A Card model of No 400 in "O" scale Part 1

A slight pause is necessary building the Transitclassics FM while I'm waiting for some parts to arrive so I am back on my model of No 400, the class leader of the FMs, that I started a year ago.

The original was built in 1937 and was a one off. Built with a rather an odd roof and riveted construction it was a test car to gauge public response to the new design. Future FMs had the improved roof line and were of mainly welded construction. These early models had wide centre doors and canvas blinds to close off the doorways in wet weather.

The construction of my model hasn't been well documented up to now but it has been assembled using my favourite building material, cardboard with a balsa wood roof. No 400 is currently under restoration at the museum. The first photo shows the car in service in the 1960s climbing Cornwall St with the Ipswich Road Tram Depot in the background. The second is at the museum while it was being moved into the workshop before the start of restoration. The other side of the car still carried the Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky ads that appear in the first photo.

The third is a copy of an old Brisbane City Council drawing for No 400.