Uses for the Triang Clerestories
by Russ Elliott
![GWR D37 brake 3rd from a Triang clerestory](projects/d37.jpg)
![GWR C10 all 3rd from a Triang clerestory](projects/c10.jpg)
With a bit of modeller's licence concerning the body width, Nick Wood has 'cut-and-shut' some original Triang offerings to produce a D37 brake 3rd and a C10 all 3rd, to run on his Much Murkle layout.
The Triang GWR clerestory coaches, first introduced in 1961, can be obtained secondhand at swapmeets and online auctions such as e-bay, and are occasionally re-introduced by Hornby. Though not to any particular prototype, the bodies from these coaches provide a tempting subject for hacking about into more prototypical diagrams. The following notes are intended to provide a helping hand in that direction. (Mikkel Kjartan describes further conversions of these Triang bodies for a C10 all 3rd and a V5 4-wheel PBV.)
These bodies are the 'old' Triang offerings, with moulded panelling, and should not be confused with the later Hornby longer gangway/corridor versions (see below), whose panelling is denoted merely by the printed lining. Two body types were produced; the Brake 3rd, and the 2nd. The other key difference is that the old Triang bodies are 8' wide, whereas the later Hornby coaches are 8'6" wide.
![Triang Brake 3rd clerestory](projects/triang2.jpg)
Triang Brake 3rd
Triang Brake 3rd body
- The Triang Brake 3rd is numbered '2316'. The corresponding prototype number was carried by one of the vehicles in lot 972 (29/06/01), which was a 5-compartment brake 3rd, cler(3) to diagram D37 (nos 2312–2316). It was 50'0¾" long, and 8'6¾" wide. The D37 diagram was similar to the D24s, which had one compartment less.
- The actual Triang body scales to a 46'6" length and has one set of luggage doors less than the prototype D37. The Triang body is also only 8' wide, and is therefore of little use as a D37 (or a D24), both of which were 8'6¾" wide.
- The body is suitable for stock that is 8' wide. The distance between the centres of the compartments in the Brake 3rd is 23.25mm = 5'10", and thus could be used for diagrams of 5'6" between partitions.
- On this basis, the following diagrams appear to be feasible conversion projects: Clerestory 3rd to diagram C10, Brake 3rds to diagrams D7, D8 and D37; low-roofed Brake 3rds to diagrams D16 and D17, and similar Brake Composites to diagrams E40 or E50. Other diagrams might also be feasible with further hacking.
![Triang all 2nd clerestory](projects/triang1.jpg)
Triang All 2nd
Triang 2nd body
- The Triang 2nd body is numbered '5017', for which I cannot find any record. In general, this body has less potential for conversion than the Brake 3rd.
- Again, the body is suitable for stock that is 8' wide. Distances between centrelines of compartments in the 2nd is 26mm = 6'6" (which equates to approximately 6'2" between partitions).
- The nearest equivalent seems to be Clerestory 2nd to diagrams C19 (50' long).
One of the later Hornby longer (and wider) corridor clerestories, with simulated lining. |
![Hornby clerestory with simulated lining](rtr/clesm.jpg) |
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