Modern Image

For perhaps the first time since we began modelling the FR back in the late 1980s we’re within touching distance of being up to date with the output of the carriage works.

I’ve begun building Welsh Highland saloon 2048.

The real carriage is far more advanced than this, being in the final stages when the Covid shutdown happened.

I’m making it using my long established “ladder technique” with styrene strip.

The basic idea is not to attempt to cut out windows but to fabricate the body side through a series of upright sticks topped by a long horizontal bar.

Neither do you need to bother about pre-cutting the pillars to length - get them all in place then mark the height, lay a ruler along the top and chop them to length.

You’ll also notice I build it on a sheet of glass with a scale drawing beneath to get the positions right.

I’m the case of 2048 it also has toplight windows which are added in after the cant rail has been fixed on.

This does require some hyper-accurate cutting to get the pieces to be a snug fit inside the gap but you can slice incredibly fine slivers with a sharp scalpel blade.

This is only stage one. Next I’ll be adding the beading detail on top as we built the laminate structure.