Kitmaster FK Coach Kitbash

[RosiesBoss]

Background

 

I have been modelling BR and GWR trains in 00 scale since the 1950s. I particularly enjoy restoring, rebuilding and kitbashing old models. See also http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70550-carmarthen-junction-miscellena/

 I am happy to work in plastic, white metal, brass, steel, nickel silver, card and balsa – whatever medium is appropriate for the job at hand.

 

I used to model individual vehicles or buildings, but now, with a large collection, I tend to model complete train formations (such as the WR Blue Pullman http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67038-blue-pullman-cheap-and-cheerful/ . However, as I retired in 2009, I now need to keep my costs down.

 

My club’s 00/H0 layout (which is designed to be flexible in prototype and period) was to portray BR steam/diesel transition period for our 2011 show, with my contribution requiring the following coach formations:

 

The Talisman: Eastern region, 1960-61; London (Kings Cross) to Edinburgh :

BSK, 3 SK, RU, RFO, CK, FK, BSK (maroon livery)

 

Cambrian Coast Express;  Western region, June, 1962; London (Paddington) to Pwllheli/Aberystwyth

BSK, SK, FK (Pwllheli); RU, FK, SK, BSK, SK(FO) (Aberystwyth)

(chocolate & cream)

 

Torbay Express; Western region, 1958; London (Paddington) to Torquay:

BSK, 2 SK, SO, RU, 2 FK, SK, BSK (chocolate & cream)

 

Further Information: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/BRCoachingStock/

 

Glossary:

BSK:   Brake second corridor

CK:     Composite corridor

FK:      First corridor

RF:      Restaurant first

RFO:   Restaurant first open

RU:      Restaurant unclassified

SK:      Second corridor

 

“The Talisman” was to be hauled by one or another of my Hornby live steamers. (Demonstration of these models has been an annual feature at our shows for the last few years.) CCE would be hauled by double-headed Manors and “Torbay Express’ would be hauled by “Warwick Castle”.

 

Enlarging the Collection

 

I only had some of the coaches on hand and so began to work out how to fill the gaps, but at as low a cost as possible.  Most coach types could be found second-hand through “bring & buy” stalls at other shows or through eBay, but the FK had not yet been made by anyone. The RUs were only available new from Bachmann.

 

I gradually acquired a lot of battered examples of most other types – a mix of Tri-ang, Hornby, Kitmaster and Mainline - many of which were upgraded by fitting “Flushglaze” windows, new Hornby 14mm dia coach wheels, and new brass buffers. They were stripped and then repainted with Precision Paints or Humbrol enamels, relettered with HMRS Pressfix transfers and relined with Modelmaster transfers. My son sent me two new Bachmann RUs from England as a birthday present.

 

FK Coach - The Main Challenge

 

This coach was not available apart from expensive etched kits – even more costly here in Oz than in the UK. However, when I looked at its drawing, I noticed that one side was identical to either side of the RF, as once made by Kitmaster. The other side could be assembled from the 1^st class portions of the compartment sides of two Kitmaster CKs, as shown below.

 

Compartments were assembled in two ways. One came from two Tri-ang CK units; others were made from Peco (card kit) interiors for CKs – two needed for each coach. (In each case, only the 1^st class compartments were used.)

 

The donor coaches were carefully disassembled and then stripped using “Mr Muscle” spray oven cleaner, which contains caustic soda. (I did try using brake fluid, alcohol and other plastic-friendly chemicals, but these were ineffective for me.)

 

The donor sides were carefully cut using a razor saw and mitre box, ensuring that each part to be re-used was slightly over-size, to facilitate final fitting. The parts were then laid on a flat surface, next to the side recovered from the RF and adjusted until the overall length was correct. I also made sure that the window spacing pattern corresponded as well as possible with that shown on the drawing.

 

The parts were then placed face-down on cling-wrap plastic and the underframe sections were aligned with a piece of square-section brass rod. They were then assembled with 5-minute epoxy adhesive and left to set for 24 hrs. Once set, each new side was removed from the cling-wrap and imperfections filled with automotive body filler, which was then allowed to dry before being rubbed back. Sides and ends were then assembled onto the underframe and new metal coach buffers fitted.

