Wanting a bit more variety in N gauge SR coaching stock, especially after the release of Dapol's Maunsell coaches I decided to have a go at a bit of coach hacking, the pics below are part of a progress report. I started with one of the Farish "main line" coaches which do have some similarities to Maunsell coaches; to make things closer to Maunsells I chose to use an Ultima roof which comes with a matching end to suit the different profile, I will also be fitting N gauge Society SR 8' bogies . I wanted a 3rd open to start with, the recessed doors meant putting it to the knife, or razor saw in this case, saw off the width of a door and the end, note also the gap where  the compartment windows and compartment dividers have been cut away.



Doors were removed from a "donor" coach glued in place and some filler spread around to cover any gaps, (pic taken while filler was setting



Meanwhile on the computer a 4mm drawing of a 3rd open was scanned, resized and then coloured, first sampled the colour from a pic of a Maunsell green coach, the lining started as yellow rectangles drawn using the draw tool in my photo editing software, for the rounded corners  I drew a small circle, then copied  quarter segments and pasted where needed. Added text, did a few test prints to check size and colour match with a Dapol coach, then printed to self adhesive label stock (I also prepared other running numbers, and a few other Maunsell coaches for future projects - restaurant, sets 179 and 180, and spares of most running numbers) I can get 14 coaches on an A4 sheet



Trial assembly, roof not yet fixed, awaiting interior, need to go over the white edges on the overlay which also looks like it needs a bit of adhesive here and there, whiten the bog windows, need to mount the other  NGS bogie, paint the ends. I'd also like to improve the door recessing



Here posed with a Dapol Maunsell


I think once I've sorted the mentioned flaws, it should fit in with a rake of Dapol coaches (at least from normal viewing distances!)

That looks really good, Mike.

I think you must have better eyes than mine to get such results in N scale!

:thumbs  :cheers

When the widows have been cut out on the overlays, before I take the backing paper off I take a felt tip to go over the white edges, same as I would with a card building, I work from the back so any excursions the felt tip takes from the "aiming point" don't show on the viewed side. The seating inserts  have been cut from MkIII 2nd class inserts from BR lines (GF0004), 1st class seats are further apart so the backs show through some of the windows, the MKII were 1 bay shorter. I had to cut the ends off as the taller pieces covered the end window and were also too wide at the recessed doors




Nearly done, I note one white edge escaped me, it also looks as though it rides a bit high, probably have to attack the bogie mounting. The tables in each bay are just visible, if I remember rightly the tables in those days were detachable, and usually most of them left stacked at the ends, obviously this one will have to be marshalled next to the restaurant car.


I've also got high window 6 compartment 3rd brake and Brake compo on the bench from kits, cutting out compartment windows is NOT fun!

You have done a good job there Mike,i have the oo gauge ones and always look good on my or the clubs layouts.Piran