Coaches

Updated - 8 April 2020

As explained before, I planned to buy RTR rolling stock so as not to detract too much from my 3mm and 7mm projects. So I have bought the following Accucraft coaches:

One Brake Composite (6993)

Two 3^rd Class Compartment (2469-72)

Two 3^rd Class Centre Observation (2465-8)

One Composite (6364-5)

Unfortunately Accucraft do not produce the saloon brakes which are so common in photos of L&B trains.

I have started to improve these coaches taking for inspiration the article by John Ely in 16mm Today Issue 171 May 2019 which is the Journal of the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers.

I had a particular problem with the couplings. It was very difficult to maintain the correct height as supplied. I don't have a problem with tight curves so I have fixed them directly to the headstock as John Ely had done. However I don't intend to reduce the height of the coaches so I fixed them in line with the top of the headstock.

The bogie on the left is as supplied. On the right are the coupling components. The hooks have been removed from the couplings which face Barnstaple as on the prototype. The bar fixing is removed and two 2mm diameter holes drilled in the headstock 8mm up from the bottom and 7mm apart. The coupling is secured with two 10BA bolts.

The coach on the left is as supplied. On the right the coupling is fixed directly to the headstock.