Anyone else used Thomas bigscale coaches?

[Zerogee]

Just a heads-up that GRS make pre-curved styrene roof sections (long enough for a bogie coach, cut to length for smaller ones) - they are thick enough to be quite rigid, and you'd have difficulty bending sheet material that thick and getting it to stay in shape, so I think they are worth getting. Don't think that they make one quite as sharply curved as the barrel roof on that brake van, though.....

Jon.

 

[PaulFwalker]

Just a heads-up that GRS make pre-curved styrene roof sections (long enough for a bogie coach, cut to length for smaller ones) - they are thick enough to be quite rigid, and you'd have difficulty bending sheet material that thick and getting it to stay in shape, so I think they are worth getting. Don't think that they make one quite as sharply curved as the barrel roof on that brake van, though.....

Jon.

Thanks I will look into that.

 

[Riograndad]

I have just found and read this thread with interest as the woodgrain effect would be ideal for interior paneling as I do on my passenger cars,some in the pipeline so just might give this a go,thanks for posting,just wish I had seen it earlier!!!

 

[Bill Barnwell]

Very nice transformation

 

[Sleeper Agent]

View attachment 226470 View attachment 226471 View attachment 226472

Fantastic job on the whole train there! I've a book somewhere showing an old 4-wheel coach refurbished with a raised roof much like your elliptical one, might be able to re-find it if of interest.
Out of curiosity what material did you use for said roof and if it was plasticard was there a particular technique for bending it into shape? Working on a G3 coach with a similar roof line and having a bit of trouble keeping it from flexing out.

Regards
Steve

 

[Fred2179G]

I was about to start a new thread but this seems like the appropriate place. [Paul or anyone else - if you'd like me to move this, just say so. Loved your conversions of the Emily coaches!]

I have an Emily and the Smallbrook conversion kit, plus 2 Thomas coaches and a green Emily coach. I, too, figured that 2 Emily coaches could make a 7-compartment Midland coach.



I also (as I expected) found that the Thomas coach looks much nicer on the 6-wheel underframe:

So today, as I am waiting for parts for my railtruck and as I only have a couple of weeks before heading back to my winter home, I took the 3 coaches down and started tearing them apart. That raised a few questions, which I'd like to pose here before I go any further.

First - the nose on the end of Annie and Clarabell. I flattened it with my belt sander, and I could make up a panelled end to fit on top, but I would end up having to paint the whole coach. If I cut the 2 Emily coaches down to make one long coach, I will have 2 ends left over. They'd be green, but could be repainted.
Looks like I answered my own question = paint will be called for anyway.

The trucks on the 7-compartment coach will be Bachmann J&S type, not Midland bogies, as I got them for $15/pair from Star Hobby (all gone now.) Anyone actually done this conversion?
I was also wondering if I could make the cuts so I have a spare door on an end which might make a brake double-door on one of the coaches.

Comments welcome before I cut too much more!

 

[Sleeper Agent]

Hi Fred
First of love the Emily bogie I've messed around with Bachmanns a little due to the lack of coach kits in G3 but don't really have any finished examples i'm afraid! Having acquired a nice few I've not needed to recycle a face side as the beading ends with a 6 wheeler/bogie are sufficient when joining a pair and with 4-wheelers I only use the Emily ones.


Regarding the extra door notion I'd recommend a razor saw for cutting up the compartments (with something like an engineers square to keep the flimsy blade guided). A new blade is particularly ideal when you can't afford to waste any material such as with a Stroudley/Tenmille 3rd Class variant.


If you''re brave with a mini cutting disc you could also remove the moulded door and grab handles. My operations aren't perfect up close but with a bit of fine filing afterwards it's passable and hopefully won't be noticeable at all once replacements are added.


Can't help with the bogie bit as i've not crossed that Rubicon yet due to money and G64 options but as your appear to be on G45 track imagine there are some suitable mod examples out there.

