Plastic construction on the PDR

This is a step by step account of building a 1st/3rd/Brake coach to add to my previous coach, and developing on the experience gained from building my last one.

I started off by using the plans from the previous coach but extended and modified the
sides cut from 1.5/2mm plasticard with craft knife.

One side marked out and cut out.

 The Chassis is built up using three pieces of Plasticard cut to size and laminated together with Araldite Rapid for strength.

And now marked out for bogie pivots.

LGB single bogies are fitted in place with a bolt, spacer and washer each – The spacer is of sufficient depth to allow for some rocking to help with smooth running.

 The bogie bearings are drilled out to accept heavy steel wheels, again to help with smooth running and reduced drag.

 The “I” cross section pieces are added for extra rigidity, They are attached using Plastic Weld very easy to use and dries very quickly.

Chassis with Bogies in place.

 An underside view.

The LGB couplers are removed and bogies reversed. Elastic bands help to prevent excessive swing.

The Guards duckets are now cut out and assembled.

and then plastic welded in place on sides and scored for wood planking effect.

I gave up trying to bend plastic to the right shape for a roof and bought one from GRS and then cut it down to size to fit my coach.

These are the End pieces cut out and scored to create a wood look.

The Shell is now assembled using “L” cross section plastic and Plastic weld.

The Shell complete and fitted on to chassis.

The Roof strengthening and locating parts added to help with fitting.

 Here is a picture of the Assembly so far with framing detail having been added.

 The Dummy axle box and spring assemblies which are basic as not much will show once coach is fully built.

 The side runners and angle brackets welded on.

 And coach with runners attached.

 And here is a side view.

 The lamp bracket and headstock details and beam made with very thin plasticard. The “rivets” are made by pushing a small phillips screwdriver head into rear surface.
Accucraft chopper couplings are located in drilled holes.

This is the other end with steps fashioned from angle plastic and “coachbolt” heads on brackets
headstock and coupler as above.

Here is the model now Painted.

This is the opposite view.

A picture of coach with brasswork attached, roof painted, ventilators from GRS fitted, in a train behind an earlier coach i built.

The glazing is perspex from an old recycled A4 instruction manual cover. It is attached using
double sided sticky tape (avoids sticky mess on visible part of window).
The holes are for where the brasswork projects internally to aid location.

 Here is the glazing applied to internal surface.
See the hole at apex of end section of shell, this is for the hex head bolt at each end to secure the roof.

I drilled holes in the lugs as shown in roof construction picture earlier in article.

This is an external view showing glazing in situ and the external detail parts.

And to finish off here is a view of the other side and end.

And that's how i scratch built my very own wagon for my railway.

I hope this article helps inspire others to have ago and build something on their railway, its never as hard as you think.

I can always be found on the G Scale Mad Forum if you want to find out more about this wagon or my railway.

GSM forum member - owlpool