This coachbuilder pack contains a set of parts to aid the construction of a 4-wheel LCDR/Hull & Barnsley Railway 5 Compartment 3rd coach in O gauge / 7mm scale standard gauge.
 
My coachbuilder packs offer something partway between scratch building and kit building, a basic kit of parts aimed at giving the builder a good head start. If you enjoy building your own rolling stock, don’t mind a bit of work and maybe have a good spares box, a coachbuilder pack should be quicker than scratch building and an economical alternative to the conventional complete kits. The detailed cast resin parts assemble easily with superglue or general-purpose adhesive. The basic model can then be detailed by the builder according to their preferences.
 
​This pack contains parts for the basic coach body and chassis. Included are a pair of detailed sides and ends, pre-formed styrene roof section and underframe castings.
 
This model is based on a design by William Kirtley for the LCDR (later SECR). Kirtley went on to provide similar vehicles for the Hull & Barnsley Railway. A surviving Hull and Barnsley brake vehicle is undergoing restoration at Elsecar. These designs provide surprisingly versatile vehicles for small layouts, examples eventually finding their way to unlikely corners of the country. 
 
Constructed in the mid 1880’s, the H&BR vehicles were unpopular with passengers and eventually sold off. Second hand vehicles found their way to south wales, operating on both the Neath& Brecon Railway and the Cardiff Railway. In a strange twist of fate, these vehicles found themselves as GWR stock after grouping. Others were sold to a colliery line in south shields, and one ended its days in light railway service on the Bishops Castle Railway. Some of the LCDR variants also ended their days in light railway service on lines such as the East Kent Light Railway, whilst others crossed the water to the Isle of Wight. From a modelling perspective they are ideal for smaller rural layouts depicting light railways, but could also serve as mess coaches in works trains or workman's vehicles on industrial layouts.