Peco coach Interiors

[drgj]

I quite like the look of these in some ready made Kitmaster coaches I bought. I was wondering If anyone had tried fitting these into mk1 coaches without a separate roof (Bachmann New Hornby Railroad Mk1s)? Would they fit?

 

dave

[BernardTPM]

The Bachmann Mk.1s do have separate roofs, in fact the way they go together is like a much updated Tri-ang Mk.1! Not seen the latest Hornby ones in detail. It might take some measuring first and you'd probably have to assemble one just to find out what modifications would be necessary. The patterning and colouring in them is very good and typical of new-build Mk.1s circa 1960.

[Mallard60022]

There have been some on  that auction site for 0.99p + postage recently. I'm going to try one before I look for more. The paper is very flimsy by the way, which is good  for 'shaping' I suppose?

P

[Wheatley]

DIY (download it yourself) ones here, you'll need to sort out the correct print size yourself though:

 

http://www.kitmaster.org.uk/pecocoachint.htm

[BernardTPM]

There have been some on  that auction site for 0.99p + postage recently. I'm going to try one before I look for more. The paper is very flimsy by the way, which is good  for 'shaping' I suppose?

P

Were they genuine Peco? Those were printed on thin white card, not paper, with the compartment corridor windows diecut. They were also wrapped in cellophane.

[Mallard60022]

Were they genuine Peco? Those were printed on thin white card, not paper, with the compartment corridor windows diecut. They were also wrapped in cellophane.

Ah, I retract my original statement as they are actually on thin card as Bernard says. The one I have is genuine as well but it is good to know we can get them from the Kitmaster site; you learn something new every day - thanks.

P

[SRman]

I have adapted some for various other coaches (not Bachmann ones, though). Being card, they are very easy to cut or hack into other configurations.

 

I bought a whole heap of surplus stock from a shop in Brisbane many years ago at 50 Australian cents each (around 25p, give or take a little). They have proved useful for kit-built and kit-bashed stock. For another possibility I could photocopy a few onto normal paper and use those to do more complex variations, or to simply get some of the seat textures to overlay on existing seat units in RTR coaches, if I wanted to.

[BernardTPM]

The seat colours are authentic. First Class is as this FO on the Bluebell Railway and Second (Third class prior to 1956) as per this BSK on the Mid-Hants.

[drgj]

Thanks for the replies. I have just got hold of some of the interiors and they  are indeed wrapped in cellophane with some pre cutting.

 

I have maroon and blue grey coaches. When Mk1 coaches were first repainted into blue/ grey did they change the upholstery?

 

dave

[edcayton]

What's wrong with the Kitmasters?

 

Ed

[drgj]

I like the Kitmaster coaches and have three that I am restoring just for the fun of it. They look very similar to the Bachmann Mk1s.

 

dave

[Il Grifone]

Rather late in the day, I have just discovered this thread.

 

Having just acquired two more Kitmaster coaches (a CK and a BSK at a Grifone type offer I couldn't refuse price), I am sorting them out with some of my stock of these interiors.While I'm about it I'm converting a RFO to an FK, again with Peco interiors. (It needs two small windows to be blanked off  and the addition of a door on the corridor side.)

 

The seats benefit from being curved like the prototype cushions and the grille in the luggage compartment should be see through. I recall them as painted crimson. Glazing the corridor wall stiffens this item, which tends to warp with time

 

Unfortunately the Kitmaster coaches have a couple of dimensional errors. They are approximately 2mm short, which wouldn't really matter if it wasn't all in the space between the end doors and the end of the coach. The bogie centres also are 2mm too close together. I'm experimenting with sorting this out, but is enough of a hassle to seriously consider ignoring it.

 

More seriously the compartments of the CK are all different sizes - particularly noticeable with the firsts and require some cut and shut to correct. Possibly they followed the drawings of the prototype coach, which had an odd arrangement of compartments, but it was different from Kitmaster's production. Unfortunately Peco made their interior to match, so this needs modification too.

 

Metal wheels in brass bearings improve the running immensely, as does three point suspension. Some anti-rust treatment of the steel weight does not hurt either. The buffers could do with some attention as they are the wrong shape - some filler and file work or MJT do the correct type. Replica buffer heads might do. (Are these the same as the Mainline ones, which seem a tad undersized?)

 

Finally, the moulded lines along the sides have to go, as does the gratuitous flange along the bottom of the solebar.

 

Put like this it seems a lot more graft than just opening a box, but I am committed to these as a model choice*. The different makes are all slightly different in appearance - sufficiently to not mix IMHO. I still think that these have the best 'flush' windows of the plastic coaches bettered only by the metal sides of etched coaches or the Hornby Dublo models. The latter are all too short of course, though the short frame BG and maroon non-corridors are not too bad (about ½" spread out along the coach), if one ignores the overwidth solebars and poor/rubbish bogies (IMHO best kept as collectibles!).

 

* The stock box has been filling up for years.......

** The SR ones were all on the long underframe.

 

Finally, are there not copyright issues with downloading Peco's interiors?

[Horsetan]

.... I still think that these have the best 'flush' windows of the plastic coaches bettered only by the metal sides of etched coaches or the Hornby Dublo models. ....

The windows haven't really been bettered. Not sure what moulding technique Kitmaster used, but they managed to eliminate the prismatic effect that you often get with moulded glazing. That said, Bachmann and Coopercraft do come close.

 

I'm not sure if Brian Hanson at Shawplan will ever get round to extending his Laserglaze technology to Mk.1s.

 

Finally, are there not copyright issues with downloading Peco's interiors?

If you're trying to sell them on, yes.

[drgj]

Thanks for the new replies. I haven't fitted interiors to ready to run coaches yet (!) but had a go at a Kitmaster Mk1.

 

I bought this Kitmaster in a carboot for £2.50. It was finished an odd colour so I removed the roof and windows plus the Peco  interior (the latter was difficult!). I smoothed off the sides and removed the moulded lining. Airbrushed some maroon,added some lining and numbers, painted the window frames (difficult!) and reassembled it. i adjusted the height of the bogies, fitted some brass bearings and Maygib wheels plus some Bachmann type couplings. I didn't remove the ridge on the solebar which would have improved it but the Peco interior looks very good with magazines on the tables, etc. A lot of work but cheap and I quite like a challenge!

 

dave