Drawings of rolling stock

Lester,

This would probably be a useful starting point;

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TA If I decide I need a bit more detail that is a useful link. I'll probably buy a copy of the catalogue, although an on line shop would be quicker :) I was probably hoping for a book reference that some drawings in it - rather than just pictures - which seems to be the norm.

Can you be more specific? There are many different types and vintages of Pullman's from the Midland Railway in the 1870's to the "Pullman"'s of the HST services. Many outline drawings have appeared.

Even the Metropolitan had a pair. Pullman for commuters to the City instead of today's aluminium boxes.

The problem is that I've not found any outline drawings via google, yahoo or ask. Looks like I have to actually send paper somewhere to get something useful ;)

There is a Pullman society, which might be able to help:

Don't know any online sources, but old mags have quite a number which could be scanned. But without some more info on your requirements, who is going to bother. :-)

I think that is my problem. I'm a little surprised at the lack of even basic material on line :( I can provide links to a large number of sites that have Traction Engine data and scaled versions, but the same material is does not appear to be available for rolling stock?

At this stage on-line sources for ANY rolling stock would at least allow me to go on to the next stage, and decide what to invest some money into but it looks as if I have to invest money to even do the first stage. I had only picked 'Pullman' as I thought THAT was the more likely candidate for at least a book of details? Again I have several sitting on the shelf here with very fine detail drawings of traction engines and having paid £100 for a now difficult to find 'Gilbert', I'm not averse to spending money but even scanning the book lists has not come up with anything with drawings in :(

My requirements at this stage are simply any outline drawings of coaches giving outline sizes, and a few details like wheel size from which I can scale some of the MANY pictures that ARE available on line. My library contains a large number of ME's with engine details, but rolling stock to use with them is a little light on the ground.

Just to complete the picture - I have assembled a nice little stock of

45mm track and have a couple of 'plastic' trains to run on it while I'm building the 'Project' steam engine but between £400 and £800 or so for ONE carriage to pull round seems a little pricey so I just thought I'd look for SOMETHING I could build myself :)

It looks like I may have to pop down to Toddington with a tape measure and camera and 'do my own drawings' ;)

In message , Lester Caine writes

When your drawings are complete, do ensure they are available online ;-)

Lester,

That seems to be a problem with model railways drawings. However your way of getting round this is to find out possible sources of drawings. There are official sources of drawings and photos, like the Historical Model Railway Society (HMRS) but that requires membership to avail yourself of their facilities. There are also other sources of official drawings - like the NRM in York, but their catalogue has been difficult to access for many years (requited actually going to York) and I believe it is complete limbo at the moment while they overhaul the indexes. If you're lucky, you might find that books are published that deal with the prototype you are interested in - like the Midland and LMS loco monographs produced by Wild Swan. So it may be worth doing a dig around online book sellers to find out if any books have been published on the Pullmans which might contain the detail you require.

But the last way, and the one which is probably most common nowadays, is do dig around in the indexes of the older model railway and prototype magazines to find if any details were published at any time, then see if someone can scan them for you. The best index of old UK magazines is possibly

It's a bit basic, but it is the most comprehensive list I have seen on the web. If you check coaches, then 'Other', you will find several references to Pullman coaches. I have the Model Railway Constructor magazines mentioned in the index, so I'll scan the articles later on today and upload them to my web site and give you a URL.

These coaches noted above are the (relatively) modern Pullman coaches, but I also have a copy of Midland Railway Carriages by Lacy and Dow which has details of the very original Pullman coaches which were brought into the country in Victorian times to work on the Midland Railway. To our UK eyes, they look very 'Wild West' in styling, and I'm not sure if these might have been the prototypes you were looking for. The history of the Pullmans in the UK is long and varied and just asking about 'Pullmans' can present a very large target to aim at :-)

Jim.

Holes are slowly opening :)

Any starting point would help TA

The pictures I was looking at were the Petworth carriages and the Bluebell ones - so 1920's ? But at this stage I'm just looking to build a simple set of bogies and chassis onto which I can put any superstructure, and the Pullmans seem to be a reasonable length in 1/32 at 60cm. I can then use as the base for resizing and enhancing as time and finance permits. The CNC kit is great for duplicating and enhancing parts :)

( and yes Graeme all the stuff I have copyright or permission for is slowly appearing on line ;) )

Lester>> That seems to be a problem with model railways drawings. However

Here's another one - but and index of Model Railway Journal articles only

Other sources are UK library archives. A lot of prototype drawings from UK companies have been archived by libraries and museums in the UK and you can usually get access to drawings for a fee. For instance, if you ever feel like doing a Beyer - Garratt in Gauge 1, then the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester hold the archive of all the drawings from Beyer Peacock and you can get printed or electronic copies.

Here you go with the plans and details

They are PDFs and a bit big - about 2meg each - but they should print out to the same size as in the magazine - but the drawings are dimensioned. The prototypes also seem to suit your era - being constructed just before the grouping, and running into the BR period.

As a help in constructing the coaches, you might want to get your hands on a copy of "Carriage Modelling Made Easy" by the late David Jenkinson and published by Wild Swan. I think the book is still in print so there should be no problems in getting it. It describes a method of building coach bodies in Plastikard, but it also discusses a lot of the detail on coach bodies which could come in useful for modelling Pullmans - just doing the roof ends for a start :-)

Jim

I doubt I'll be going that far just yet, but I'm planning to archive railway data on line in the same way that I have been doing on traction engines.

Thanks for that - EXACTLY what I was looking for and it will keep me busy for a while. Six sets of wheels dropped through the door this morning so now I can put a chassis round them :) ( The book was pencilled in already following another 'lead' TA )

Now your starting to put together some ideas of what you might want. Pullman cars that ran on the Southern Railway/Region, yes/no?

There were articles in Model Railway Constructor February & March 1972 - I think those are what "Jim" posted. But also February to June MRC 1981 for lots more plans and info. I haven't the time at present, so perhaps some one else can scan for you?

I have enough for the moment - copying those on the Bluebell line will do me for now :)

The Series 'Historic Carriage Drawings' might be of some interest. ( Pendragon )

I have volume one - LNER & Constituents which is 128 A4 pages. 1997 (Nick Campling) ISBN 1-899816-04-6

It carries a significant amount of detail both on the sides and layout of various passenger rolling stock vehicles.

(I thought I had the LMS version as well, but can seem to find it)

Craig

As always with these things it's knowing the answer so you can ask the right questions ;)

they are not going to break the bank :)

Lester,

Following up with another bit of information on Pullmans - a new two-part series has just started in the HMRS Journal entitled 'Pullmans in Preservation'. The first one deals mainly with 'Barbara', a first class kitchen car built as a special for the Hastings line in 1926. It details the life and modifications up to its present state of preservation on the KESR.

Jim.

Thanks for that Craig - they have just rolled up and have exactly the sort of detail I was looking for - across a nice range of rolling stock.