Whose kits are these please?

[Atlantic 3279]

Before I go into detail on how I did it in plastic, and how it might perhaps be done more easily with paper-covered shaped balsa or even hand-formed thin brass sheet, have a look at the Roxey Mouldings LSWR coach kits. These have the right sort of shape of "three-centre-round" roof with flattish middle. Even if they have to be joined to increae the length (probably not if you can get 56' corridor stock roofs) or have to be split lengthwise and widened by means of a flat strip well-blended-in down the middle, these roofs (if obtainable separately) may be a lot more convenient. I would certainly consider using those if I were doing a similar job again.

[Alpineman]

It occurred to me that it might be possible to cut out the clerestorey from the existing roofs, and fill in the gap with Plastikard. That would avoid having to form the sharp curvature over the eaves. Did you try that?

Alpineman

[Atlantic 3279]

I considered that the original roofs were much too flat approaching the eaves to represent the GC shape of roof, either clerestory or suburban. They are the right sort of shape in cross section to be a GE style clerestory roof, but then the pattern of the side panelling is rather less suitable.

[S.A.C. Martin]

http://copleyhillworks-simierski.blogsp ... sions.html

I'm having a go - wish me luck!

[Atso]

http://copleyhillworks-simierski.blogsp ... sions.html

I'm having a go - wish me luck!

Good luck!!!!

[Atlantic 3279]

Are you not going for the GCR "very much more rounded above the eaves" shape of roof then Simon?

[S.A.C. Martin]

Are you not going for the GCR "very much more rounded above the eaves" shape of roof then Simon?

I'm working on it chap - thinking of building up the sides of the existing roof with putty, to round them over with a file and wet'n'dry paper thereafter.

[wehf100]

I'd perhaps advise against building up the shape solely using putty as you might have a heck of a job sanding it back uniformly along the whole length of the roof, even using a 'female' shaped card template as a guide. Perhaps you could build it up solid, but then 'skin' it with plasticard?

I personally like the 'bulkhead and battern' method of making heavily curved roof sections (i.e transverse bulkheads glued to a false ceiling, skinned with longitudinal 'battens', but from experience of 4mm carriages, I realise it can be quite time consuming cutting all the formers, and it uses a lot of (expensive) plastic strip!

finally- I have some basic scale drawings of the relevant GCR carriages somewhere, so if you need copies in order to get the roof profile correct(ish) drop me a line.

You also might want to consider painting one or two of these carriages in rubbed-down LNER brown too- I have photos of ex-GCR carriages in this condition in the mid 1950s.

Will

[S.A.C. Martin]

Part 4: Paint Mixes

Hi Chaps, thought I'd give a brief update and show where I am.

The next stage in the Clerestory build was trialing various shades of British Railways Carmine paint. I've settled on this shade, which is my own mix, making it up as I go along with various acrylics. I did try Railmatch's enamel paint, but didn't like the finish particularly.

I have, under advice from a few chaps at the Gamesworkshop in Bluewater (where I get all my acrylic paints for mixing up), undercoated the coach in Scorched Brown, on top of a base coat of Chaos Black. The result is that seen below.

My shade has been made up from a roughly 4:1:1 mix of Red Gore, Chaos Black, and Scorched Brown in that order. I'm in two minds on the shade - on the one hand, I think the evenness of this paintwork is debatable (having an off day with the airbrush), on the other hand I'm rather pleased with the shade, though I'm not sure it's quite there for a perfect shade of carmine.

The lighting hasn't helped in my overall opinion of it, though I feel this photograph best represents the shade I've created.

EDIT: - oh, and haven't made my mind up about the roofs as yet! So by no means are the older hornby ones permanent.

[Bill Bedford]

The next stage in the Clerestory build was trialing various shades of British Railways Carmine paint. I've settled on this shade, which is my own mix, making it up as I go along with various acrylics. I did try Railmatch's enamel paint, but didn't like the finish particularly.

Almost none of these coaches were painted carmine. There was an edict that went out to ex-LNER works in May 1949 to the effect that any coach that would normally be expected to be withdrawn before it's next heavy overhaul was not to be painted in BR colours, but the paintwork work was to be patched and varnished. Effectively this applied to coaches that were older than 30-35 year in 1949. These clerestories were built in 1902-5.

[S.A.C. Martin]

The next stage in the Clerestory build was trialing various shades of British Railways Carmine paint. I've settled on this shade, which is my own mix, making it up as I go along with various acrylics. I did try Railmatch's enamel paint, but didn't like the finish particularly.

Almost none of these coaches were painted carmine. There was an edict that went out to ex-LNER works in May 1949 to the effect that any coach that would normally be expected to be withdrawn before it's next heavy overhaul was not to be painted in BR colours, but the paintwork work was to be patched and varnished. Effectively this applied to coaches that were older than 30-35 year in 1949. These clerestories were built in 1902-5.

A shame fotopic is officially down, as the link Will provided on the previous page of this thread showed three separate photographs of similar GCR clerestories in the aforementioned carmine livery, hence my choice to specifically paint three of them this way. Thank you for the information however, I will bear it in mind for future builds.

No thoughts on the shade then, chaps!

[Atlantic 3279]

Sadly Carmine is not my era, so I would not presume to comment. If I thought I knew, I would gladly help.

[mick b]

No idea re Carmine either ,Coachman is the man for that. Any reason why you didnt use Precision Paint as that sprays well.

I doubt if the roof would have be White more likely a very dirty Dark Grey or Black, probably the same in LNER days too.

[S.A.C. Martin]

No idea re Carmine either ,Coachman is the man for that. Any reason why you didnt use Precision Paint as that sprays well.

I doubt if the roof would have be White more likely a very dirty Dark Grey or Black, probably the same in LNER days too.

Roof's not been painted yet!

Going to be grey.

I've not had any experience of Precision Paints, so it didn't occur to me to try them.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Part 5: One coach down!

A little more movement tonight. Transfers, glazing, and final varnishing to do. The roof is painted with Railmatch Roof Grey, the torpedo vents are castings from Dart Castings (thanks Graeme for the tip off! ).