It seems to have been quiet on here lately, so maybe everyone is busy actually making models. If not, I'm surprises there has been no comment on the Gresley carriage body GRS had at the ASGM. It looked interesting and to me (knowing nothing about LNER carriages) attractive.
Did anyone else see it?
Mike
Yes, I put my name down for three!
For anyone who did not see them, it is a modular structure where a range of parts (e.g. compartment sides, brake end sides, toilet window modules, duckets, coach ends, etc) are selected according to the chosen vehicle.
These are compartment (non-gangwayed stock) and you should be able to make any Gresley non-gangwayed diagram by selecting the appropriate modules (including the articulated stock).
The roof is composed of strips of Plastikard to represent planks (cover with old shirt or similar to represent canvas). The Gresley bogies (simple compensation) are being developed by Model Engineers Laser.
Cost of parts for a body was estimated at around 100GBP with a pair of bogies for similar cost.
You still have to provide your own interior, buffers, torpedo vents, couplings and other fittings (including all underframe detail) so total cost is likely to be in region of 250GBP per carriage.
John
Thanks John. With your knowledge of LNER, does that make an accurate carriage?
I considered that method for my own carriages, but on the LNWR the coach end is thicker than the partitions between compartments, which means although all compartments (of the same class) are the same width internally, the panels at the very end of each coach are slightly longer than all of the others. That means a "special" module for the right hand end, a "special" for the left hand end etc etc, which didn't leave many "standard" modules at all.
I hope the LNER were different.
Very pleased to read that Peter Wood is progressing the Gresley bogie with MEL G3S members saw a photo in the Newsletter of the assembled laser cut parts about three years ago, since which nothing seems to have happened. That too looked very nice and hopefully goes together more easily than their wagon underframe. Didn't Ian.H have something to do with this?
Mike
GRS are producing a range of modules said to be sufficient to produce any 51ft/54ft compartment carriage.
The panelling on these is square-cornered, so it will not be too difficult make adjustments with a cut-and-shut method to compensate for odd panel sizes (e.g. where 1st class and 3rd class compartments meet). Whether the modules sizes are accurate to prototype I cannot say from the brief inspection but the finished samples certainly "look the part". The articulated "Twin" sets should be covered by the parts but not the quad and quint-art sets which had narrower compartments with no panel spacing between third class quarterlights.
John.
I also put my name down for a couple of GRS LNER coaches. It was not many weeks ago that I had a long conversation with Michael in his shop regarding future developments. I put a strong case for Gresley non-corridor stock and requested simplified ie low cost bogies. Michael must have been keeping his cards close to his chest as there was no hint of this development.
Fidelity to prototype was difficult to judge at the AGM. As John has said, cut and shut should be possible. My one venture into coach building involved using GRS L & B narrow gauge modules. The rectangular windows and beading made it very simple to create different (non-prototypical in my case) coach arrangements. Hopefully the LNER modules will have the same flexibility.
From a personal standpoint, this development looks very interesting and a welcome addition to coaching stock options.
Regards,
Roger.
:)
Me too, put my name down for 4 coach worth sets of bits. Hope we don't have to wait too long. I am not into precision but a representation of an LNER carriage with Gresley style detail. Recognisable from a distance. Life is too short for too much close up stuff. One project will be to create a diagram 50 semi corridor composite for which no modules are available on the corridor sections but which should be easy to fabricate. Another will be a brake 3rd 4 compartment coach. Plus a variation on the former with a pushpull diagram 317 Epping Ongar coach.
I don't intend to make any twin sets as this restricts train length versatility on my limited layout. Cleverly though it would be economical on bogie cost outlay.
Oh and I nearly forgot to mention a full brake to run pigeon races to outlandish locations. If I get enthusiastic with outcome and results I might attempt more. Thanks to GRS all this should now be possible.
The method of construction should make creation of coach interiors quite straightforward.
If any of you are serious about these coaches then you are recommended to request Volume one Historic railway carriages by Nick Campling before Cam shuts your local public library.
That is one thing I have never seen -a Pigeon Race release car. I remember seeing an illustration of one on the back page of my copy of "The Hotspur" which got mailed to me from the UK by my aunt.
regards
ralph
Ralph,
They are simply the Gresley passenger full brakes fitted with racks for the pigeon baskets and are externally identical to the normal parcels/newspaper PBVs.
The Gresley types came in bogie and 4-wheel versions
There are at least three of the bogie type preserved and there is a 4-wheeler on the North Norfolk Railway at Sheringham.
Regards,
John.
Better remind Pat that she's going to see a demand for scale pigeons then - lots of them!
Ted
A VERY LARGE box arrived yesterday from GRS, containing the new Gresley "All Third" carriage kit (Michael Adamson told me that the box has been designed to hold the completed carriage).
The resin castings look very clean and well-detailed, and the bogies and other parts look to be equally good, although I have not yet examined the smaller parts in any great detail.
I expect to start work on this within the next few weeks and anticipate adding at least two more from the "Pick & Mix" modules being offered (from which it should be possible to construct most diagrams of the 51ft 1.5in non-vestibuled stock).
John
Thanks for this interesting information. I would VERY strongly recommend the late Mr Edgson's 'ISINGLASS' drawings for anything LNER.
The LNER Coaches Fund on the SVR has acquired a full brake fitted for pigeon traffic and is converting it, on the strength of a planned wartime conversion, to a Brake 3rd but will be keeping the pigeon fittings in the brake for the bird - brains ! I 'think' the Gresley full brake that runs with the VSOE Pullman set was a pigeon vehicle also. Nowadays one sees juggernauts roaring alone motorways full of pigeons - 40 tons must be an awful lot of pigeons !! I can remember pigeons being released at stations in my youth. It would be quite fun to recreate this as a stunt on one of the preserved lines !
PDH
Peter,
Yes, I have obtained Isinglass drawings for three of these 51ft 1.5in carriages (also for the GNR Ivatt Class C2 /LNER C12 4-4-2T) and I agree, they contain much detail and useful information on diagram variations.
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway held a pigeon race event at Brockford a couple of years ago while the North Norfolk Railway has a Gresley 4-wheel pigeon PBV but I don't know whether they have ever held a pigeon event.
Regards,
John.
Has anyone built any of these? Quite like the idea of a full brake.
Simon,
Mine is still in the box ... just as it was received 4 years ago .... at the time I did post saying I would start on it in a couple of weeks!!
That was before "Flexikits", LNER Fish vans and other projects got in the way.
Regards,
John.
Well you have been rather busy John!
I'd just like to see how someone has got on before taking the plunge.