MK 1 Barrier coach

[r-dixon]

Hello to you all,

 

Hi, I'm Ryan and i'm a new member to RMweb. I'm currently a student and hence modelling on a student income (when i can afford to do so). My foucus is on Modern layouts with a speciifed area on the ECML aorund Doncaster.

 

Since i am curretly modelling on a budget, i have decided to focus on cheaper specific items; my attention currently is focused upon Mk 1 (HST stock) barrier wagons. I have purchased 2 Bachmann mk 1 NHA full brake coaches and intend to modify them according to the FGW blue mk1 setup.

 

I was wondering if anybody would be so kind to provide information on how to best imporve the coaches as this is the first modification of RTR stock i have attempted. This is with specific interest on how to construct mk 1 window plates (or where such itmes can be bought), removing and installing appropriate detailing, where to obtain the FGW blue paint and the best technique for repainting RTR stock.

 

Thank you for reading this and i look forward to your replies, cheers guys,

Ryan.

 

P.s. Appologies for poor spelling, i'm studying engineering, not english .

[nightstar.train]

Hi Ryan and welcome to RMWeb,

 

I assume you mean a barrier coach like this:

http://www.departmentals.com/photo/6336-1

 

It looks like a simple conversion, just plate all the windows over and spray it blue. I would cut plasticard to size to make the plates. Cut them square and oversize, then use files and sandpaper to bring them down to the right size and round the corners. The window in the centre door looks like it needs fully filling. Leave the glazing in place, and use a model filler to fill it in. When properly dry (24 hours or so) sand down to a smooth finish.

 

Paints you can get from Railmatch or Precision Paints. Have a google, many people sell them. Or your local model shop might, depending on where you are. For a repaint it is a good idea to prime the coach first. I use Halfords grey car primer. Fairly cheap and gives a good base for the paint.

 

Hope this all helps

 

Tom

[r-dixon]

Hi nightstar.train,

 

Thanks for the quick reply and thank you for the information. Yes the link is exactly what i want to achieve. For sanding down after filing and post priming, do you recomend 'wet or dry' paper or just fine sand paper? I'm not too sure what thickness of plasticard is appropriate for Bachmann coaches, could you please provide an insight?

 

Thanks again, Ryan.

[AMJ]

Wet & dry or sandpaper all have grades on them. The bigger the number the finer the grade.

 

For fine smooth finishes use something in the region of 1000 grade paper or higher. Halfords or Wilkos etc do packs of various grades of paper see outer of pack for details.

 

I'd say try first on an old Hornby body picked up for not a lot at a model expo before going onto the 'live' item.

[r-dixon]

Thanks, would sand the whole area to be painted down before priming it?

[Simon_R]

depending on what livery your donor coach is in you might want to chemically strip the old paint off first. This makes sure no colour change lines show through the new paint (manufactures tend to apply liveries in layers so there is sometimes a step in the paintwork) pluss any existing numbers etc would probably show through.

 

Superstrip from Phoenix is about the best produict as it eats apint easily but dopesnt harm the plastic. Failing theis you can use caustic soad (take graet cfare it's nasty stuff) isopropiial alchohol (isoclean electrical contact cleaner etc) or brake fluid (also rather nasty) make sure you have cleaned the stripped body completely before you start any further work on it.

 

Whne sanding remember plastic is quite soft so its easy to remove detailo and distort body shapes by over doing the sanding. Sand as little as possible thenm go to a really fine grade papaer for the finial finish.

A good tool to pick up is a nail buffer from a chemist. They are 4 increaing fine graded sanding surfaces that you can use to get a super smooth finish. (and its cheap)