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Slater's GWR Toplights......


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I think I have seen a pic of that train, but had always assumed it was an H16.

 

 

 

 

 So did I until I saw the research for myself. The H16 was used mainly on the Cheltenham Flyer and Birmingham trains due to the shorter journey lengths. The GWR even converted a Concertina into a Buffet/Tea car.

 

I have drawn up the tables of conversions but sadly,they will not import into this frame.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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On my notes for my h16 from David geen it states that the h16 was used on the padding ton Weymouth train

 

The H16's were used on the Weymouth trains. I have a photo (from David's vast collection) to make up the rest of the train, though the dining cars often came off at Westbury, the Chennel Islands Boat being one of the few through dining services. There were only six H16's built, with two only daily Cheltenham use, so I can see why other types were used with, H33/38 also show up in Weymouth train images.

 

My post referred to the use of H17 conversion and other buffet/tea cars. My H17 will run, based on photo evidence, as 10.00 Bristol-Weymouth, a four coach train, usually Castle or Hall hauled, with the H17 as the leading coach when running south.

 

post-9992-0-10372000-1393756352_thumb.jpg

Here is where the H17 has progressed to. Compartments 3 & 4 were the kitchen and dining area with the left window in compartment 4 plated over. Gas tanks added for cooking. Roof will include additional drinking water tanks and stove vents.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
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I went through Rails S/H lists this afternoon they taking the wee wee with some of their prices.

 

Having built two of these, though, I'd regard it as a fair price for the work, especially as the paint finish looks very good. I also

ended up spending more on top of the Slaters kit for bogies that worked...

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Having built two of these, though, I'd regard it as a fair price for the work, especially as the paint finish looks very good. I also

ended up spending more on top of the Slaters kit for bogies that worked...

 

Someone agrees with you as the item has sold already. ;)

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Someone agrees with you as the item has sold already. ;)

 

I was tempted myself but I'd want to have a test run to see how those bogies work first! Could be that they made a better job of

the springing than I did with mine. I still think 145 is fair as the bodywork alone takes a long time on those models, with all the

seats and interior partions, the lost wax bits, the corridor connections etc, the work you have to do to get the roof to fit snugly...

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I've built 4 and have managed a fairly good finish on them but I would not consider that work worth £100 per coach It's down to what the individual see's, as I don't like the disagree button I'll agree to disagree with you on that score.

 

It's a difference of opinion, as you say. I've never (to my knowledge) used the disagree button and certainly wouldn't think this worthy of it.

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Be careful if you purchase the D46 toplight from Frogmore. Older etches have a flaw with two of the toplights replaced by a curved edges panel. If you are confident enough to drill out and repair then fine. Otherwise plate over all the toplights for a later vehicle to disguise.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Some images to illustrate the mess up challenge with the Frogmore D46. Yes, I failed to notice when building, I still do not know how I missed it.

 

post-9992-0-21292400-1398017636_thumb.jpg

Should be two toplights between the two doors but a panel has appeared for some reason.

 

post-9992-0-32123700-1398017725_thumb.jpg

Drilled and filed out (it would have been much easier on a flat etch) with a touch up of cream paint.

 

post-9992-0-61225700-1398017728_thumb.jpg

Window frame paint touched up and reglazed. Just awaiting the roof to be reattached.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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  • 1 month later...

I have managed to find on the Coopercraft stand at Expo EM and then Railex at the week-end 2 sets of sides, roofs, and underframes for the Slaters C28 all third kits, the floor and all of the internal panels will be crafted from plasticard, ends and corridor connectors from Comet (ex kit H15 I hope), 7' plate bogie's(same type already fitted to my other ones) & windows from the spares box , I just need to find the seats, door T's & grab handles I would be grateful for any suggestions of other suppliers of these items.

Markits and Gibson (I think) at least do the T door handles, have a feeling 247 Developments do too.

 

As for grab handles, the ex Bettabits now 247 Dev. ones are OK if you just want to stick them onto the surface but unless they have been reworked since i bought some they aren't much good for standing proud.

 

I've made a simple jig from scrap bits of etch to bend them up from wire.

 

I will try to take some pics of both later this week.

 

Adrian

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

 

 

I went through Rails S/H lists this afternoon they taking the wee wee with some of their prices.

Having built two of these, though, I'd regard it as a fair price for the work, especially as the paint finish looks very good. I also

ended up spending more on top of the Slaters kit for bogies that worked...

