Getting Started in 3mm FAQ: Overlaying Etched
Sides and Ends onto an Existing Coach; N. Brown
Overlaying Etched Sides and Ends onto an Existing Coach
You may find it possible to use an existing coach as something onto
which you can overlay etched sides and ends, resulting in a reasonable
model which is easier and faster to produce than constructing a completely
new coach. The Society's B set coaches are a useful starting point
for many 57' coaches, not least a number of Great Western examples, from
Edwardian toplights through to Collett's coaches of the 1930s; these often
had similar underframe designs, possibly with some rearrangement of the
components. Here's how you do it.
(1) Use Parkside clear plastic sides (PP20)
instead of the B coach sides.
(2) Trim the Parkside sides and B coach base
and ends as necessary to match the etched sides and ends, removing the
raised detail from the ends.
(3) Glue the plastic sides, base and ends together
to form a shell.
(4) Construct the interior using Plasticard and
Society seats (PP12), paint and insert.
(5) Detail the B coach roof as required, paint,
and add to the shell.
(6) Take the etched sides, form the tumblehome
(some sides come with this already formed), add ventilators and droplights,
and open out grab handle holes. Paint, letter, then glue to the shell.
(7) Detail the etched ends as necessary and glue
to the shell. It may be easier adding some detail such as corridor
connections afterwards, and leaving painting to the end.
(8) Add the underframe. Construct and add
the bogies. Add final details such as grab handles, door handles
and handrails, and do any final painting. Add couplings.
An Example
This shows Worsley Works sides for a GWR steel toplight, added to
a formed shell, as at stage (6) above. The painting has been done
mainly using Railmatch spray cans; the transfers are PC Methfix from
the Society's range. The roof has had Society shell vents (RH1)
and microstrip rainstrips added, and has been painted using Halfords white
acrylic undercoat.
The parts for an MJT compensated bogie, together with Society cast
sideframes for the GWR standard "fishbelly" 9' bogie (RG1), plus Society/Stapleton
finescale wheels (SN3).
The Worsley Works etched ends, one end showing the steps
in place. Also one B set underframe sprue, two of which will provide
the underframe components; the battery boxes are a bit shallow,
and will benefit from being thickened at the back using plasticard.
The GWR grab handles are from Worsley Works. The door handles
are from Roxey; these are 4mm but can easily be reduced in size by
a couple of quick brushes with a file. Coach buffers are Society
GWR standard round head square shank (RG4), the same as used for B coaches.
The corridor connections are Society (R1F).
The finished coach.