sjrixon

Mine is gwr. So more interested in 1931 ☺️

From the comet sheet I know the 1931 build numbers are double digit numbers. So I was going to use something like 32 to be in the middle.

No.... Just made sure I've got all the transfers.. Why?

If you look closely at the second picture, the second side, it's missing two hinges on the last door I didn't realise this until the first coat of cream was going on.. So back to the work bench for some touching up.. On happy notes I've started on the ends.. All the old detail has been cut away with a knife and a then sanded flat. I've then built the corridor connection suspension units. I hope I've got this right, the instructions were like something from an origami book!

John, found the numbers, thanks.. Also found the other thread so grabbed the 2 shots of the chocolate a cream versions. I think mine is going for chocolate and cream, one yellow line, with the crest. Should look nice and smart The Cif did an amazing job. Nice and shiny. I then was very careful to not handle them, I put them in kitchen towel and placed on a radiator to dry. I then thought it best to get some grey primer on as quickly as I could.

I did file the sides. With a decent file it is quite easy as they are very soft.

Nice layout there John.. I need to have a proper read.. I'm hacking the ends about, contemplating paint. Is there any details about running numbers, colours etc online? I'm thinking chocolate and cream, would look smart at the end of a rake of siphons. I've the paint and the transfers, so no fear on that part.

Ordered... Many Thanks Mike!

Chop, Chop, Chop.. Wasn't actually that hard with the Dremel. Just held on with rubber bands to make sure it all fits.. I'm really pleased, it's looking good. Try and at least get in into primer next week.

Thanks Mike.. I'll get some 1.5mm L section for the steps. Also, for the roof strip can you buy microstrip the full length of the coach?

Can someone post up a picture of the end please? I've read that this coach doesn't have train alarm gear. I guess that's because there are no passengers in the coach to pull it! However, what happens if you put this coach at the front of the train? How would the alarm message be carried? I have 'bellows' for the corridor connection. But no steps to fit around them, any tips on steps? What are the two things that come up from the base of the coach either side of the corridor connection?

There has been some slow progress on this, life did get a little in the way. I finally finished the other side. When I offered up the side I realised that the bottom row of door hinges would catch on the inside. So I've used a small drill with a grinding bit to file them down. This caused a couple of them to drop out as the solder clearly hadn't got right into the joint. So, some more solder, cleaning up and grinding later I think I'm all good. I've cleaned up both sides, check areas where the glazing would go etc. Next job was to slice the windows out of the airfix coach.. I went for the whole side chop out version! Maybe looking again at Mike's picture I should have left some parts in for strength, but it's done now! Now I need to see what I want to do with the coach ends.. Needs some corridor connections, new buffers and other odd and ends.

Thanks Mike.. That's a useful shot! One down! Once the second side is complete, I am very tempted to prime them both before they go on the coach. I know some people even complete the painting before they go on the coach!

I need to go searching then! We are more of a cillit bang house hold.

Good Khris.. That was my hope, that I can learn and teach.. No pictures today, I don't really think you need to see more shots of the doors! Having learnt from my mistakes of putting the hinges on first, I started with the droplights on the second side. When I then came to the hinges, it was so easy! There were two layers of nice brass, with solder on. So I drilled the hole, pushed it in, a dab of flux and just heated it up. Simple! Then I broke my last 0.45mm drill bit So I now need to wait for the postman. Once the brass sides are completed, do I need to clean them? I'm sure I'd seen that a nice hot soapy bath and a brush with a toothbrush is a good idea? To get all the flux remains off?

Your tape idea is very similar to my peg. Peg does move about a little more though! I'd also imagine in a full brake the droplights would be closed. Just searched and found this.. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/32678-gwr-collett-3rd-diag-c46-70-flat-ends/ No, no, no! But looks amazing, I wonder if it ever got painted?

Thanks Khris. I guess your comment is correct on the roof. But, then I'd need to find something to use for the ribs. Get them straight etc. Maybe my next coach build I'm already amazed with the amount of work some of the small tasks take. I'd hate to think about a 70ft with lots of doors. I'd rather make a gwr centenary stock, just one door at each end!

