My 7mm scale 1950s workbench

[Galteemore]

Thanks everyone. The gloss paint and lighting does make the roof look worse than it is, but some AK filler (have been using Humbrol which is not very fine) will help. Lessons learned for next - and final - coach: am awaiting a J4 from Worsley.

[Mayner]

23 hours ago, Northroader said:

My only bogie coach was done with a hardwood roof and the coach weighs far more than it should. Balsa sounds a sensible approach, would it have helped to face it with a few layers of paper to get a smooth run?

Anyways up, the sides look good, and the paint job is lovely. Glad to hear the bogies contributed to the success. Me, I’m sticking to four and six wheelers.

Glider tissue and model aircraft dope https://www.hobbies.co.uk/model-aircraft/aircraft-dope?srsltid=AfmBOorHFZXg02LqSNCGSOu6Y_sXSZZFPp3wtERYhPc1NJKBbtEUGQd9 worked out well for finishing balsa roofs on a pair of Worsley Works AEC railcars.

[murrayec]

10 minutes ago, Mayner said:

Glider tissue and model aircraft dope https://www.hobbies.co.uk/model-aircraft/aircraft-dope?srsltid=AfmBOorHFZXg02LqSNCGSOu6Y_sXSZZFPp3wtERYhPc1NJKBbtEUGQd9 worked out well for finishing balsa roofs on a pair of Worsley Works AEC railcars.

Model airplane stuff!

I have used model airplane construction method in polystyrene to build coach roofs;-

This was for a Tin Van.

It would also work with balsa wood.

Eoin

[Patrick Davey]

Mega work David - how have I missed this! No. 74 is a favourite of mine, as she seems to have been caught by the photographers of the time on a good few occasions.  She looks great with the crew!

[Mayner]

On 3/9/2025 at 11:26 PM, murrayec said:

Model airplane stuff!

I have used model airplane construction method in polystyrene to build coach roofs;-

This was for a Tin Van.

It would also work with balsa wood.

Eoin

Less sophisticated that Eoin railcar roof formed from a balsawood block carved and sanded to shap then covered in aircraft tissue then coated in dope, roof panel joints formed with HMRS lining strip. Roof is grimy from 15+ years storage in a display case!

 

[Galteemore]

That’s great John. Looks very well and has lasted ! What’s your method @murrayec? Remedial work has taken place on my coach and it looks much better now ! 

[murrayec]

5 hours ago, Galteemore said:

....... What’s your method @murrayec?.........

@Galteemore my method;-

The polystyrene .5mm ribs are cut out on the Silhouette Cameo cutting machine from a cad drawing, the two outer spars are quadrant shape to give the curve edge on the roof.

These are the parts for two vans, cut out and cleaned up.

The spars n ribs are glued up- like building a model wing, the ribs are notched to take the spars, and the ribs have a down-stand that notches inside of the coach sides to fix the roof on- one can see this on the bottom photo.

The roof covering sheet is cut from .3mm styrene sheet, which is also scored to give the ribbing trim detail on the roof. The roof sheet is stuck down to the central spar first and left to fully dry.

 

Then the edges are turned down over the quadrant, clamped in place and glued. One has to be careful not to use too much glue, too much will melt the styrene roof sheet- it happened on my first attempt!

Thats basically it.

I built 4 of these tin vans for a client, unfortunately these are the only photos I have of the build, I reckon this was around the time my phone died, followed by the computer back in 2017!!

I did make two for myself but never finished them- as John Mayne did another run of his lovely kits, which I bought 2 of- yet to be built......

Eoin

 

[Galteemore]

2 minutes ago, murrayec said:

@Galteemore my method;-

The polystyrene .5mm ribs are cut out on the Silhouette Cameo cutting machine from a cad drawing, the two outer spars are quadrant shape to give the curve edge on the roof.

These are the parts for two vans, cut out and cleaned up.

The spars n ribs are glued up- like building a model wing, the ribs are notched to take the spars, and the ribs have a down-stand that notches inside of the coach sides to fix the roof on- one can see this on the bottom photo.

The roof covering sheet is cut from .3mm styrene sheet, which is also scored to give the ribbing trim detail on the roof. The roof sheet is stuck down to the central spar first and left to fully dry.

 

Then the edges are turned down over the quadrant, clamped in place and glued. One has to be careful not to use too much glue, too much will melt the styrene roof sheet- it happened on my first attempt!

Thats basically it.

I built 4 of these tin vans for a client, unfortunately these are the only photos I have of the build, I reckon this was around the time my phone died, followed by the computer back in 2017!!

I did make two for myself but never finished them- as John Mayne did another run of his lovely kits, which I bought 2 of- yet to be built......

Eoin

 

Thanks Eoin - that’s brilliant. Perhaps I can try to copy the method even without a cameo cutter!

[leslie10646]

On 1/9/2025 at 9:10 PM, Galteemore said:

That’s my biggest ever piece of rolling stock more or less done. Thanks to @Paul 34Ffor significant information input, and @Northroader for the correct bogie sides, which I have squeezed out to 36.75.  Very unusual coach, with both compartments and open sections. As with all my models, I’m quite disappointed with it in many ways but nor is it a complete failure, I suppose. Roof looks better in real life and a little more filler some weathering will smooth things out. The roof was horrible to do - a high arch - so ended up making a balsa layer structure and then sanding to shape.
Corridor connections are temporary until I can get the correct ones sorted. Should look ok with the PP….shout out to @Mol_PMB and @Maynerfor construction advice.

Wonderful coach, David and especially impressed with the passengers. However  (and this is a wind-up) .......

The "timer", clearer holding a stopwatch and standing as timers did in the First Class corridor, would have stood a bit further down the corridor to get a clearer view of the mileposts as they whizzed by.

Mind you he might have been avoiding the temptation to chat up the attractive lass standing a bi further along?

[Galteemore]

9 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Wonderful coach, David and especially impressed with the passengers. However  (and this is a wind-up) .......

The "timer", clearer holding a stopwatch and standing as timers did in the First Class corridor, would have stood a bit further down the corridor to get a clearer view of the mileposts as they whizzed by.

Mind you he might have been avoiding the temptation to chat up the attractive lass standing a bi further along?

I thought he was queuing for the 1st class WC after too many pints in the buffet car! In reality the corridor passengers are in place to distract attention from some glazing glue that went the wrong way ! 

Edited September 6 by Galteemore