British 1:87 Scale Modelling - GNSR coach by Ken Clark and George Mitcheson

Mk1 Restaurant Miniature Buffet coach

Alan Monk's Mk1 Restaurant Miniature Buffet

By Alan Monk

Base model

Lima Mk1 coach.

Body work

Silhouette-cut side overlays in 20 thou plasticard. (The Silhouette files for this and other coaches are on the Group.io site here.) Original window apertures opened out to match the new window arrangement.

Bogies Eight sideframes from Playcraft BR1 bogies, cut and shut to make four scale 8ft 6in length sideframes. These were then used as masters for cast resin copies from a silicone mould. The bogie is an internal-bearing bogie built up from 2mm plasticard, with 2mm wide slots spaced at 27.75mm (8ft 6in with allowance for a 2mm diameter axle).

Chassis

Original Lima, with new bogie mounting plates on the bottom face.

Corridor/gangways Original Lima gangway inserts, modified: the spurious drop steps have been removed; the rivet detail has been smoothed off; replacement faceplates have been added, as have sliding internal doors (both cut in 10 thou plasticard on a Silhouette cutter, the files for which are in Groups.io).

Wheels

12mm disc wagon wheels (by, for example, Romford, Maygib, or Gibson) with the pinpoint axle ends cut off flush with the wheel face. The wheels are retained by simple keeper plates of 20 thou plasticard, which allows easy removal should it be necessary.

Buffers Original buffer heads cut off back to the main buffer shank. New oval heads cut out in 20 thou black plasticard and glued in place, representing Mk1 buffers in the 'retracted' position.

End steps All but the bottom end steps removed from the Lima ends and the surface made good.

Footboards Footboards have been added below each door, made from a 1.5mm wide strip of 20 thou black plasticard. Each single passenger door has a 12mm strip, one end level with the hinged edge of the door except where the door is at the end of the coach, in which case the footboard starts flush with the headstock. Brake end van double doors use a 17mm long strip centered on the middle of the doors, whilst the passenger+guards door combination has a 27mm strip, again centered on the two doors. The footboards are glued in place mid-way up the solebar.

Interior Playcraft Mk1 buffet counter and other interior parts cut up and re-spaced.

Roof Lima Mk1 original.

Paintwork Red primer. Maroon main coat. Satin varnish after painting, lining, and application of decals. Black solebars, underframes and bogies.

Glazing Clear plasticard cut to fit the recesses opened out for the new window arrangement, to achieve a near flush-glazed effect.

Markings

H0 decals from RailTec: lining, coach insignia, and bespoke coach numbers (the latter in straw Gill Sans).

Couplers

Kadee #153 or #158 scale-head buckeyes in #252 snap-together draft boxes. Centre of the original headstock cut away to allow mounting at the correct height. The coupler is mounted with the 'pushing' face of the Kadee a mm or so behind the buffer face.

Detailing

Microstrip hinge and handle detail.

This project is described in full in issue 78 of Satellite 1:87

British 1:87 Scale Modelling

Mk1 Restaurant Miniature Buffet coach

By Alan Monk
Base model	Lima Mk1 coach.
Body work	Silhouette-cut side overlays in 20 thou plasticard. (The Silhouette files for this and other coaches are on the Group.io site here.) Original window apertures opened out to match the new window arrangement.
Bogies	Eight sideframes from Playcraft BR1 bogies, cut and shut to make four scale 8ft 6in length sideframes. These were then used as masters for cast resin copies from a silicone mould. The bogie is an internal-bearing bogie built up from 2mm plasticard, with 2mm wide slots spaced at 27.75mm (8ft 6in with allowance for a 2mm diameter axle).
Chassis	Original Lima, with new bogie mounting plates on the bottom face.
Corridor/gangways	Original Lima gangway inserts, modified: the spurious drop steps have been removed; the rivet detail has been smoothed off; replacement faceplates have been added, as have sliding internal doors (both cut in 10 thou plasticard on a Silhouette cutter, the files for which are in Groups.io).
Wheels	12mm disc wagon wheels (by, for example, Romford, Maygib, or Gibson) with the pinpoint axle ends cut off flush with the wheel face. The wheels are retained by simple keeper plates of 20 thou plasticard, which allows easy removal should it be necessary.
Buffers	Original buffer heads cut off back to the main buffer shank. New oval heads cut out in 20 thou black plasticard and glued in place, representing Mk1 buffers in the 'retracted' position.
End steps	All but the bottom end steps removed from the Lima ends and the surface made good.
Footboards	Footboards have been added below each door, made from a 1.5mm wide strip of 20 thou black plasticard. Each single passenger door has a 12mm strip, one end level with the hinged edge of the door except where the door is at the end of the coach, in which case the footboard starts flush with the headstock. Brake end van double doors use a 17mm long strip centered on the middle of the doors, whilst the passenger+guards door combination has a 27mm strip, again centered on the two doors. The footboards are glued in place mid-way up the solebar.
Interior	Playcraft Mk1 buffet counter and other interior parts cut up and re-spaced.
Roof	Lima Mk1 original.
Paintwork	Red primer. Maroon main coat. Satin varnish after painting, lining, and application of decals. Black solebars, underframes and bogies.
Glazing	Clear plasticard cut to fit the recesses opened out for the new window arrangement, to achieve a near flush-glazed effect.
Markings	H0 decals from RailTec: lining, coach insignia, and bespoke coach numbers (the latter in straw Gill Sans).
Couplers	Kadee #153 or #158 scale-head buckeyes in #252 snap-together draft boxes. Centre of the original headstock cut away to allow mounting at the correct height. The coupler is mounted with the 'pushing' face of the Kadee a mm or so behind the buffer face.
Detailing	Microstrip hinge and handle detail.
This project is described in full in issue 78 of Satellite 1:87