Tom Insole
Western Thunderer
Afternoon folks!
After a fantastic day out with Dad at the National Garden Railway show in Peterborough on Saturday Dad gave me a couple of kits that were laying unloved and unmade to utilise as I wish.
Usually I'd say I'd quite happily make them as they were intended but I can't see them being a valuable asset to pull just now so I decided it was time to semi-assemble them and see what I could do with them.
The kit in question being a Brandbright GS20
Once I took all the bits I wanted for now from the box it didn't leave much in there!
I will be making use of the brass rod and roof but those doors will probably get used for another project at a later date.
Looking at the bits I could see there were two internal support walls that got me thinking of the perfect conversion I just knew would work beautifully. A little bit of tinkering in Soldworks with the dimensions I took from a side panel and around an hour later I was staring at this
I knew I had to be brave for the next bit. Thankfully I know with very little effort I could probably replicate the same panels and re-cut them having access to a laser cutter. With the ideas in my head and more drawing I bit the bullet and made the cuts to add a little more than the normal carriage sides to the original box van sides (turned back to front)
The cuts were thankfully a success but the sides are not plywood at the moment just the only material I had in stock to test it. I will go shopping on payday to re-cut those bits in ply.
assembled back together you can probably see the route I'm headed. I've figured some small tabs to prevent doors going to far in and a latch mechanism to hold them shut when the train is in motion it should be a success.
adding the outer skins back to the now rather cannibalized sides it looked rather impressive and that was only box one of two I had to play with.. the other I decided to make a brake/guards compartment carriage with a ducket on each side.
I will add that this is not really based upon any line in particular or any set period more of a home-brew incarnation of passenger stock to run on "steam up" days when I get to go out and play on other people's layouts.
Finally for this post I'll show some of the cad work in an assembly before I committed to cutting it up.
I'm still yet to decided what colour the coaches will be. That's a lot further off as I'm now off work for a couple of days (tomorrow in town with the girls and then later Whitby and the NRM! YIPPIEE!!).
I'll add the next instalments later after I've been off for a cycle with some friends.
Tom.
Ps. Yes I know I am a VERY messy worker at my desk (apologies if this annoys anyone I do try to "sort" it occasionally!)
After a fantastic day out with Dad at the National Garden Railway show in Peterborough on Saturday Dad gave me a couple of kits that were laying unloved and unmade to utilise as I wish.
Usually I'd say I'd quite happily make them as they were intended but I can't see them being a valuable asset to pull just now so I decided it was time to semi-assemble them and see what I could do with them.
The kit in question being a Brandbright GS20
Once I took all the bits I wanted for now from the box it didn't leave much in there!
I will be making use of the brass rod and roof but those doors will probably get used for another project at a later date.
Looking at the bits I could see there were two internal support walls that got me thinking of the perfect conversion I just knew would work beautifully. A little bit of tinkering in Soldworks with the dimensions I took from a side panel and around an hour later I was staring at this
I knew I had to be brave for the next bit. Thankfully I know with very little effort I could probably replicate the same panels and re-cut them having access to a laser cutter. With the ideas in my head and more drawing I bit the bullet and made the cuts to add a little more than the normal carriage sides to the original box van sides (turned back to front)
The cuts were thankfully a success but the sides are not plywood at the moment just the only material I had in stock to test it. I will go shopping on payday to re-cut those bits in ply.
assembled back together you can probably see the route I'm headed. I've figured some small tabs to prevent doors going to far in and a latch mechanism to hold them shut when the train is in motion it should be a success.
adding the outer skins back to the now rather cannibalized sides it looked rather impressive and that was only box one of two I had to play with.. the other I decided to make a brake/guards compartment carriage with a ducket on each side.
I will add that this is not really based upon any line in particular or any set period more of a home-brew incarnation of passenger stock to run on "steam up" days when I get to go out and play on other people's layouts.
Finally for this post I'll show some of the cad work in an assembly before I committed to cutting it up.
I'm still yet to decided what colour the coaches will be. That's a lot further off as I'm now off work for a couple of days (tomorrow in town with the girls and then later Whitby and the NRM! YIPPIEE!!).
I'll add the next instalments later after I've been off for a cycle with some friends.
Tom.
Ps. Yes I know I am a VERY messy worker at my desk (apologies if this annoys anyone I do try to "sort" it occasionally!)