Stock for Buchan

[James S]

Along with building Buchan (as chronicled in another thread) - which is a big experiment for me being my first 009 layout and the first in any scale that has ever got to the actual modelling stage - I have also been trying my hand at some stock/loco kits. This is another first for me - prior to moving into narrow gauge all my previous 00 stock has been RtR.

First up I've built a Dundas Freelance 4 wheel coach. This is obviously a very simple kit and has gone together pretty well. There have been a few lessons learned in the painting process. But overall I'm pleased.

Building stock has necessitated entering the complex world of couplings. After lots of reading I settled on Greenwich. These are fiddly, esp. as my long nose pliers are a bit bent and battered (I need to get some proper modelling ones), however the completed coupling (only one so far!) works and I've successfully installed a magnet in the station and run round a train without 12" : 1' fingers getting involved!

Some questions for the assembled company...

1 - The coupling protrudes a long way - should I have mounted it closer to the buffer beam?

2 - Can anyone suggest what further details one can add to such coaches?

3 - I gave the coach a spray of matt varnish. Just wondering whether gloss would have been better?





One picture on the layout...

[JulienW]

1 - The coupling protrudes a long way - should I have mounted it closer to the buffer beam?

You could do, but then you may get issues with there not being enough room for the coupling loop to lift up, and if the rail vehicles get too close together then the corners may clash on sharp corners.

To be honest what you have done looks about right, though you may want to check the height between the flat top of the coupling buffer (not the pin) and the rail head. Surprisingly There isn't a set standard for 009 though gauges are available (there is the etched one sold as part of the Greenwich system and RT Models do a nice cast resin gauge, both set the height at about 6 mm from memory), but it will pay dividends to have all your couplings at the same height.

2 - Can anyone suggest what further details one can add to such coaches?

You could pick out the coach door handles (knobs?) with some brass paint, and if you really want to go to town on these then I've used brass lace making pins that I've filed to a T shape (but that does involve cutting the moulded ones off, snd as you've got a nice paint finish you may not want to do that).

You could also add some grab handles just to the right of the "doorknobs" made from fine brass wire (the finer the better) fitted into holes drilled into the side of the coach (but again my comments about not damaging the paint apply).

Have you put any passengers in?

3 - I gave the coach a spray of matt varnish. Just wondering whether gloss would have been better?

That's a difficult one.

Most full size stock would be painted gloss, but on a model having a high-gloss finish can make it look a little 'toy like' as the reflections from the paint surface do not scale. One way to show this to yourself is to look at some cars - close too you'll see the reflections from the painted surface, but from 100 feet away (about 10" in 4 mm scale) these cant be seen, and the car looks satin especially if clean, less so if it could do with a wash.

I'd suggest that for a clean / freshly painted item of passenger stock you'd be wanting to use a satin varnish, steadily getting duller with the varnish as the paint finished being represented gets older.

[clayliner]

Just a few random thoughts from a non-expert -

I can't see from the photos if the windows are glazed, but if not they can easily be (ideally before fixing the roof!) Seats and passengers (some n-g lines had them - passengers, that is - many years ago) are other possibilities. I'd avoid gloss finishes like the plague for the reasons Julien gives, but a little subtle weathering might be good.

Pleased to see this is progressing!

David.

[Hugh Norwood]

You could think about weathering (this from someone who hasn't weathered his rolling stock!)

Also (others can confirm or otherwise) how about an oil lamp top in the roof?

I like the colour scheme, BTW

[paul ludlow]

I weathered the roofs & underframes on my coaches as they would quickly become dirty with soot & ash from the steam locos & rain etc. But I left the body sides clean, assuming the staff still had some pride in their appearance.

[James S]

Thanks all for your input, much appreciated.

The windows are glazed and there are passengers, although not that visible in the photos. The door handles have also been done in gold paint, but again not showing very well in the photos - perhaps needs touching up.

Really interesting on the issue with gloss varnish, I'd not thought of it like that.

Weathering - yes, that is an idea. I will have a go...

I weathered the roofs & underframes on my coaches as they would quickly become dirty with soot & ash from the steam locos & rain etc. But I left the body sides clean, assuming the staff still had some pride in their appearance.

Paul - do you have any photos?

To be honest what you have done looks about right, though you may want to check the height between the flat top of the coupling buffer (not the pin) and the rail head. Surprisingly There isn't a set standard for 009 though gauges are available (there is the etched one sold as part of the Greenwich system and RT Models do a nice cast resin gauge, both set the height at about 6 mm from memory), but it will pay dividends to have all your couplings at the same height.

Yes, I have the Greenwich gauge. I had to cut a notch in the buffer beam to get it the right height. Seems to work ok.

I like the colour scheme, BTW

Thanks! :D

[Stephen Rainsbury]

Some lettering might be worth considering, maybe big numbers for the class or some smaller stuff like stock numbers and weight (or is that just wagons?)

Something like this (these are not mine BTW)

[paul ludlow]

Sorry no photos of my carriages, but if you search u-tube for my short videos "Somewhere in Kent 1950s" you can see my L&B & GVT coaches passing the camera with their dirty roofs. 🙂