Model Engine Works: 009 Tram Coach

Additional notes added August 2019

This is a small tram-style coach based on the Clogher Valley Railways coaches but without the clerestory roof.

The original Clogher Valley coaches were built in 1886 by The Metropolitan Railway Carriage and Wagon Co of Birmingham. There were 13 passenger coaches in total, numbers 7-9 bogie 1^st class which were shorter than the others, 10 & 11 bogie 1^st / 3^rd composite, 12 – 19 bogie 3^rd. All the coaches had balconies at each end, which supported the overhanging clerestory style roof. Communication between each coach was possible across metal fall-plates which covered the buffer-couplings. The carriages were innovative in using exhaust steam to provide heat to their passengers, at a time when the best most people could expect in winter was a warming pan. The coaches remained in service till the lines closure on New Year’s Day 1942.

The print configuration in two halves cuts down the amount of support material by a considerable amount and therefore the cost. It still allows for the fitting of internal details and glazing before the coach is assembled. It is also much easier to add details such as the etched mesh to the balcony end frames from the inside before they are added to the main coachwork.

Because of the detailed panel-work on these coaches they are only available to print in Frosted Ultra Detail, this does mean that the balcony end frames are quite delicate and I have found that they may warp in transit. Fixing them into position on the model does push them back into their correct shape, but be gentle as this is done.

I have found it a good move to keep all of the print in one piece while you remove the waxy residue, wash and prime the print. I used a mid-grey spray primer and, once dry, the etched mesh was added to the balcony ends. I had a small diamond etch that I had bought at a local railway exhibition, which I cut down to suit the small end frames at each side of the balconies. These were fixed on the inside of the balcony using Cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). A final coat of primer was sprayed over the whole print and allowed to dry.

I decided to use a pair of Kato 11-099 bogies on this coach as they have an offset pivot, are small well engineered and have a free running wheel sets. The offset pivot on the bogie was particularly useful as it allowed the pivot on the floor of the coach to be close to the balcony steps without the bogie being restricted by them. This does mean that they are the wrong way round, the couplings facing inward, and should be removed. I felt that this would not be of any detriment as the coach itself is short, and normal fixed coupling should cope on restricted curves. I did find that the pivot formed by the printer can vary in the thickness. This stops the free movement of the bogie from side to side. I used a small flat file to dress off some access material at the base of the pivot on the coach, which will allow the pivot clips on the bogie to engage on the inside of the pivot hole on the bottom of the coach and allow it to turn freely.

My choice of finish was a Revel oil based paint ref SM 331 thinned slightly and I applied two coats of this to the sides, ends and the balcony ends. The frames and steps had a coat of dark grey Revel mat 9, the fall plates were a mix of the matt 9 and a silver to create a dark gunmetal finish. A wood colour mix was used on the balcony floors, and on the roof I used a Revel light grey matt 43 and white 5 mix. I left the inside of the coach in the light grey primer finish as this is pretty neutral.

After the painting was completed, the glazing could be added with a sheet of clear acetate cut to suit the side windows, then glued in place with Cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). I found it simplest to position the glazing panels and then drop some glue on the edges, this would then run under the acetate and fix it in place. Apply a little light pressure while the glue is going off.

When you are assembling the coach the central roof joint will be the most obvious and this can be tackled in a few ways. One is to fill the joint after fixing the coach together and painting over the joint. Another method is to use a single lamination of toilet tissue paper to represent a felt roof covering: fill the roof joint, apply glue over the whole roof, then add the paper from the centre line letting the glue soak in as it is applied. Once the result has dried this can be painted, possibly in a dark grey to mimic the felt colour. The two roof ventilators are then added and finished in with the roof colouring.

Numbers were added to each side of this particular coach. The central panel was used to display the number 10, the three panels under the windows being a good area to display numbering or lettering. Any style of around 1 to 2mm size will look fine. I used the Fox Transfers FG1003 - Alphabet in white - Franklin Heavy, 2mm & 1mm which give a nice bold graphic.

Once fully assembled – couplings added, glazing and painting fully completed- a coat of thinned matt or satin varnish was applied to all painted areas of the model. This helps to fix the transfers and pull the whole finish together. It is a bit of a personal choice, but I do like to add a measure of weathering to the final model. It removes that out- of- the box look. To do this I use artist’s oil pastels which have been made into a powder form. Black, burnt senna (earth/mid brown), light red and orange are the main colour pallet that I use. It is also quite easy to mix these to create other shades. They are dusted on the model with a number 6 size paint brush that is kept specifically for this job. If you don’t like what you have done it can be cleaned off again, which is what I like about using oil pastel dust to do the weathering.

If you would like a copy of this model visit Model Engine Works at:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/ECHU7ML6T/009-tram-style-coach

Additional notes added August 2019

Further variants of this style of coach are available from the Model Engine Works Shop on Shapeways. Both are slightly smaller and more economical to build. One comes with a clerestory roof like the original Clogher Valley coaches. The other has no roof printed, allowing you to supply your own. They both have window openers which can be positioned as you require. Roof vents are also supplied to add the finishing touch to the roof.

Further items will be need to complete the models, these include wagon chassis such as the Peco N" gauge chassis kits (Ref NR122 0r NR123) from Dundas Models. A set of couplings and acetate or clear Plasticard for glazing the windows.