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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 6 (December 1, 1931)

Fabric Covering for Carriage Exteriors

Fabric Covering for Carriage Exteriors.

A most interesting development in passenger carriage design in Britain in recent times is the employment of fabric covering for main-line passenger carriage exteriors, in place of a finish of paint and varnish. Since July, 1928, the Southern Railway has been running a fabric covered main-line passenger carriage finished in the Company's standard colours. Some time ago, having completed 180,000 miles, this carriage underwent overhaul. The fabric was found to have stood up to the conditions very well, remaining pliable and uniform in colour. Both the London and North-Eastern and the District Railway of London also have fabric-covered passenger carriages in use.

The advantages of fabric covering are considerable. A standard main-line carriage can be covered in three days, as against three weeks required for painting and varnishing new stock. The work can be done in any temperature out of doors, provided the weather is dry-a most important consideration in repair work. The fabric is stretched over the panels and not stuck; and the pigment is anchored to the cotton cloth, and not to the panels; hence the creeping and movement of joints underneath does not break up the surface, as it does paint and varnish. Being synthetic, the surface is not affected by heat, and cold; and being non-porous, the dirt does not get into the pigment, but may easily be removed with soap and water, applied with an ordinary carriage-washing broom.

Fabric has for long been employed in Britain for interior carriage work. The Southern Railway has standardised scratch-proof fabric for lining door panels in its latest type of passenger carriage, while the L. and N.E. line also makes extensive use of fabric for page 19 the interior lining of sleeping-cars. The employment of this material for exterior work is a most interesting development, and the carriages so covered (and now on the road) present a remarkably spick-and-span appearance.