NSR 4wheel Composite body - 4mm scale clip fit Hornby Airfix Dapol chassis

Description

North Staffordshire Railway 4 wheel early 1880s Composite body in 4mm scale, designed to print in Gray Resin. All the detail is scaled precisely from drawings, photographs, and the remains of a similar carriage recovered in 2014 for restoration as part of the Knotty Heritage Train (http://www.knottycoachtrust.org.uk/). However it scales as 24 feet long whereas the original was about 25 feet, this is so it fits a readily available 00 chassis. There were some slight variants in the compartment sizes, this model shows two first class compartments in the middle and two thirds (ex seconds) at the outer ends.

It is a clip fit to a GWR Toad Brake Van chassis (not supplied) manufactured by Airfix, Dapol and latterly Hornby, of which examples are widely available secondhand or the underframe moulding can be purchased as a spare. This proprietary chassis has the correct wheelbase, buffers and lower steps. Upper steps will need to be added. Although the wheel diameter, W irons and springs will not look NSR, it does make a very quick and easy unusual carriage. 

For the interior seating a separate 3D print is available to fit neatly inside. To finish the model will require a cleaning and degrease (ultrasonic cleaner recommended) a light sanding of the roof on very flat, very fine wet-and-dry paper, and the fitting of glazing after painting. The body will need door handles, grab handles and curved end handrails adding as these are not moulded on. The end steps could be thinned down slightly with a file as they have to be 1mm thick to print.

Livery was originally the very attractive NSR Victoria Brown with white panels, later changed to NSR Madder Lake (similar to MR/LMS crimson lake). Suitable numbers for this carriage are 250, 251, 253, 255, 257-60, built in 1879 and 1880, some of which became LMS 014729, 014733, 014741 (duplicate list numbers prefixed 0). A few of these carriages survived into LMS days in the early 1920s on workmen's trains, but most were withdrawn before 1910. Number 259 was sold to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway and survived into the 1930s, long enough to be photographed and measured.