Bluemonkey presents....

Thank you, appreciate your kind comments. I could be persuaded no doubt always good to share experiences and possibly give someone that extra push to have a go. Unfortunately no back ups of any of the builds but I am 'hearing' that the older pictures are filtering back through. Your coach build is going nicely as well. Are you going to use your 'really wet' paint method for the paneling? I have scored myself a Silhouette Cameo so just now need to figure out how to use it. Possibly could have saved a lot of scoring and cutting for the latest build, judging by your stables build. Can not wait to eventually have a go as all my buildings will have to be scratch built.

Full plans are now set in stone paper; Just got to work out how to bend this roof and not forget the toilet roof vent!

Slowly getting there. The roof vents, skylights are being planned. I have had to move a couple of the internal supports to facilitate the skylights but all planned out on papers before hacking the plasticard up and shaping to fit. I am using the same as I did for the glazing as this is the most flexible but strong I have;

Doors sorted and ready for separating and slamming.

Lovely kit and well executed build as expected from the master. Are you going to use your 'very wet' paint method to paint the panels? I remember reading your article a while ago using this method on some Ratio Coaches I believe.

Doors ready for priming and black on the interior side. Decided to colour sides and windows surrounds plain brown.

Thanks Mr Wolf. Mine are lost forever as I do not keep my pictures, more fool me so can't complain. Well work has been ongoing in the meantime; The body has been put together. the edges needed mitering in order to get a nice flush fit on all the body corners. This was made easy by the painted sides showing how much material had been removed. Not entirely happy with the model, toilet window 'frosted' nicely though (final picture). I was about to make a start on the roof and then remembered the doors! What's wrong with me?! The doors have taken probably as long as the sides and ends. Each door, single or double, is recessed with a window or two with internal framing (do not know the terminology) and planking with an edge. Out with the scriber and ruler, files and knife. I have made the doors all in one piece to ensure consistency of window height, width and positioning in relation to the wagon windows. rather than having individual doors risking small being slightly higher/lower than those already positioned. This will also allow painting to be easier and uniform. See what you think (step by step upto fixing the laminates; Just need to made the door handles and glaze. By chance. Does anyone know if the internal frames are a different colour to the stock brown body (like carriages (I think)) please? Thank you.

Oh no all the progression part built pictures and everything else have disappeared. My error I should have documented the builds elsewhere but naively thought they would have been safe. It's like nothing ever happened lol.

Thank you. I will keep my eyes peeled and give it a try.

Thank you very much appreciated. I have a long running battle with transfers from a variety of sources so considered this to be just another case of this.

Hi Rich, remind about Klear please. What product/manufacturer is it from please?

I have done my best to lose the unsightly wrinkling and curling. Hopefully the additional water will reactive the adhesive and the will not peel off. Anyway see what you think; Bit guff but weather should help. Shouldn't have to though.

They are Railtec transfers, brand new, stored in a zip bag in a box in a drawer. It was the wrinkling and curling that really got me. The silvering happens I guess.

Hi Corbs, must have been about half an hour from application to spray, similar to most of my other details. I think I am able to manipulate them with water and then hopefully paint of the nasty parts.

Thought I had completed the sides ready for adding the ends and starting on the roof. Sadly my transfer curse remains even with proprietary transfers! All I did was spray a little Dullcote to protect them, resulting in quite the opposite. Will see what I can make of the mess but not expecting much, other than removal (hopefully cleanly) and start again. Disappointing is not the word!!!!

That is certainly an excellent result and one I need to consider using, if you dont mind. Thank you for sharing. Need to consider the 4 large skylights as well.

I had considered the siphon donor once I realised I have the wrong type but in for a penny. I'll give the plasticard bodge a bash.

