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EMUs of the WCML (and other visitors) in 'N'


anroar53

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Two 501 sets coast into Harrow on a Euston to Watford local service. A Kenny O to Perth Motorail passes on the Down Fast. On the Slow Lines two eight car 310s pass each other.

 

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304 meets 310 at the south end of Watford. These units were constructed using old style Farish coaches which had the removable window strips. These had been taken out. In the case of the 310 the window section was replaced by solid plasticard. Windows were marked out and then drilled out and filed to shape. In the case of the 304 it has leftover brass sides from a B H Enterprises 4 EPB kit. The ends of both units were created using 2mm plasticard profiled to shape with some fine sandpaper and filing. Windows, destination box, and jumper recesses (310) drilled out and filed.

 

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A 304 sets off from Watford on a Birmingham New Street service (via Northampton). On this occasion it is about to be passed by the Royal Train, double headed by a pair of 40s. A Cravens Diesel Parcel Unit arrives on the Up Slow with tail traffic, one solitary van.

 

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Unfortunately the original images of the construction have been lost over time, and the scans of my remaining hard copy are not that good. However I hope they will show how the units were made. The bottom unit is one of the 310 Driving Trailers. The original coach appears to have been a Network South East Livery example. However some of the large windows with sliding vents have come from a former Western Chocolate/Cream coach. In this case these windows were retained as they had raised ridging for the frames and vents, which the early Farish examples had before fully printed sides came in along with the solid bodyshells. Solid plasticard has been inserted between the large windows, which had the smaller windows marked out and then drilled and filed. The cab front started as a square of 2mm plasticard, and has had the windows and jumper recesses drilled out and filed. The jumper recesses had smaller squares of 1mm plasticard inserted at a shallow angle. The cab roof was sanded/filed down once the coach roof had been fitted, leaving the raised route indicator box. The coach above is the 310 Motor Brake vehicle showing the windows drilled out. The top coach is a 304 Driving Trailer, before I used brass sides from the 4 EPB kit.

 

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Another rather grainy image, this time showing the seating added, and initial body painting. Before glazing and fitting the roof all the window surrounds were painted silver, a very long and fiddly job. The jumper recesses have been fitted.

 

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The completed 310 is seen heading south on the Up Slow Line near Linslade, with an 86 hauled Express for Euston about to pass it. The curved cab windscreens were made from some moulded plastic packaging that I think came from some Peco Point motors? The glazing for the other windows was all done with an application of Humbrol 'Clearfix'.

 

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Showing the 304 that was built with brass sides. These were leftover from the construction of the 501 units. Originally a 4EPB kit only three coaches were required for the 501, leaving one set of coach sides leftover for each of the six 501s I built. The sides were cut and gaps left where I needed to insert the toilets, brake compartment, and cab ends. The bodyside gaps had solid plasticard inserted at window level as with the earlier 310s. Some body filler was spread over the sides so it could be sanded down flush with the brass sides. The windows were then marked out and drilled and filed.

 

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The 304 and 310 Motor Brakes showing how the pantograph well was cut out (with a slitting disc) and some plasticard inserted.

 

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One of the completed 304 Driving Trailers after the brake pipes and jumpers were added (Small electrical wire). The Route Indicator box had a small surround of 1mm plasticard fitted and filed to fit before painting. The numbers were printed on a computer then covered with clear plastic to represent the glazing. The Destination blind has yet to be inserted. Gresley bogies have since been fitted. The tail lights were made from Track pin heads fitted into a small drilled hole. Jumper boxes were just bits of leftover plasticard.

 

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The later version of 304 with the larger windows has also been completed, this time using brass sides from a 116/7 DMU.

 

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One of the 501 Motor Coaches. These have been built using B H Enterprises 4 EPB brass sided kits. The actual construction was the same as for the other EMUs, on early Farish BGs. The coach sides had one compartment removed to shorten them down to a reasonable length. The cab ends were retained, but the jumper detail was filed off and replaced by a revised layout in keeping with a 501. The Destination Blind was also drilled out above the Route Indicator Box (I promise I will replace the hand painted 'B1' with a printed version at some stage :scratchhead: ) The shoe beams were etched brass stuck directly to the bogies.

 

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Just to the north of Harrow in the afternoon sun, a 501 bound for Euston is easily outpaced by an AC hauled Express on the Up Fast. In reality, with the position of the shadows, this would actually be sometime in the early morning :sungum:
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And, finally, as they say, a Clacton 309 makes an appearance on the Down Slow south of Watford. No doubt en route from Ilford to Wolverton, but by this stage lined maroon livery would have been unlikely. I just like these units in their original form, and had to have one.

 

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By this time I was running out of early Farish Coaches to convert, but I still had a few Minitrix Mark 1s that were in the odds and ends box. The 309 was a Worsley Works Brass sided kit. The Minitrix Mark 1s had the entire window section, from just below the roof, to just below the window ledges, sliced out with a slitting disc. The brass sides were then stuck onto the sides, saving a lot of time. In this case a strip of clear plastic was inserted inside the body for the glazing. The bogies were exchanged for some Ultima Commonwealth types, and the redundant Minitrix ones found their way onto some Farish Mark 1s. As I've said before, I never chuck anything away, it all goes into the odds and ends box in case it should become of use again.

 

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I never did get round to fitting the interior, one of those 'never finished' jobs that I must get round to eventually.

 

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309 MBS with 'pan up' at Watford. The St. Albans service is being operated by a Worsley Works Craven 105, but that, as they say, is another story.

 

I think that ends today's ramblings!

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Amazing workmanship! The 310 looks particularly impressive - especially the hand cut windows. Was there any particular trick to painting the silver frames?

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Amazing workmanship! The 310 looks particularly impressive - especially the hand cut windows. Was there any particular trick to painting the silver frames?

The only real trick was to use a very, very small brush, and just use a sparing amount of silver paint. Also wiping the brush frequently on a piece of tissue to avoid getting any blobs building up in the bristles.

 

Andy.

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Hi Andy,

 

Reallly like the EMU's and you've almost convinced me to scratch build a 310 for my layout!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

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Hi Andy,

 

Reallly like the EMU's and you've almost convinced me to scratch build a 310 for my layout!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

Thanks Jeremy,

I know it's probably too late to be much use I don't know if you saw the line diagram of Euston I posted on the 'Unusual Diversions' thread?

 

Andy.

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