On several previous occasions I have suggested possible carriage projects to fill the huge gap in G3 for both RTR and kits.
There have been vague expressions of interest in the past but nothing sufficiently "concrete" to set anything in motion.
I will have more than enough locos and freight stock when my current building programme is completed (at least 17 locos and around 100 wagons) but have only a GWR "B set" (yet to be painted), an unstarted LNER Gresley "all third" GRS kit plus Wisbech & Upwell tramcars (two GRS kit-built bogie cars plus homecast parts for some 4-wheelers).
I need both LMS and LNER compartment and vestibule/open/corridor stock in quantity.
Current thinking is as follows:-
a) LMS steel-panelled stock built from punched aluminium sides/ends.
b) MR panelled stock from resin castings
c) GNR panelled 6-wheel (and articulated rebuild) stock from resin castings
d) LNER Standard Gresley stock from resin castings
The most expensive items required to produce the aluminium sides would be the punches, in a selection of standard sizes, to match the various LMS window types.
For the panelled stock, I am mulling-over the idea of using a "Silver Bullet" die cutter (cost around 650GBP) to cut out the patterns from which to make the moulds for resin casting.
http://silverbulletcutters.com/specifications/The "Silver Bullet" packs a punch of 1250gm which is far more powerful than earlier types of craft cutter. It is capable of cutting thin chipboard and some plastics, so a lamination of 4 thicknessses could produce a pattern for a panelled coach. The machine can also engrave and emboss, so would also come in useful for the louvres , etc. in LMS 10000, a projected low-cost kit/RTR loco and next "step up" from the Sentinel loco.
While on the subject of coaches, a note I received today from Roger at Walsall says they are working on Mk.1 brake end coaches.....so that is good news for all those with Kingscale Britannias currently trailing a string of all-thirds!
John.