 

I've built 4 and have managed a fairly good finish on them but I would not consider that work worth £100 per coach It's down to what the individual see's, as I don't like the disagree button I'll agree to disagree with you on that score.

 

Can't see that anyone could build and paint one in a day

So weeks work is say £400 which makes a days work = to £80 which is about 1 1/2 hours labour in a ford dealership think it was worth every penny

 

To put this all into perspective, have a look at the cost of a coach built and finished by Rocar (Rodney & Vera Cooper)......

 

.....247 and Gary never seems to be in to answer the phone or emails but I'm happy to buy from him at shows....

Always a problem. Mind you, only seeing him twice a year means I'm not tempted to spend as much money on his parts as I might otherwise have done if he was more, er, efficient......

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Hi HT

Have you seen the coach in question ? it's only a plastic kit with over engineered bogies and corridor conections.

I saw it when it first came out. I think either the late Guy Williams or Stephen Williams built one for MRJ. I rather liked what they achieved. As far as over-engineered goes, it may well be so if you're working in "OO" (for which simplicity is everything), but in P4 I would say that these features are sine qua non.

 

My point is Rails prices looked on the day seemed to be a bit OTT, the coach was in my eyes a only a fair build I personally would not bought it I deemed it not worth the asking price, other members had other ideas on my thoughts which were their second hand prices nothing to do with the coach.

The few photos of that coach suggested a clean build and not a bad paint job at all. Rails have long gone OTT in their prices - and not just that particular coach. At the end of the day, you only pay what you want to pay - which is as little as possible, given that we live in a society which increasingly wants things for free. That's not to say Rails don't offer bargains - I had a Mitchell water tower kit from them a few weeks ago for just six quid; they clearly didn't know what they had.

 

...Yes I have been on the Rocar website several times what fantastic work they do, I wondering if it would be wise to invest in a set of eight/ten coaches to go with a Mitchell Castle when I retire it's trying to get SWMBO to see the logic of them.

 

....BTW can I ask you what your interest is in high-lighting the the posts about the Toplight coach ?.

My interest is that all things are relative. £145 may be a lot (and especially compared to the near-£50 price tag of the kit), but it pales into insignificance compared to one built by Rocar, for which £400 seems to be about normal. There are people who will get the credit/debit card out simply for the convenience of having it and not having to build it. Similar can be said about RTR as opposed to kits.

 

I would actually like to have a go at a Slaters Toplight one day.

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I saw it when it first came out. I think either the late Guy Williams or Stephen Williams built one for MRJ. I rather liked what they achieved.

 

Guy Williams reviewed it for MRJ and Stephen Williams covered it in the first of his books on coach construction.

 

Chris  

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The piece on the Toplight by Guy Williams in MRJ 66 (I bought it second hand a few years ago) made me fall in love with the GWR. A Slaters Toplight is definitely on my to do list, if/when I get hold of one.

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

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Correct me if I'm wrong but those sort of posts do nothing to further the interest in model railways for any-one

You are right, and I am wrong, as indeed you often are.

 

self opinionated ....i.e. building models try it sometime.

Pot kettle black. I have a great many models - all experimental - on the go.

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I saw it when it first came out. I think either the late Guy Williams or Stephen Williams built one for MRJ. I rather liked what they achieved. As far as over-engineered goes, it may well be so if you're working in "OO" (for which simplicity is everything), but in P4 I would say that these features are sine qua non.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps, but Williams reserves judgement in his book - says something like we'll see how they work in practice on Pendon - but I think that point is that if they can't achieve reliable trackholding in 00, there's not much chance of it in P4. It they were complexly engineered and reliable, that would be fine - but they're a faff to assemble and then don't work in the intended manner.

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I've only built the clerestorys but I assume the bogie design is much the same. It is, frankly, an old and very poor design and with all those inside bearings will always produce plenty of drag even if you manage to build it as intended. If you don't need the springs, the simple answer is to ignore them and just fit pin point bearings in the side frames. If you do need springs, keep the detail parts and fit them to any one of several more recent and much more effective sprung bogie designs.

 

Nick

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The piece on the Toplight by Guy Williams in MRJ 66 (I bought it second hand a few years ago) made me fall in love with the GWR. A Slaters Toplight is definitely on my to do list, if/when I get hold of one.

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

Be very interested to see that one, as well as the CoT convert

 

Regards

 

G

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