Premier Kits Star Class Loco

[kandc_au]

Hi Guys,

Quick question to the knowledgeable here please.
I have been rummaging about and found this kit amongst stuff I have bought.
It says it is designed for Airfix chassis and inside says GMR Castle chassis!

My question is: If I was to use a Comet chassis, are there any issues to watch out for?

 

Khris

[railroadbill]

I've actually got an Airfix castle (in a GMR box, Great Model Railways was the later name they were sold under in a maroon box, early Airfix was blue).  It's tender drive with obviously push along loco chassis.  Later Dapol, then Hornby, re-engineered the body to take a loco drive chassis.  That runs much better than the old Airfix tender drive loco (which I still run occasionally for a bit of fun).  The latest Hornby castle is a different greatly improved model.

 

The older locos come up on ebay from time to time (the Airfix being rather cheaper as you might expect).  Therefore you could have a good running Hornby castle chassis that could be made to fit the Star, sell the castle body.  Maybe avoid the the Airfix one.

 

That would save building the comet chassis. However that is the ultimate  solution as you could fit whatever motor and gears you wanted.

 

I'd be very interested in following how you get on as I want to build a Star (vaguely thinking of an SE finecast one)  and indeed make a comet castle chassis (or equivalent) for another castle.  Made comet chassis before, seem well made kits.

[Coach bogie]

Hi Guys,

Quick question to the knowledgeable here please.

I have been rummaging about and found this kit amongst stuff I have bought.

It says it is designed for Airfix chassis and inside says GMR Castle chassis!

My question is: If I was to use a Comet chassis, are there any issues to watch out for?

 

Khris

 

The M&L body kit was made for the tender drive castle, as stated, with the result that the boiler and running plate does not have an allowance for the motor or gears to fit in the boiler firebox area. Lots of cutting required. In addition, the shape of the boiler leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Mike Wiltshire

[DCB]

We ran an M&L Star for ages, it has been usurped by the latest Hornby Star which is better in every respect except haulage power.  It went through several iterations, the wheels would slide due to the draggy pickups the tender jumped about and so it was re engineered to have a Hornby Saint Ringfield powered Tender chassis with the Airfix 4000 gallon body.

The loco wheels were removed and the axles bushed with brass bushes in the plastic chassis which were then connected by wires to a Hornby tender connection to suit the Saint Tender.

Finally fine wire was trapped between loco tyres and plastic wheel centre and between centre and axle to make the loco live on one side. It then ran very nicely and was one of the last tender drive locos in service.  Finally succumbing to the Hornby Star a few weeks ago.  Its just outclassed by the Hornby.  To be honest I would put the Comet chassis under a Hornby Star body and sell the M&L on Ebay.

Edited November 22, 2017 by DavidCBroad