south_tyne Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I am considering ordering a few bits and pieces from Silver Fox Models and just wondering if anyone could give first-hand experience of the quality of their products? From the website they look very good but I have never seen any of their locos 'in the flesh' as it were, so just wondered if anyone could give a positive endorsement. Any advice gratefully noted. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Generally very good in my limited experience. I've a 128 DPU and had an 05 at one point, both cleanly cast and good representations of the prototypes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushVeteran Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Probably some of the best resin cast products around at present. John Hazleton is excellent to deal with and really knows his stuff. His ready painted RTR versions are also a pleasure to own and always work staight out of the box! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted March 3, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2015 I bought a D63xx RTR second hand just after the Dapol one was announced. Have been pleased with it to the extent that I may do some detailing rather than replace it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Thanks to each of you who have replied above, it is appreciated. It is really useful feedback and confirms my initial impressions! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Excellent to deal with. I have one of their gas turbine locos. I regret I missed their class 89. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I've had a few items over the years and all have been good. Well moulded and ideal for going to town on and adding your own details, especially handrails. A good modellers' product. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted March 5, 2015 Administrators Share Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) I've built several from the range. They are pretty good out of the box but if you add wire handrails and a little extra details then thay can be exceptional models - but easy to build. Craftsman etched kit and Silver fox resin version. The Silver fox version is easier to build and runs on a Bachmann 03 chassis. J70 as built a couple of months ago in BRM. Runs on a SPUD. Southern diesel 10203. Requires a shortened Peak chassis. Hunslet shunter. SPUD powered. Edited March 5, 2015 by Phil Parker 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I'm raising this thread again to see if anyone has experience of some of his DMU products now for sale on Ebay. These are conversions to make 119 and 120 units, and include thin plastic coach sides for all vehicles, as well as resin cast ends, to be attached to donor vehicles. He trades as "sk modeller". These don't seem to feature on his own site, which does however have a conversion kit with cast resin parts for the 123 DMU, and I see as well that 18000 and 18100 are available. Many thanks, John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 John, I have a few of his parts and have to say do it. Also, keep a eye on his website. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Spotted these DMU bits on his Ebay site a week or two back and they look very interesting. The concept extends the old Craftsman idea from brass to plastic for the side overlays, which might be easier to work with for many folks. Hard to say how accurate they are from the pics but the ends look well up to the usual SF standard and first impressions suggest the windows and door apertures are all in the right places. As a means to an end for units currently unavailable from any other source, they look worth further investigation, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6975 Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) Excellent to deal with. I have one of their gas turbine locos. I regret I missed their class 89. The 89 is still available, both RTR and kit. http://silverfoxmodels.co.uk/class-89-co-co-british-rail-crewe/ Edited March 3, 2018 by D6975 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6975 Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 I'm raising this thread again to see if anyone has experience of some of his DMU products now for sale on Ebay. These are conversions to make 119 and 120 units, and include thin plastic coach sides for all vehicles, as well as resin cast ends, to be attached to donor vehicles. He trades as "sk modeller". These don't seem to feature on his own site, which does however have a conversion kit with cast resin parts for the 123 DMU, and I see as well that 18000 and 18100 are available. Many thanks, John. He's just sold a similar conversion kit for a 124 on ebay too. Not on the SilverFox website though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 He occasionally also sells useful leftover spares from RTR locos that have been dismantled to use in his conversions. I had a small packet of Bachmann Cl.40 detail pipes, etc. this way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6975 Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 (edited) And yet another one - recently sold on ebay, a kit similar to the 124 one but for an original style Edinburgh-Glasgow intercity 126. (sold for 82 quid) Edited April 3, 2018 by D6975 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rembrow Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 SILVER FOX CLASS 74 MODEL In the DJ Models, Class 74 rtr model thread, I've posted a couple of entries regarding e-mail correspondence I've had with John Hazleton, owner of Silver Fox Models, regarding availability of his Class 74 model, now that DJ Models has indefininitely deferred their proposed rtr model. Silver Fox had removed the Class 74 from their catalogue when the DJ Models product was announced, but have decided to market it again. I obtained the kit of parts a couple of days ago and have attached photos of the resin moulded body, underframe detail and bogie sides. One thing I wanted to look at was using the Hornby Class 71 chassis as the method of motorising, the model being designed for a cutdown Hornby Class 86 or 87 chassis. I have been able to get the Silver Fox body to fit on the Hornby Class 71 chassis, with a bit of fettling. The main work needed was: 1. Remove the Class 74 model buffer beams and side farings, as the Class 71 buffers are metal and integral with the chassis 2. Remove the Class 74 body internal side projections. These are either for the fit of the Class 86/87 chassis, or part of the mould for the side louvres. Filing down the internal mould part of the louvres has not led to breakout and the external louvres are complete and not distorted 3. There are two high points on the Hornby Class 71 chassis, which prevented the Silver Fox Class 74 body from sitting down on the chassis. These are at either end. One is the blanking plate and the other is a row of three tubular capacitors. I used black paint on these to mark the inside of the Class 74 body to identify where it would need to be pared out, then using a horizontal blade in a craft knife, pared out the areas affected, testing to ensure there was no break out. The roof has become much thinner at these two places, but is still stable and the body sits down on to the buffer beam of the Class 71. I wouldn't want to pare any more of the resin moulded roof away, so it may not be possible to fit a dcc chip using this method, unless the pin connected is within the height of the existing dc blanking plate. 