I always enjoy making buffet cars because there's more variety in the design. In the case of 114 not one of the sides or ends is identical, and I've always liked the aesthetics of the design as well.
Here's the kit of parts laid out. You can see how one of the ends pieces has a blank panel on one side instead of a window. This was a feature of these three carriages which, as built, had a cupboard containing a gas cylinder on the left hand side at the Blaenau end of the carriage to fuel the heating system. These have recently been removed and replaced with diesel-fueled systems in no small part due to the cylinder in 114 exploding and starting a fire a couple of years ago.
Fortunately the set was stabled at Boston Lodge at the time and the fire was quicky put out before too much damage was done to the carriage which subsequently received a full interior rebuild. During this process the cupboard was removed and an extra window inserted. A vertical piece of beading on the otherwise flush lower body panel is the tell-tale sign of this alteration.
So the bodyside was 'boxed-up' and a floor and roof made up. The underframes on these Carnforth carriages are very distinctive being of a square profile with a stepped central section. I believe I was once told, or read, that these double as the vacuum pipes (there being two because these carriages operated in the push-pull set for a while) however I would be only too happy to be corrected if this is not the case.
This shot shows - I hope - how I fabricated these out of 1mm square strip.
And here it is with the underframe in place and the roof in position as well.
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