 

 

 

The bars in every window were carefully painted in the appropriate coach colour and then the coaches were painted. (Humbrol or Precision Paints enamels) Once all paints had hardened, the windows were assembled into the coaches. Lettering (HMRS) and lining (Modelmasters) were then added. After 24hrs, the coaches were then coated with Humbrol satin clear enamel.

 

 

Reflections

 

The coaches are not quite as detailed as the new Bachmann models, but there is something very satisfying seeing a 10-coach formation passing by and knowing that I built or restored nearly all of them.

 

It’s hard to estimate the cost of each coach, as most began as inexpensive wrecks. However, I guess that each coach cost about A$20 and took about 20-30 man-hours, spread over 3 weeks. This compares pretty well with the local cost of the equivalent Bachmann coach – about A$55 (supplied without the satisfaction of building it myself).

[James]

The coaches are not quite as detailed as the new Bachmann models

You could go further with it if you wished but I think the Kitmaster coaches still look excellent and the glazing hasn't been beaten by RTR manufacturers on any coaches I've seen! The conversion looks very nice and well written up too!

[Horsetan]

A worthwhile improvement to consider is Coopercraft's MK.1 underframe kit, ref. 5000. I think they did produce a full plastic kit for the "FK".

[RosiesBoss]

G'day all,

 

Thank you, James and Horsetan for your comments.

 

I have had a look at the Coopercraft site. The FK price is listed as GBP20. I can't find it listed anywhere in Oz, but the Coopercraft V5 costs over A$18 here, but costs around GBP6.30 in the UK. If the FK was available here, it would probably cost A$60-70. After allowing for postal charges, even a mail-ordered Coopercraft kit would cost me more than a Bachmann one.

 

My main objective with my kitbash project was to acquire the FK for as low a price as I could, while enjoying a novel construction project. So far, I have built three of them and have just bought an old CK (for just A$10) to cut up so I can build a fourth.

 

The coaches are not meant to be museum-quality models, but simply capable of looking the part when seen in motion in an 8-10 coach formation. So far, they have achieved this objective.

 

Had I chosen to rely on Coopercraft, Comet or other high quality kits, I would still be trying to assemble the coaches for my club's 2011 show, as I could not have afforded to build so many of them.

 

I'm afraid that, despite the size of my collection, I am still modelling to a limited budget.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

[BernardTPM]

You can make the FK from the Kitmaster RFO without using parts from other kits. All you need to do is fill in the narrow window openings on the corridor side and add the extra door between the fourth and fith window. The Kitmaster glazing sprues were shared between several kits so there are always spare door window glazing pieces. I acquired one that had been converted in just this way about 35 years ago. On both the FK and the early RFO/FO the main 4' wide windows are all opposite each other at the same spacing.

[RosiesBoss]

G'day, BernardTM,

 

Thank you for your observations.

 

I was aware that the window spacings on the corridor side of my conversions were not quite right. However, Kitmaster coaches of any type have never been common here in Oz. Since I made my first group of four (bought as remaindered kits around 1967), I have only seen four RFs - never any as kits, but all assembled by others. I bought one as a pristine unpainted model - tightly and neatly assembled, so I was not prepared to risk damaging it before painting and lettering it as a maroon WR example, using reference data from http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/BRCoachingStock/. Two others were bought for parts and were far from pristine. Several other coaches (SKs, BSKs, CKs) were also acquired over the years at "bring and buy" stalls. Most had been painted with a tarbrush. Some had windows that were crazed and had to be replaced. Others were missing some windows. This used up my stock of spares from 1967. A few had damaged bogies or roofs. Most had damaged truss rods. None of this is surprising, given that the last of these kits was manufactured in 1964.

 

Breaking the assembled coaches down to their main components has never been easy, as each glued joint has had to be carefully "worried" to minimise damage and therefore the work required to restore the finish of the reassembled model. I have found that the most difficult joint is that holding the roof to the bodysides and ends. It's really tricky trying to avoid damage to the thin plastic on the bodyside at the top of every window opening.

 

I chose to make the most of the two second hand RFs that I had bought for rebuilding, by using only one side per FK and assembling the corridor side from pieces of much more common CKs. Thus, from two CKs and one RF I could make two FKs. In this exercise, I had no leftover windows (after allowing for damaged or missing ones), but could choose the best of the bogies, roofs and underframes.

 

Once the models were finished, they took their places in sets of other Mk1s for use at my club's annual shows, which are arranged as outreach events for my church, mainly attracting young local families.