It appears 132 Swindon Factory coach had an extra window to the others. My research only came up with the same side pictured. With this in mind the livery element would be a little squeezed so I needed to discover what the other side was like. Did it have squashed numbers? Were the lettering and numbers reversed (132 G W) to negate this squash? Or have I presumed incorrectly that the side mirrored the one I can find? Asking the question in various places produced that answer, reasoning and also a video of Pendon's breakdown train with 132 showing 'the other side'. Although not exactly the answer I was hoping for (which was reversed livery (much less work )) I have the answer. Swindon Factory coach had a toilet thus an extra window one side only. This being the single to the right of the end with two windows. So the mirrored other side requires filling. This will allow a nice wide space for the numbers but obviously I need to fix this or make a new side completely. This is the offending window which needs removing ; How best to do this as I do not really want to make an entire new side. Cut 'n' Shut is probably the best option in order to preserve the planking gaps as well. Here goes; I decided to removed along the plank gap to, hopefully, make any join less visible. Also along the grove at the base for the same reasoning as i did not want a visible seam at the foot of the body. Cut a new pieces to snuggly fit and add the groves and prime prior to insertion; Not entirely happy with the join a little filler to cover; Paint to hide the mess. The paint is still drying although I think the entire side would benefit from another slosh for consistency; Think I may have gotten away with it. now to tidy up the overlaps inside the doors and fix the broken door frame. The glazing is inserted but the laminated piece is not glue throughout. I have intentionally left the areas under and over the windows to allow paper to mask off when spray varnishing, then these will be firm glued. This approach also aided the easy removal of the window had I glue all over I would have had to start the side again.

Thank you, answer has been discovered via another forum.

Unfortunately the preformed aluminum roof part I purchased for this turns out to be too wide. I knew it would be the wrong profile but it was close and I was going to live with it but now I have to make my own so I guess the profile will also have to be correct

Hello, I am after a little help please. I am currently scratch building a bogie pilot/mess coach for a breakdown train. The chosen coach is 132 loco, carriage and wagon Dept. Swindon factory. My question is; Does anyone know the positioning of the GW and 132 on the sides please? This does should very obvious but in my research I can only find pictures of the same side and it is very possible that the other side the number and letter position would be different due to the position of windows and doors. The attached picture is the side I keep finding. Thank you for any help or pointers, I very much appreciate it.

Hi Mikkel, Thank you for your kind comment about the windows, very fiddley but glad I decided to do them. I was toying with the idea of lining the inside so an element was proud to give the relief but this I decided would have been too thin and would not give the appropriate frame. The sides have received a single laminated layer. This acts as the glazing as well. the side is 20 thou plastic sheet with another 20 thou glazing sheet behind. I have a number of cross braces to install for additional support and also to blank out the internal length of the coach, these will also be high enough to support the roof. I need to be careful on positioning though as the roof has 4 skylights.

A small amount of progress since the last pictures. I appreciate I am going about this the wrong and elongated way but this works for me, additionally everything is brush painted rather than airbrushed or spray can (chassis/bogies have been can sprayed); All sides painted. 5 coats of red and 3 of brown. Glazing installed as previously described but loose around the windows so paper cane be inserted to mask when varnishing. The overlap inside the doors will require trimming and details added before varnishing. Handrails have been fashioned and in place. Black rather than white. Now doubled the plasticard thickness so much stronger and robust. Filler will be added to any areas that require lining up. I need to add handrails and steps to the blank red end. Steps will be added but handrails will be made up and left unattached as these need anchoring to the roof. This is the difference in appearance between my red ends receiving Dullcote (right side) and not. Fingers crossed the steps will be added, varnished and sides fully detailed and varnished tomorrow.

Primer hides a multitude of sins. Also highlights areas in need of attention lol. Happy with the outcome though, now to spray the rear and fix the glazing. I intend to use the glazing sheet for the entire side, minus the doors and areas of brass supports on the chassis. The laminating approach should provide good strong support for the coach side as well as a nice snug fit to the window surrounds.

Load me up. I am running out for the next stages! Window surrounds are all in just waiting for cement to harden overnight before filing and reshaping. Then on to a couple of handrail holes before painting and glazing.