4. There was some end to end movement of the body, so plasticard packers were glued at each cab end to take up the slack. It is now a tight fit. In the photos, the Class 71 chassis has lost three buffers. These came away during the work, they are intact and will be reglued in place. The chassis used is from an existing BR green livery Class 71 that I had to hand, I will have to buy a new donor chassis, probably in BR blue. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_stevens Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 SILVER FOX CLASS 74 MODEL <snip> I obtained the kit of parts a couple of days ago and have attached photos of the resin moulded body, underframe detail and bogie sides. One thing I wanted to look at was using the Hornby Class 71 chassis as the method of motorising, the model being designed for a cutdown Hornby Class 86 or 87 chassis.</snip> Thansk for showing us how you're doing this. I'm just waiting for my SF74 to arrive (Monday with luck). How does the size of the side frames in the kit compare to the Hornby 71? If the kit was to match the 86/87 bogie (10'9") then it may be a little out for the 71 (10'6"). Shouldn't make much difference with a weathered underframe... Luke Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rembrow Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 (edited) Thansk for showing us how you're doing this. I'm just waiting for my SF74 to arrive (Monday with luck). How does the size of the side frames in the kit compare to the Hornby 71? If the kit was to match the 86/87 bogie (10'9") then it may be a little out for the 71 (10'6"). Shouldn't make much difference with a weathered underframe... Luke I've measured both from the centre of the axle bearing covers. The Silver Fox width centre bearing to centre bearing is 40mm and the Hornby is 41.5mm. The overall length from sandbox edge to sandbox edge is the same at 70mm, so the difference is with the wheel spacing and is such that it should be hidden by having each axle bearing cover off by only .75mm.The other main change that will need to be made is with the kit underframe equipment moulding. The Hornby 71 underframe is metal and I'm not sure it can easily be removed as it contains the lighting switches, so my current thought is to thin down and seperate the Silver Fox underframe part as much as possible and attach the two parts to the existing underframe. Edit- The equipment underframe of the Hornby model has a seperate plastic moulded face, which is glued to an under section, the face moulding can be removed with careful use of a craft knife. Edited July 29, 2018 by rembrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rembrow Posted July 29, 2018 Share Posted July 29, 2018 (edited) Just ordered a Hornby Class 71 in blue for the donor chassis. R3374 in BR blue from AC models of Eastleigh via their ebay shop, at £79.99 with p&p included, there is one left. A couple of other listers have the same model at £80. Went to AC Models as have bought from them before. Edited July 29, 2018 by rembrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_stevens Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) I’ve started on mime too. I’ve started from the same place but am doing a bit more “mix and match”. I prefer the Hornby cab shape to the Silver Fox (and, truth be told, to the DJ Models one too but that is much closer) Pics 1 and 2 are of the Hornby side frames with the specifically Cl 71 details removed and the Cl 74 parts cut from the Silver Fox side frames added. The lowest cab foot step needs to be added Pic 1 Pic 2 Pics 3, 4 and 5 are the rebuilt battery box from the Hornby Cl 71 having been converted to the battery box & fuel tank of the Cl 74. The Silver Fox parts have been separated and adjusted in relationship to each other. PS I know that the two fuel tank parts have been added the wrong way round but by the time I’d realise all was stuck very firmly together! Pic 3 Pic 4 Pic 5 Pics 6 and 7 show the chassis block has been trimmed to fit the combined resin / plastic body. Also I have cut and filled away the cast Cl 71 buffer beam as it is completely wrong for the Cl 74. Pic 6 Pic 7 Pics 8, 9 and 10 are the combo body. More work is still needed to hide the join. And yes one end is a little skewwhiff where it joins the cab. The next 74 will be better… Pic 8 Pic 9 Pic 10 Pics 11, 12 and 13 compare the front ends of the Hornby 71, The DJ Models / Kernow weathered 71, my Hornby /Silver Fox combo, the original Silver Fox cab. Pic 11 Pic 12 Pic 13 For the front mu pipes I’m going to use the Dapol Cl 73 spares pack, for the roof Markits brass horns. There is more to be done but I think I’m over the worst part… Just need to keep going J Luke Edited August 20, 2018 by luke_stevens 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broadway Clive Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Has anyone else ordered his new class 124 Transpennine DMU yet? I heard he was developing it this summer so I've ordered one based on Bachmann chassis rather than the regular Hornby. I've had two 105s and a 4 car 104 in the past and the quality was first class and they were all correctly numbered for my area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_stevens Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 Now working on fitting a smoke unit to the 74... 8mm hole drilled from the underside, should just miss the flywheel. Luke 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rembrow Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Has anyone else ordered his new class 124 Transpennine DMU yet? I heard he was developing it this summer so I've ordered one based on Bachmann chassis rather than the regular Hornby. I've had two 105s and a 4 car 104 in the past and the quality was first class and they were all correctly numbered for my area. I ordered one last year as I asked John if he had any new 1st generation dmus planned, and he sent me a photo of the prototype Class 124 model. There are others but John asked me not to post details until they were on his website, which they aren't yet. He took time out last year from model making and his son has joined him in the business. He told me that my 124 would be started in July with an expected Aug/Sept completion with another new 63 ft type for me as well. He is concentration on 63ft dmu orders this year with 59ft orders next year. Edited September 7, 2018 by rembrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 The 89 is still available, both RTR and kit. http://silverfoxmodels.co.uk/class-89-co-co-british-rail-crewe/ Thanks - Last time I asked a couple of years back, it was no longer available. Will pester them again!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_stevens Posted September 7, 2018 Share Posted September 7, 2018 (edited) Smoke unit installed... Edited September 7, 2018 by luke_stevens 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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