell sides would also build into some trailers and would also match better than the more recent Manusells. 

 

It has been 12 years since I started trying to improve that 6PUL. Lockdown got it moving again but it looks like this now. 

 

[roythebus1]

Looks good. I've got a CCW Pullman kit too, unbuilt, just inherited for disposal from a late friend's collection. there's also a Triang SR electric 2-car set in boxes, good runner, I serviced it!