O gauge carriage dimensions

[sleeper]

Hi,

I haven't been doing any modelling for some time but I'm just getting back in to it. My first project is going to be an O gauge SR 3rd open carriage, the parts of which I will cut out in cardboard using a Silhouette cutter. I have had considerable success with this method previously, so just need to brush up on my skills.

I am at present just researching the model and my question is;- what height is an O gauge carriage sides from base to the underside of the roof  'eaves' . The overall height from the top of the roof to rails was 12' 4" or 86.8 mm in 7mm scale.

O gauge carriage wheels are 19mm in diameter? is that correct? and 59 feet length is 413 mm in 7mm scale including the corridor connections is that that correct for an O gauge carriage?

I would be very grateful if someone could impart their knowledge on me please

Thanks in anticipation   

[Hal Nail]

wagon wheels are 3' 1" and coach wheels are bigger than that so 19mm can't be right.

 

Coach lengths varied so that's a how long is a piece of string question but for the 57' Colletts, as an example, that was the length over the body side panels only.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Hal Nail

[brossard]

If you are going to invest considerable time and effort in constructing coaches from, it looks like, scratch, best also invest in some books on the subject I think.

 

David Jenkinson and Peter Tatlow produced a book of drawings with LMS and LNER types.  I daresay someone must have done something similar for Southern carriages.

 

Jenkinson also wrote a book on scratchbuilding coaches in plasticard.

 

https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/1874103321.php

 

Coach wheels are typically 3' 6" diameter so 24.5mm in 7mm scale.  These are readily available from the trade.

 

John

[Nick Holliday]

19 hours ago, sleeper said:

Hi,

I haven't been doing any modelling for some time but I'm just getting back in to it. My first project is going to be an O gauge SR 3rd open carriage, the parts of which I will cut out in cardboard using a Silhouette cutter. I have had considerable success with this method previously, so just need to brush up on my skills.

I am at present just researching the model and my question is;- what height is an O gauge carriage sides from base to the underside of the roof  'eaves' . The overall height from the top of the roof to rails was 12' 4" or 86.8 mm in 7mm scale.

O gauge carriage wheels are 19mm in diameter? is that correct? and 59 feet length is 413 mm in 7mm scale including the corridor connections is that that correct for an O gauge carriage?

I would be very grateful if someone could impart their knowledge on me please

Thanks in anticipation   

What you really need is Mike King's "An Illustrated History of Southern Coaches" OPC ISBN 0-86093-570-1, to avoid finding his other Southern books, which are all excellent, BTW.  Sadly, this one appears to be out of print and commanding serious prices on the second-hand market. (£75 anyone?) but Mike does sell his plans separately at more affordable rates, for a large sheet containing several diagrams.  For starters though, you could look at the useful Blood and Custard website, which has a relevant drawing that might be of use, although the subject is the Maunsell COR electric unit, so some of the dimensions may be slightly different from the steam hauled stock. This is an extract from the page, https://www.bloodandcustard.com/SR-4COR.html , elsewhere on the site can supply plenty of information about individual coaches if you go to the relevant sections.

I think the end views may solve your question regarding heights, although I suggest you check your calculation methods, as your 12' 4" converts to 86.33 mm, nearly ½mm smaller than your figure, and the 12' 4½" on the drawing becomes 86.63mm, a small but perhaps still noticeable difference.

As regards length, the quoted figure for most Maunsell stock (I'm assuming Maunsell, as the Bulleid 59' coaches didn't feature a full third) at 59 feet is taken over the length of the whole body, which featured bow ends, but not including the buffers and/or corridor connections, both of which being variable factors.  The bow added 6" at each end to the body length, so the sides themselves were 58 feet long. Hence the sides you want to cut out, with windows and doors etc. should be 406mm long, with the missing foot supplied by the bow-ends. Apparently the headstocks of the underframe were slightly shorter, at 57' 11"!

[sleeper]

Thank for the info guys, I've made a start on designing the model in Inkscape and cut out some parts. I'm using a Portrait Cameo 4 now whereas previously I used a portrait 1 which hasn't been used for a few years and I can't find my usb disc player so I'm unable to download the program from the CD disc I have.  

The cutting mat that came with the machine is 12x12 and so I've had to split the sides into two halves and join them by staggering the joins, not an ideal setup but needs must, I see Cricut make an A3 cutting mat so I'll invest in one of those for future use in the meantime I've cut the parts and assembled them into the basic carriage. 

I have taken an idea from the 4mm coach by Stephen Williams and built the interior as a separate unit so that it can be inserted into the coach once finished. I got a bit carried away and forgot to take more progress photos but here's a few to be going on with. 

[DCB]

I reckon for long term use making the sides in one piece is the way  to go, Long experience suggests that the join will always crack at some stage and the only place one can get away with a join is at a doorway.  I would get that A3 board or A2 ASAP because that body and interior looks fantastic.

[sleeper]

yes at the time of starting this model I only had the 12" cutting mat hence the two halves I've since purchased a 24" x 12" mat