Scratch building Henrietta TTTE / GER Wisbech and Upwell Tramway 4-wheel coach

AusrailQLD

AusrailQLD

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Since Bachmann haven't produced a Henrietta in the Large Scale Thomas line.
I've basically decided to try and make one myself.

20210624_121240.jpg

So far I've only printed one end. (wasn't 100% sure my measurements were correct, so I test printed)


20210624_121302_henrietta.jpg
Test image of hopefully what it will look like when I get the other end made.

Since I've never had experience with repainted or cutting the Annie/Clarabel body.
If I can get any advice on painting the middle part.
I'm guessing I need to sand for the primer to stick?

And how to safely remove the windows.
As I really want to reuse the acrylic?
And maybe the plastic tabs that hold them into place.
 
Sorry I can't actually help with your enquiries, but the build looks good, I'm looking forward to the finished model
 
AusrailQLD said:
Since Bachmann haven't produced a Henrietta in the Large Scale Thomas line.
I've basically decided to try and make one myself.

View attachment 286762

So far I've only printed one end. (wasn't 100% sure my measurements were correct, so I test printed)


View attachment 286763
Test image of hopefully what it will look like when I get the other end made.

Since I've never had experience with repainted or cutting the Annie/Clarabel body.
If I can get any advice on painting the middle part.
I'm guessing I need to sand for the primer to stick?

And how to safely remove the windows.
As I really want to reuse the acrylic?
And maybe the plastic tabs that hold them into place.
Click to expand...
No need to sand the body, just use a good quality acrylic primer spray. But certainly a good wash to remove any grease. In UK I would use a Halfords one and Halfords car colours for the final coat. What colour is generally the tricky one to find but some sort of brown would be appropriate, for my use I would use a Red Primer as the finish coat as this is a Bauxite Brown colour in UK. As for removing the windows, this can often be a trick process, one that I will need to replicate as I have 2 Hernieta bodies about to wing my way. By the looks of what you have done one may well get a WandU look to it, but I will need to loose the door engraving somehow and scratch build the ends.
 
AusrailQLD said:
Since Bachmann haven't produced a Henrietta in the Large Scale Thomas line.
I've basically decided to try and make one myself.

View attachment 286762

So far I've only printed one end. (wasn't 100% sure my measurements were correct, so I test printed)


View attachment 286763
Test image of hopefully what it will look like when I get the other end made.

Since I've never had experience with repainted or cutting the Annie/Clarabel body.
If I can get any advice on painting the middle part.
I'm guessing I need to sand for the primer to stick?

And how to safely remove the windows.
As I really want to reuse the acrylic?
And maybe the plastic tabs that hold them into place.
Click to expand...
I tend to use etching primer on every surface - it's really only intended to etch on metal surfaces, but it seems to work well, although a tad more expensive than other rattle can primers.
 
dunnyrail said:
No need to sand the body, just use a good quality acrylic primer spray. But certainly a good wash to remove any grease. In UK I would use a Halfords one and Halfords car colours for the final coat. What colour is generally the tricky one to find but some sort of brown would be appropriate, for my use I would use a Red Primer as the finish coat as this is a Bauxite Brown colour in UK. As for removing the windows, this can often be a trick process, one that I will need to replicate as I have 2 Hernieta bodies about to wing my way. By the looks of what you have done one may well get a WandU look to it, but I will need to loose the door engraving somehow and scratch build the ends.
Click to expand...
I'm somehow going to try and gently cut off the door handles, drill out more windows and such. :-)
This is more of a temporary solution until bachmann make a official one.

My silly reasoning of using an Annie/Clarabel coach is that the original Henrietta for TV was made with similar parts, and though it might work.
 
The 1:1 scale coaches that ran behind the real Toby locos on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway, were a mixture of 4-w and bogie stock ;)
 
AusrailQLD said:
Since Bachmann haven't produced a Henrietta in the Large Scale Thomas line.
I've basically decided to try and make one myself.

View attachment 286762

So far I've only printed one end. (wasn't 100% sure my measurements were correct, so I test printed)


View attachment 286763
Test image of hopefully what it will look like when I get the other end made.

