Motorised Carriage

[D605Eagle]

How do you fancy a motorised carriage, with windows at the end? Heljan and Rails are making a model of an NER Petrol Electric Railcar. £200 they are 'avin a larf! The advert says pre book is highly recommended. Yeah, like they are really going to sell out fast at that price. If they make more than 50 of them they will be in trouble. Funny how Hattons can make a far more complicated crane for almost a 1/3 of the price.

[Bufferstop]

It would make an excellent project, no complicated shapes, engine/gaurds compartment so a rescued ringfield bogie could be used to power it, maximum tail load one single coach. Simple colour scheme.
Someone think of a problem quick before I start looking for materials.

[D605Eagle]

Can you get plasticard sheeting embossed with planks? If so the sides should be relatively easy to make overlaying an existing coach

[Bigmet]

It would make an excellent project...Someone think of a problem quick before I start looking for materials.

Problems it is you want?
Is there a drawing available?
Acres of glazing and what appear to be see through interiors throughout, with a very large open central saloon.
There are few - two? - partitions for simple full height internal bracing of the model's body.
Partially glazed clerestory.

For sure it is an excellent DIY project. Design effort will be required to make a practical build of a robust model.

[Bufferstop]

Drawings I have, took just one Google image search. They are copyright but available for private use. With that many windows, starting with a perspex box would probably the way to do it. Yes you can get "matchboard" plasticard, I can even produce my own using the Cameo Cutter.
Now just stop it! It's not going in the to do list..............................Yet!

[b308]

. £200 they are 'avin a larf! The advert says pre book is highly recommended. Yeah, like they are really going to sell out fast at that price. If they make more than 50 of them they will be in trouble.

You've just answered your own question there! The reason for the "high" price (is it though? plenty of other locos are equal or higher price!) is that it only has a limited market therefore normal economies of scale don't apply. Ever looked at the price of other limited run model locos?

[D605Eagle]

Drawings I have, took just one Google image search. They are copyright but available for private use. With that many windows, starting with a perspex box would probably the way to do it. Yes you can get "matchboard" plasticard, I can even produce my own using the Cameo Cutter.
Now just stop it! It's not going in the to do list..............................Yet!

You know you want to! I've never done scratch building before, I think this one might be tempting. However the fox bogies might prove to be a stumbling block unless something very similar is available.

[D605Eagle]

Acres of glazing and what appear to be see through interiors throughout, with a very large open central saloon.
There are few - two? - partitions for simple full height internal bracing of the model's body.
Partially glazed clerestory.

For sure it is an excellent DIY project. Design effort will be required to make a practical build of a robust model.

Could thicker glazing be used to make the structure rigid with thin outer cover for the body? Plasticard can be very thin.

[luckymucklebackit]

I have an incomplete beavertail observation car kit that would have addressed that, it is made entirely from clear plastic, it was meant to be painted with the windows left clear, never go round to building it though

Jim

[Bigmet]

...Could thicker glazing be used to make the structure rigid with thin outer cover for the body? Plasticard can be very thin.

'Bufferstop' proposed this very thing

With that many windows, starting with a perspex box would probably the way to do it...

It's a sound principle but it has to be designed for construction, as one small mistake on what should be clear glazing ruins the model. Seen that done...

[Mountain]

I often assume some models to be 0 gauge at the prices they seem to want for them. Even a few 0 gauge modellers would think twice I would imagine!