Crazy ideas....Convert Arnold Brighton Belle to....

[Dr Al]

Hi folks.

Having a wonder if there is an alternative (possibly crazy) use for the Hornby/Arnold Brighton Belles. Given they can be got quite cheaply in blue livery, is it a crazy idea to think these might be convertable into loco hauled pullman sets, by ditching the power cars and repainting the intermediate trailers? It seems that the flush sided older style pullman cars such as:

https://flic.kr/p/ooGFxW

are a missing entity in N and this might be a way to obtain them (with too the working LED lighting).

Before I go too far down the route of researching if this is viable, does anyone else have some more informed thoughts on this? Are these coaches different enough to make this non-viable? I presume at very least some of the underframe detail will be completely wrong....

Cheers,
Alan

[Chetcombe]

Very interesting idea. A number of the Trailer Pullman Firsts are still running in the Orient Express rake and some of the other coaches, including former driving cars, are held in reserve for VSOE.

http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/preserved-stock/preservationpull.html

So you may be able to use some of the coaches with minimal changes, if you incorporate into a modern day set.

Alternatively, what about trying to create a 6-PUL. These were the regular Brighton line EMU stick, were built around the same time as the 5-BELs and it would be nice to see both types running together on a layout. The driving cars of the 6-PULs bears some similarities to the 5-BEL, particularly at the front end. The middle coaches were a real mix of styles and included one Pullman car:

http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/6pul_1.html

[Dorsetmike]

What's wrong with the Farish Pullmans like this?

[Dr Al]

What's wrong with the Farish Pullmans like this?

They are completely non-prototypical for 1950s ER operation - the panelled lower bodysides are from 1920s type stock (I believe).

Plus they are an ancient tooling....

Cheers,
Alan