Thanks for the picture of the restaurant car. Made it much clearer when I was looking at the model. The extra bits arrived, so I made a start. This is the C26 Comet detailing fret. I stared at it for ages before it made any sense. The part on the left that's been cut out is a guide to show you where the hinges should sit, you bend over the bottom and then is sits on the coach. I marked each one out with a pencil and then drilled with a 0.45mm drill bit. As Phil said, I might need a supply of these drill bits! The small parts at the top of the fret are the actual hinges. large ones at the top that go on the tumblehome and small ones at the bottom for the rest. You can see, if you squint, my first hinge! Then things started to go badly. I cracked on with all the hinges and then moved back to the droplights. I found my slightly iffy soldering for the hinges now covered where the droplights needed to go and also that the double doors couldn't fit two droplights. What a mess! I also couldn't get my solder to flow and was just all going badly wrong. I took a deep breath, a step back. Cleaned the iron and through about what I was doing... This isn't a simple plastic kit that it all fits, it's going to need some fettling. It was clear I was rushing and not tinning the brass correctly, I wasn't using enough flux to get the solder to flow. I cleaned it up and off I went again. I also found a wooden peg that was great to hold the droplights in place, rather than keep burning my finger. First door, hinges, door bumbers, handle, grab rail all completed!! The back is much cleaner too, but I didn't take a picture of that.

I've ordered the hinges now. I did see the Langly ones, but I really couldn't tell what the difference was or how they even fit! I'll mark that one down to experience. There don't appear to be any markings on the coach side, so I'm really not sure what to expect here. The bumps are half etched. So an easy job to drill the hole, solder the wire and then clean up.

These are the phone tools.. Mine came with the replacement screen - http://www.iparts-4u.co.uk/8-in-1-Repair-Opening-Pry-Tools-Kit-Set-for-Apple-iPhone-4-4s-5-6 I've ordered the door hinges pack from Wizard.. I've no idea what they are going to look like! I assume the bumpers are best done as a small piece of brass 0.45mm through a hole and then filed down to make a small bump?

Yes, I've also seen that wall of handles. Never thought at the time to take a nice shot of them so I can see what they each look like. Maybe when the delivery arrives we can see which we think should be on this coach! The adjustment has started to the dona B Set coach. For future note, the Airfix coach is held together by the clips on the seating, this is then screwed to the floor of the base. I'm going to try and cut down the seats so I can retain the existing fitting of the coach. I used some plastic 'things' that are designed to take phones apart. I helped a friend to fix his iPhone and had these left over, they are quite handy when you are not quite sure how a coach comes apart. I then took some snips to the vents, filed the remaining lumps and started to file down the lower hinges that will still be there when the new sides are attached. I marked lines where the vents were, so I could line the new ones up correctly. I know the ribs are not quite in the right place, but there are limits to how far I want to take this. Then the new holes were drilled in about the correct place with a 1.4mm bit and super glued in. I used a small template of card to sit in the rain gutter and get the grab rails in the correct place. Simple bent 0.45mm that I hand in the draw. That's the base pretty much ready for me to cut a large hole in the side!

On second measure it's only about 1mm, it's just a touch too big. I've a razor saw which made easy work and also a little bit of cleaning up with some files. The extra missing bits have been ordered from Wizard. I did google about to see other options, but it sounded like the K40 has different door handles to other GWR Coaches? Grab rails etc are easy, I've plenty of brass wire etc. So, I'm going to start on preparing the roof and the old sides of the B set. I'll leave the cuts out of the sides to the last moment to try and keep the strength. Although this old plastic is so thick, I don't think it's going to make much difference. I can then do all the brass work when the other parts arrive.

So my first question....... The new sides are about 2/3mm longer than the B set. Is it easy enough to trim a little of each end of the new sides? Hacksaw?

Save keep posting on the other thread.. I've started my own for my own build... I've been in need of a full brake for while. Lots of siphons, vans etc, all in need of a brake. I also bought 3 Airfix B set coaches for not a lot of money. 2 is good, I didn't know what to do with the third, so time to cut it up I've never done anything like this. Plenty of kits, scratch building etc. But all in plastic, so was a little reticent to buy some brass bits. But, I'm always up for a challenge. I was a little shocked with how little was in the comet sides packet. Just the sides and a spru with the windows for the doors. then I find out I need handles and hinges to finish the sides. Why don't they come as part of the set? I bought roof vents and buffers. I realised I'd need them and also I have a few of coaches in need to repair. I'll see about the under frame if I do make some changes, I think I can do something in plastic.

Thanks.. So I'm not going mad. I guess if they listed them all out, the already huge book would be unmoveable.