Anyone else used Thomas bigscale coaches?

[Fred2179G]

Guys, I need some advice. I was going to add detail to the underframe, but I have 2 questions:
1. What was the truss material? In the US it is steel rod with a turnbuckle. From the photos I am seeing it seems to be square section in the UK?
2. How were the extra footboards attached? Suspended from the frame and linked from one side to the other?

Photos would be wonderful - its too far for me to visit a UK museum!

 

[Fred2179G]

Yesterday was window experiments. I want to remove the white trim around the "Emily" coach windows. I found my Polly S decal/transfer and paint remover, so I put some in a dish and dropped a window into it, and promptly forgot it for an hour or so. It came out hazy, so I read the instructions (duh!) and treated another window to a slight dose using a paint brush, and I took the Polly S off when there was any sign of crinkling. With a bit of rubbing it came off. Here's the first trial window and the second.



I scratched up the second window getting the rest of the paint off, and I visited Jerry and picked up his motorcycle windshield treatment kit, (My marine compound was useless - the plastic bottle disintegrated ion my hand when I tried to shake it! Fortunately the compound was a congealed mess, so it didn't destroy my wife's kitchen.)

The second experiment, due to the haze on window 1 and scratches I had made on #2, was to wet-sand down all 3 windows with 400 grit emery. That left them pretty hazy, but only on one side this time. The Novus 3 is quite aggressive and made a good job of clarifying those 4 windows. Not quite to the pristine standard of the originals, so it's a good job I have some spares.

I then tried Greg's suggestion of removing the paint with the compound, and that worked, though it's a lot of work and I have 30+ windows to deal with. On the three windows on the right of the strip the clear acrylic is still clear and the paint is just about gone. The original experiments are not yet clear enough!

 

[Fred2179G]

While waiting for some paint, I had a few minutes so I went looking for underframe photos and found a few.



It appears to be steel rod, but without a turnbuckle - in the US the length is adjusted in the center, where it is easy to get to it. On the other hand, this is a steel underframe, so it shouldn't need adjusting!

I dug around the parts boxes and found some 1/16th brass rod which seemed the right size. I also found 3 white metal bits that I think are Ozark pins for a link-and-pin setup. With a little 3/64th rod filed flat at the end to make a loop, a covering of 1/16th ID tube (5/64 OD) and a 3/16th sliver of tube on the end I had a credible truss rod support. It needs soldering together.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yeah, the novus stuff is good, but you have to go to #2 and then #1 to get the polish you need. Did you start with the #3 to cut the paint faster?

Greg

 

[Fred2179G]

Yeah, the novus stuff is good, but you have to go to #2 and then #1 to get the polish you need. Did you start with the #3 to cut the paint faster?
Greg

I didn't even borrow the #1. And yes, with 30+ windows to clean, starting with #3 seemed prudent! I may do one batch with PollyS to get most of it off before I start polishing. Anyway, looks as if it will have to wait until next summer.

 

[Fred2179G]

Another spare 1/2 hour between packing, so a little progress on the underframe. The truss rods look much as I remember from my youth in the West Riding. Battery boxes aren't here yet, and I should probably be using gas cylinders for the lighting (!) but my coach made it into the 1920s so it got newer lights.

 

[Fred2179G]

I'm posting most of this on a parallel LSC thread, and I got some comments about the truss rods.

Them rods look a bit low to me. Maybe they won't look so low once the battery boxes are installed.

David, they come in all shapes and sizes (and thanks to Forrest for some more photos!) I do have drawings for several types so I could make them exact if I was so inclined. However, I'm after more of a general look that seems right to me.



In fact, they are getting full length foot boards, as in these 2 photos.

(This last one was photoshopped to lighten the underframe so you can see the foot boards.)

 

[Douglas]

What a smashing job,well done

 

[Jerry Barnes]

I made a decal from a good photo of one. Did make it a little larger. I'll see if I can find it. I have better GNR, this was part . Could not find the finished third coach. I figured the brown inside would not be noticiable on a brown coach. I used the green one. Jeremy Viewing has posted some great pictures on here of his coaches, he may have done a decal by now.

 

[Fred2179G]

Back in my summer home where this coach resides, along with Emily who may get converted to a Single soon. Just the battery boxes and guards lookout/ducketts (Smallbrook Studios) plus footboards (? is that what you call them?) and paint.

I am not putting the guards lookout at the end, so I have a panelling mismatch. To tidy it up I cut some pieces of plastic tube and tried to make the panel finish before the duckett. Testors contour putty filled the gap on the next panel.

Here's the coach with the footboards in place.

