Maunsell chassis and restaurant issues

[Tim Hale]

A recent purchase of a very suspect Maunsell Restaurant coach requires that I replace the chassis with something much better- the usual choice would be some form of 'bitsa' based on a Roxey or Branchlines chassis but only if I could obtain either item

OR

Hornby Maunsell which offer superb running and kinetic close coupling as standard however is the Hornby chassis integral with the body, is it a sinecure to adapt this plastic paragon?

FINALLY

The Kirk kit is only one half of the team, there is a need for an open but if I am correct, were the Maunsell restaurant coaches rebuilt as autonomous buffet coaches? I recently watched a sequence of the ACE dropping off a Maunsell buffet at Seaton Junction. Any information would be most welcome.

Tim

[Philip Hall]

The Hornby chassis is a completely separate item that simply unclips from the body/roof moulding. It might match the Kirk body, but bear in mind that that has a reduced tumblehome; come to that you might argue that Hornby's isn't quite enough either (nowhere near as bad), but perhaps we shouldn't start a discussion on those lines or we'll be here all day. So long as the Kirk body is wide enough you should be OK. But if Dave Hammersley or Branchlines can supply the chassis that might be the way to go.

As for the open, the Kirk one again is probably the only matching option - you might as well have the two carriages looking similar.

Philip

[Tim Hale]

Thank you

I will try the Hornby route

Tim