Hello,

I am planning to make a 3d printable Mk1 BSO in n scale, but I have a question.
When I model something out of a real design, do I need a some sort of a license or permission from, lets say, National Rail, in order to make it to sell them? Or is there no such thing as it?

Thanks,
BrakeCoach

No, you don't. It gets messier with corporate logos, but that's not relevant for a bare shape.

Edit: I would say though that by the time you've covered your costs and the prospective purchaser has added bogies, wheels, couplings, glazing, paint and decals it's extremely unlikely to be commercially viable. If you want some then crack on, but I can't imagine you'd ever sell many, the Farish mk1 is a lovely model, and there are cheaper alternatives for those who don't like current prices.

You do not have a copyright issue here. I have produced printable files for over 20 French Railways coaches. They supplied me with 1/50 and 1/25 scale drawings for most of them free of charge 40 years or so ago. Whilst they are all in my Shapeways shop, and I sell about one a week, I decided a few months back to make the files freely available for people to print on their own machines.

I got over the issue of all the extra parts needed by designing the bodyshells around a donor coach which provides the chassis, running gear, gangways, windows and interiors. Fortunately my donor has been on the market for nearly 40 years, so there are always cheap secondhand ones with tatty bodies but all the other bits intact.

Files are linked in this post.

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=49975.msg672327#msg672327

Yes, Mike's approach is definitely the way to go - the problem you'll have is that the donor coach will also have the same body, so you'd be disassembling a RTR coach to finish an identical 3D printed one 

Quote from: njee20 on December 23, 2020, 01:04:21 PM
Yes, Mike's approach is definitely the way to go - the problem you'll have is that the donor coach will also have the same body, so you'd be disassembling a RTR coach to finish an identical 3D printed one 

My approach might work for some of the modified Mk1s such bullion coaches, some of the restaurants and buffets, and coaches for personnel accompanying sensitive loads, like nuclear submarine fuel. I think for a bog-standard BSO, there might be better alternatives.

Definitely, I think it's a very good approach for those 'oddities'. I've been considering doing the same for the mk2s that go with the sleeper rakes, particularly as Farish were good enough to make the door steps and underframe detail simple clip in items! Just not for those you can already purchase off the shelf.