Best of luck
Steve

 

[Fred2179G]

I'd recommend a razor saw for cutting up the compartments

Steve,
Thanks for the photos - I'm staying G45 so I don't have to widen them for now!

I have a small circular saw and have had some success cutting straight lines on plastic bodies. Much straighter than I can by hand.

 

[Sleeper Agent]

No worries. The Bachmann four compartments are a little short in length (24' plus the beading) and half a foot narrower than they should be compared to the Tenmille coaches they were loosely based off (26' and 8') but it's not too critical to the eye, especially when behind a small engine. Someone on the G3 forum actually did mange to make a 5 compartment fit back onto the same chassis unit but given that they are shorter than they should be really makes them knee smackers!
I wouldn't personally use a mini disc cutter on the compartments due to the waste issue but I guess if you're carefully following a line it's not an issue with a 1st/2nd class style design. Anywho if you ever do try to make a more cramped 3rd this is how I went about it.

 

[Fred2179G]

I wouldn't personally use a mini disc cutter on the compartments due to the waste issue

Steve,
I have never been good at cutting with a hand saw.

I use a mini table saw with a 24 tooth rip blade or an 80-tooth fine blade that's about 2 1/4" across.
80 Tooth Saw Blade (2-1/4 Inch Diameter, 10 mm Hole)

I used the rip blade to cut my hoppers, and yes, there's a bit of waste (one hopper was different plastic and it shattered into fragments as I cut it.) The 80 tooth is very slim and as long as you are careful not to melt the plastic it does a great job.

I also have the larger fence and a zero-clearance blade plate kit so I can cut scale lumber. The saw has been in use now for 20 years and cuts everything from brass tubing to EBT hoppers!

 

[jimmielx]

Not sure if you'll find the right scale, but Fox Transfers do sell GNR transfers in various scales.

Waterslide Transfers in 8 scales & Full Size

Fox Transfers have a vast range of Model Railway Waterslide Transfers these in 8 scales and Full size

fox-transfers.co.uk

Some very impressive transformations in the posts above!

 

[dunnyrail]

Funny is it not. I am comfortable cutting up varying Plastic Coaches/Locs/Wagons with a saw the same as Sleeper’s. I have a similar Modeling Table to Fred that is totally speed variable but am thoroughly nervous using it for such jobs.

 

[Fred2179G]

I found another Emily coach at Star Hobby for $60, so the cutting began!

I actually cut with both hands holding it steady, but one was holding the camera. The line stays straight due to the fence and the sliding right-angle stop.

One trick is to do a tiny test cut, preferably where it won't show. The blue tape is to help with the measuring and alignment.



After cutting off both ends from one and just one end of the other coach, and carefully measuring and cutting the underframe, more blue tape on the joints and some wooden blocks on the shelf track, and we have a mockup:

That small bit of blue tape is holding the door handle while the glue sets - I decided to make a Brake End so it has a double door. As I was cutting the underframe to size, it could be anything I wanted. The body is actually 23.5", or about 47 real feet. Here's a close-up of the guards end. You can probably see that a little cleanup and a coat of paint and you won't see the joint.

Here's the underframe after gluing some styrene to keep it the right size, and a piece of aluminum rail to make it stronger. I'm thinking of drilling and inserting screws from the other side into the alum'n.

Finally, here's the leftovers - a rather small coach, don't you think?

I am planning to slit the ends off and reuse them on my Annie & Clarabell, though that will force a repaint.

 

[Sleeper Agent]

Interesting technique with the tape Fred and the double door joint is rather effective I know the above images are mock ups but to avoid a potential jump in body height my advise would be to glue two L lengths across the underneath of the floor joints (either one pair of super lengths or two smaller pairs if you find that easier) and a strip or two around the windows. By gluing the spans to one shell unit first you'll then have a base for the second and third shell pieces to sit on and say 2-part epoxy will give you a bit of tweaking time as it sets.

Finally, here's the leftovers - a rather small coach, don't you think?

