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GRS Wisbech coach

Started by Peckett, Jan 12 2016 13:40

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Peckett

Ladies and Gents

Just about to start the Wisbech coach kit. The purists will probably have fit but i'm planning on getting it as close as possible to the one used in the Titfield Thunderbolt. Has anyone completed one of the kits and if so any helpful tips you can offer?

Thanks in advance

Adam

John Candy

Adam,

There are a few modifications which you can make to the body mouldings....if you are worried about accuracy to prototype (the body panels are not quite correct)..... but the main problem areas is the bogies which are structurally very weak. They will distort and even break at the slightest provocation (even a derailment can do it).

I have never run mine, but left standing on a section of track in a cupboard for a year or two, I had not noticed that one bogie was not onn the track correctly. When removed, the whitemetal bogie was bent and the joints fractured when I tried to straighten it......AND I had, when I built it, soldered additional cross member/spacers to each end.

It is a poor design and needs considerable reinforcement.
When I get around to it, I shall rebuild all the bogies with considerable plate brass reinforcement.

Any further questions, just ask.

Regards,
John

P.S. The buffers are also "dire" but you just have to live with that!
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

Jon Nazareth

Adam/John

Can you tell me, please, which kit is this and who is the supplier?

Jon

John Candy

Jon,

It is the GRS kit for the Wisbech & Upwell (G.E.R.) Tramway.
There were two bogie tramcars (Nos. 7 & 8 ) and six 4-wheel tramcars (No.s 1 to 6) which were hauled by GER tram locos. (LNER classes Y6 and J70).

Passenger services ceased in 1927 and the tramcars were sent to the Kelvedon & Tollesbury Light Railway (also GER/LNER owned) where they were used until that line closed in 1951.

One of the two cars was then changed internally and used in the film "Titfield Thunderbolt".

One car was destined to be preserved but was severely damaged in a shunting accident at Stratford Works and scrapped, the other ended up as a grounded body in private hands and has since been restored and is now running on the North Norfolk Railway.

John
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

Jon Nazareth

John

I did look at the GRS site but couldn't find them.  Are they still about?  The coaches, that is.

Jon

John Candy

Jon,

Just looked at GRS site and they appear to have "trimmed" the G3 range considerably, I could not find the W&U coach BUT it is still listed as a G45 item. The body moulding is the same as the G3/G64 but it has 45mm gauge bogies and no buffers or draw hooks.

John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

Jon Nazareth

John

I may have got my wires crossed but is this coach the yellow one that was 'Dan's' home sans wheels?  The body of which ended up on the machinery truck.

Jon

Jon Nazareth

John

Don't worry, I've sorted it out and it's not Dan's home.

Jon

Geoff Nicholls

Jon,
If you're actually thinking of the three compartment first, with the curved windows, and you decide to build it yourself, there might be several others interested in it as well. Perhaps It could be built as a resin kit?
I'm part way through drawing up replacement springs/axlebox printing patterns  for my Wappenham coach, which might be suitable.
Geoff.

hornbeam

Since the web site re-launch GRS haven't listed everything that's available, and some kits have only appeared on the site when they have done a new batch. They are still listed in the new paper Gauge 3 catalogue so I'm sure they are available just may not be in stock.

Jon Nazareth

Geoff

Yes, that's the one but, I have so much on at the moment that I was hoping for an 'instant' coach to save me the trouble of scratchbuilding.  I've just started building a C1870 LBSCR goods brake van so, that will keep me busy for a while.

Jon

Peckett

John

Thanks very much for the advice. I've not started the kit yet or even had it all out the box as i'm just finishing off a few diy jobs round the house first.

As a fairly novice builder would people be interest in a diary of how the project goes when i get started on it?

Adam