Scratchbuilding Semi Enclosed Coaching Stock

Part of shiftingsands.fotopic.revisited

Based on material posted to www.shiftingsands.fotopic.net in March 2007 and updated through to 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.

This was the first pair of carriage 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 from 40 thou plasticard:

Sides and ends were paired up, with a seat base at each end (also 40 thou thick) added to square up and strengthen the ends:

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 the footwells were added next, complete with a cut-away to allow the overscale wheel flanges to swing around:

Roof panels 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:

The final items added were truss rods below the solebars. The coach just needs filling, smoothing, painting and passengers. Apart from seats, added after painting, construction is now complete:

Skipping several stages, the coaches are now complete and painted:

A view of the pair of coaches (from the top of the workshop!):

A closer view of coach 15. Figures are mainly Preiser:

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:

The completed coach, guards doors are ajar on each side:

O9 Modeller would like to thank Mick Thornton for his help in creating this page.