Since I've never had experience with repainted or cutting the Annie/Clarabel body.
If I can get any advice on painting the middle part.
I'm guessing I need to sand for the primer to stick?

And how to safely remove the windows.
As I really want to reuse the acrylic?
And maybe the plastic tabs that hold them into place.
Click to expand...
Some really nice work you have done there. Do you have a picture to show how the windows a held in place ? if glued I find an Xacto broad chisel blade inserted between bonded parts can be useful for easing the bonds apart without shattering the clear plastic.

I always use plastic primer on plastic, etch primers are not formulated for use other than on the metals they are specified for. This can be problematic with some plastics and as the the two materials you are coating could be different then this may only exacerbate the issue.

I used to have GRS's G3 (64 mm gauge/1;22.5 scale) W&U resin bogie coaches. they repurposed them as a kit with 45 mm or 32 mm wheelsets. Really looked the part on a narrow gauge set up. Sadly no longer made but they do show up from time to time on the usual auction and 16 m NGM/G3 society sales sites.

lady anne loco and train 013.JPG
 
Small update on the project.

I've dremeled the ends and did a proper test fit.
And so far so good, but I really should have bought a hobby saw for a cleaner cut.
20210701_151942.jpg20210701_151950.jpg
Still need to drill out the extra windows, and sand away the door handles and such.
and some new clear plastic for some of the windows. (too much glue stains)

Currently now have to wait for the other balcony end to arrives from shipping.
Which will take about 3 weeks.

To those who wonder about her height compared to Toby, it's surprisingly very close to the original.
1000




Oh, does anyone need a Annie Shortie?
20210701_152511.jpg
 
Last edited:
This is my laser cut W&U coach I recently designed and built. It's the non bogie coach length, but as my layout features 2'6" radius curves, it runs on bogies. Detail is 3d printed with welding wire for rails etc.

if anyone would like a set of parts, open to offers around £60 to cover materials. You would need to source wheels and bogies on top of this cost. I used the North Pilton Works bogie kits as it was as cheap as buying the GRS wheels on their own!!20210601_143632.jpg20210601_143520.jpg
 
One coach survived and was restored on a new chassis at the North Norfolk Railway, also, have you seen the Ealing film "The Titfield Thunderbolt", some good views of a coach, warning you may want to fit a bar to your coach afterwards :D
 
Finally the 2nd Balcony end and steps have arrived from Shapeways.
So we now have a more complete looking Henrietta.

20210728_135922.jpg 20210728_135936.jpg

Still need to prime and paint, but we are half way there.
 
I always use a selection of different sharp knifes to clean off bits n bobs I don't like such as door handles where they shouldn't be, the flat end blade is also useful just to scratch a surface rather than cutting, with the wide flat ended blade it means what I'm cleaning off is the same level as adjacent material.

I have to say if that were my coach I wouldn't be waiting on anyone to bring out a Henrietta coach, very nice.

David
 
I think that certainly captures the essence of the coach from the books, although perhaps not the real prototype.

An excellent finish and it looks great running behind Toby!
 
AusrailQLD said:
Small update on the project.

I've dremeled the ends and did a proper test fit.
And so far so good, but I really should have bought a hobby saw for a cleaner cut.
View attachment 287143View attachment 287144
Still need to drill out the extra windows, and sand away the door handles and such.
and some new clear plastic for some of the windows. (too much glue stains)

Currently now have to wait for the other balcony end to arrives from shipping.
Which will take about 3 weeks.

To those who wonder about her height compared to Toby, it's surprisingly very close to the original.




Oh, does anyone need a Annie Shortie?
View attachment 287145
Click to expand...
If the compartment and a half are still available I’d be interested
I’m thinking of making a couple of bogie coaches based on those that ran on the Isle of Wight
 
Just a thought though the postage/distance will be a problem
Hope someone more local/Southern Hemisphere might be interested!
 
3 minutes of fame said:
I think that certainly captures the essence of the coach from the books, although perhaps not the real prototype.

An excellent finish and it looks great running behind Toby!
Click to expand...
I mostly loosely based it off what the TV show used to make their version of Henrietta. :-)
One day I'll have to fix up the roof.
But for now, I'm happy with what I've achieved.
 
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