 

Here's a link to a video taken by one of the visitors (not a parishioner) at last year's show, which gives a glimpse of some of the Mk1s running behind my live steamers:

 The coach set corresponded to "The Elizabethan" of 1958-62. Unfortunately, my live steam model of 60008 failed one week before the show, forcing us to use other locos in pre-nationalisation livery. No-one seemed to care, so long as they were operating from live steam!

 

I think my models are "fit for purpose", as they are sufficiently robust to withstand the stresses of being exhibited to young people that can't help trying to touch at least some of our displays.They are also readily repaired, should any damage occur. Had they been made to finer standards, I don't think I would have been so relaxed in displaying them.

 

I hope this explains my approach to this kitbash exercise.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

[BernardTPM]

That certainly makes sense if you're short of the RFOs; the difference isn't that obvious on the corridor side. I suspect the kits (usually built, as you say) probably turn up here more often, sometimes in the original boxes with the unused bits if you're lucky!

[griffgriff]

...and for the time being another reasonably priced source for RFO's 

 

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/Bachmann-br-mk1-rfo-restaurant-car-blue-grey.html

[Brian Kirby]

Hi there Rob/Rosiesboss,

I've built all sorts of Mk1 coach kits, but i too have a soft spot for the old Kitmasters. In their day, these were the most accurate Mk1 kits around and certainly better than the RTR offerings in the 1960s and 70s. Bit by bit, they've gradually been eclipsed, the biggest blow was when Bachmann duplicated all four Kitmaster types in one go, although some say the Kitmaster is still more accurate in body size. On the down side, they came with moulded lining guides and the end gangways were an odd shape, plus they strangely added a non-existent rib/flange to the bottom of the solebars. Another problem is, bearing-in-mind these models are half-a-century old, the plastic can now be brittle in some cases. On the plus side, they came with the aforementioned exquisite plug-in windows, giving accurate flush-glazing and they also gave us well proportioned BR bogies. Another nice thought, is that these kits were produced in the same era that many of us are modelling, i did a few in blue-grey once, it was spooky to think that the kits were older than the livery.

 

Thanks to advice from BernieTPM many years ago, i've also done a few RFO to FK conversions, and made some improvements like removing the lining ribs and replaced the roof vents and corridor connections. The top one is ex-BernieTPM fleet, now running on Commonwealth bogies.

 

 

If you are feeling adventurous after your nice Choc and Cream FK, all second into either type of RMB buffet is straightforward, or you could try this? Using 2 x BSK and 1 x RFO, suitably chopped up and re-arranged like a jig-saw puzzle, i managed to produce BCK, BFK and BSO, can you work out where the bits went?

 

Cheers, Brian.

 

[RosiesBoss]

G'day, Brian,

 

Thank you for your encouragement (as if I needed more to do a bit more kitbashing!). I'm impressed by your images - the joins are barely visible.

 

I've had a look through my scrap coaches drawer and have discovered that I still have another Kitmaster SK looking for a new use, as well as the recently purchased CK. I still have one side only of an RFO, waiting to be used with bits of the CK. Unfortunately, I don't have enough decent windows to complete anything just now. So, I'll be keeping my eyes open at the next decent "bring and buy" stall (Epping MRC show, early June) for more Kitmaster tragics to provide more kitbashing stock. I may then be able to try out some of your tips.

 

One type that I would like to make is the FO, but I'm not sure If I can use Kitmaster bits to do this. Have you tried? (I know - I should soon be able to get one from Bachmann, but where is the challenge in that?)

 

Regards,

Rob

[BernardTPM]

The later FOs (dia.73), those with the centre vestibule, are difficult as the seating bays are shorter than normal First class. The first built FOs (dia.71) are the same shell as the Kitmaster RFO (dai.36), just different seating (fixed seats in the FO, loose seats in the RFO). The next batch (dia.72) had a door inserted in the centre bay (like those in the 4-CEP, etc.). Both those could be done using the Kitmaster RFO as a basis.

[RosiesBoss]

Thanks for your advice, BernardTPM,

 

I'm interested in whatever FOs would be appropriate for WR premier expresses around 1964. I'm fairly sure that dia.71 never worked on the WR. I think I need dia. 73, but would appreciate confirmation (or otherwise).

 

Regards,

 

Rob