Coachbuilding I - Semi-enclosed Stock

Shifting Sands - Colin Peake's O9 Railway Modelling

13th January 2008

February 2007 has seen work start on a new 12 seat semi-enclosed coach, based loosely on one built by the Exmoor Steam Railway. This reverts to my tried and trusted method of coach building from the days I built stock with 'Routemaster' bus sides. Only now I am making up the side panels from scratch... I soon realised that this *actually* worked, so a second set of sides soon emerged from the works.

Once the sides were complete ends were made from 40 thou plasticard and paired up with the sides. Seat bases, also 40 thou thick were added to square up and strengthen the ends, before the coach bodies were assembled, extra seat bases added and other interior parts added. The footwells were added next, complete with a cut-away to allow the overscale wheel flanges to swing around. The final items added were truss rods below the solebars. Apart from seats, added after painting, construction is now complete.

Update: In January 2008 the SMR workshop turned out an 8 seat/guards semi-open coach (no 16) to match nos 14 and 15 delivered in 2007. This was built to the same pattern and incorporates a look-out each side of the guards van and also doors posed in an open position.

As part of 'Project Backstory' some of my older coaching stock started to get a makeover. Two of the original coaches built from Routemaster bus kit parts have been stripped down for a rebuild, with altered door pillars and underframe. The revised underframe closely follows the ex- Sutton Miniature Railway stock now at Cleethorpes. One of these coaches is planned to be a 'heritage' restored version and the other has been plaed as a scenic feature, replacing the 8 seater coach previously used.

This was the first pair of carraige sides and ends to be completed, all from plastic section and sheet.	I then realised that the ends needed 'bufferbeam' extensions, so new ones were made.	Sides and ends were paired up, with a seat base at each end to add to the strength.
Once the paired sides and ends were joined, extra seat bases were added for the middle seats.	Seat backs and parcel shelves were then added to the interior.	On the underside footwells were added. The gap is to allow experiments in bogie swing!
Roof panes made by strapping plastic sheet to an empty coke can and dunking in boiling water.	The underside of the roof is a Hornby wagon roof, suitably cut around and re-enforced.	The top side of the completed roof, the join will be filled at a later date.
A close-up of the bogie cut-away and mount, a contained 10 BA nut.	Complete! Just needs filling, smoothing, painting and passengers!	Skipping several stages, the coaches are now complete.
A view of the pair of coaches (from the top of the workshop!)	A closer view of coach 15. Figures are mainly Preiser.	A guards/saloon coach under way for Shifting Sands to match the coaches built earlier in 2007.
The completed coach, guards doors are ajar on each side.	Two of my original coaches stripped down to bare plastic.	As rebuilt with strengthened door pillars, and revised underframe layout.
One of the other original coaches has been weathered and placed at the back of the caravan on the layout.