That view is after I had to 'adjust' the center boards to match the trucks/bogies.

And here's what it looks like today with a coat of primer hiding the putty. Starting to look like a coach.

The roof needs vents and a coat of grey - too much black for me. With a little touch-up on the primer, it will be time for the Ford "Canyon Red" = crimson lake, I hope.
And the minor issue of the clerestory windows. They are black with green surrounds. Masking them will be fun.

 

[dunnyrail]

Looking very good, but I think something needs to be done about the bogies? They look way too short. Never thought about it before but I wonder what the options are to lengthen them but make them pivot a little like an LGB 4 wheel wagon?

 

[Fred2179G]

Looking very good, but I think something needs to be done about the bogies?

It might help to use proper bogies/trucks. Those are Bachmann large scale, sold by my local hobby store for $15/pair, and look nothing like real Midland 10' bogies. I just can't afford scale ones for such an out-of-scale project.

 

[Fred2179G]

Just a tad cooler yesterday, so I grabbed the rattle cans and went out to do a bit of touch-up. The red primer looks much better now I sprayed from the underside, and the clarified door gaps will do.
I did the roof grey and I'm quite happy with it. This morning I removed the blue painters tape to expose the sides of the clerestory, which are green with black "windows", as you can sort-of see. I've been wondering how to paint them, but I see the wondows are more square than I thought. A good bit of masking on the wondows and roof and I should be able to paint around them.

 

[Fred2179G]

It was cooler today and raining until late afternoon, when it got really humid. Nevertheless, I still figured I could chance the painting.

(The duckett is just held on with tape to see how it will look. And the body seems to have shifted in that second photo!)

It definitely has the look of a Midland compartment coach I am after. Not at all sure about the automobile paint - I expected a rich glossy finish. I think another coat or two is called for.

 

[dunnyrail]

Who’s paint did you use? Halford Rover damask red is supposed to be a good match for Midland Railway Red. I have used it on sundry things and while I would not call it a rich glossy finish it is certainly more glossy than you have here.

 

[Fred2179G]

Who’s paint did you use? Halford Rover damask red is supposed to be a good match for Midland Railway Red. I have used it on sundry things and while I would not call it a rich glossy finish it is certainly more glossy than you have here.

This is Ford Canyon Red, which I was told was a close match. I can't get Humbrol here in the States.

Part of my problem is the extreme heat and humidity here. It was 90+ most of last week and only came down to 75 yesterday as it rained all day! The humidity was 85% when I sprayed.
I think the paint is almost drying before it hits the coach. If the next coat doesn't improve things, I will apply too much paint and rest it on its side with the wet paint upwards (to stop any runs.)

 

[Paul M]

This is Ford Canyon Red, which I was told was a close match. I can't get Humbrol here in the States.

Part of my problem is the extreme heat and humidity here. It was 90+ most of last week and only came down to 75 yesterday as it rained all day! The humidity was 85% when I sprayed.
I think the paint is almost drying before it hits the coach. If the next coat doesn't improve things, I will apply too much paint and rest it on its side with the wet paint upwards (to stop any runs.)

Silly idea, but have you tried a bit of polish?

 

[dunnyrail]

This is Ford Canyon Red, which I was told was a close match. I can't get Humbrol here in the States.

Part of my problem is the extreme heat and humidity here. It was 90+ most of last week and only came down to 75 yesterday as it rained all day! The humidity was 85% when I sprayed.
I think the paint is almost drying before it hits the coach. If the next coat doesn't improve things, I will apply too much paint and rest it on its side with the wet paint upwards (to stop any runs.)

Hm not sure that would be such a good idea, be patient and wait for better weather conditions. Last thing you want is for it to all end in tears (yours Not the paint), also sorry I was quoting UK Halford's range forgetting you are the other side of the pond.

 

[Flying15]

It was cooler today and raining until late afternoon, when it got really humid. Nevertheless, I still figured I could chance the painting.

(The duckett is just held on with tape to see how it will look. And the body seems to have shifted in that second photo!)

It definitely has the look of a Midland compartment coach I am after. Not at all sure about the automobile paint - I expected a rich glossy finish. I think another coat or two is called for.

Excellent coach
I ll be looking out for some Thomas coaches to re purpose.
Is a further one planned?
It would look good with a Midland Spinner!
I use Ford Burgundy Red for Midland/LMS locos
Not sure if UK Ford colours are international

 

[Fred2179G]

Silly idea, but have you tried a bit of polish?

I do have UV protected Krylon clear spray in matte and gloss on the shelf. I assume you didn't mean to suggest hand polishing?