Well you're definitely giving Timpdon a run for their money
tmcoach1.htm

Funny is it not. I am comfortable cutting up varying Plastic Coaches/Locs/Wagons with a saw the same as Sleeper’s. I have a similar Modeling Table to Fred that is totally speed variable but am thoroughly nervous using it for such jobs.

Yeah I never even thought of Fred's technique for the operation! It does look a useful tool though, definitely need one for the wood cutting I do in SM32.

 

[dunnyrail]

Interesting technique with the tape Fred and the double door joint is rather effective I know the above images are mock ups but to avoid a potential jump in body height my advise would be to glue two L lengths across the underneath of the floor joints (either one pair of super lengths or two smaller pairs if you find that easier) and a strip or two around the windows. By gluing the spans to one shell unit first you'll then have a base for the second and third shell pieces to sit on and say 2-part epoxy will give you a bit of tweaking time as it sets.


Well you're definitely giving Timpdon a run for their money
tmcoach1.htm



Yeah I never even thought of Fred's technique for the operation! It does look a useful tool though, definitely need one for the wood cutting I do in SM32.

Yes mine has had a lot of use cutting up Gauge 0 Wooden Sleepers and Planking in general for many scales. These days in G I am a serial user if Coffee Stirers.

 

[Fred2179G]

I perhaps should mention this isn't the first time I chopped up a coach or wagon. A few years ago I made a bunch of East Broad Top coaches using the Accucraft J&S as a base, and some were longer and some were shorter than the original. The first chop job was an EBT 2-bay hopper in 1:20.3 that I made from 2 'big hauler' hoppers - the latter were the right length, but too low and too narrow.

I also use the saw on real wood, like a 1/2" shelf that needs trimming, as I don't have room for a big table saw. It does a very good job on scale lumber too, as mentioned above. I cut all the beams and sides for a wooden hopper on it a while ago.

 

[Fred2179G]

Today was quiet so I worked on the frame and body. I glued the old windows where I plan to paint over as blank panels, and I added some grey to remind me they are blank.
The body ends are screwed to the frame with the original screws to hold things in place, and I did screw through the chassis into the metal reinforcing rail.
As Steve suggested, the joints have some "L" section styrene reinforcement, but I'm relying mostly on the frame/chassis to hold everything in situ. Can't do much else until the glue dries, although I did take the overhang off the ends of the roof pieces. And I emailed Smallbrook about the duckets and battery boxes.

 

[Paulus]

It's a very interesting project. It is becoming a very impressive carriage.

Finally, here's the leftovers - a rather small coach, don't you think?

That would be something funny! Just put an axle under it and a coupler and use it as a trailer behind the train, with some luggage on top of it

 

[Paul2727]

Just a heads up for anyone contemplating something like this.
Currently on e-bay at £25 each.
Not anything to do with me I might add.

Bachmann G Gauge Coach 1st Class Thomas The Tank Painted | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bachmann G Gauge Coach 1st Class Thomas The Tank Painted at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Bachmann G Gauge Coach Thomas The Tank Painted | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bachmann G Gauge Coach Thomas The Tank Painted at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Fred2179G]

It's raining so today I got to cut and fit the roof.




Now just a lot of filling. sanding and painting. Probably need some vents for the roof?

I also looked around for some LMS Crimson Lake paint equivalent in the USofA. Mike Toney's thread on MLS on painting his Bassett-Lowke 2-6-0 gave me a clue, but also pointed out that Precision Paints in the UK won't ship spray/aerosol cans overseas. Ford "Dark Canyon Red" seems to be the color, which was a 1985 F150 and Mustang option. Not at my Pep Boys, but available on Amazon and one or two other sources. Hope it gets here before I leave - I'd like to see what it looks like.

I took out the windows I had removed, thinking they were painted trim and the paint went into the sides, but I was wrong. The paint is just on the surface. Greg suggested a good automotive polish - I have some marine compound which should take off the paint and leave me with a shiny window.