Bulleidboy

Hi Natalie Thanks for your comments. Looking back in the thread I can see that I've only posted a picture of one side of the TBSK - with compartments to the left. So from your info I've filled in too many windows rather than the wrong one ie I filled them on both sides (following the diagram in Brian Golding's book). Ah well, either drill out the filler on the offending side and hope the window frame remains intact, or failing that just use a spare body side (it just happens that the Mk1 coaches I recently bought for their Mk4 bogies were all BSKs). To my eye the profiles of the Mk1 and CEP bodies are a good match. There is though a discrepancy in the heights of the NEM pockets, even with a "stepped" coupling in the Mk1 it is still higher than a "straight" coupling in the CEP chassis. I think someone else must have mentioned the "Bool & Custard" website as I recently added it to my favourites - yes it has a lot of detailed information. Today I've been thinking about whether to use the CEP chassis for my DTSO or modify a Mk1 chassis. The former is probably the easier option as the chassis side goes above the solebar so the "cut & shut" CEP bodies fit over it easily once one end is cut back to the rear edge of the cab casting (the Mk1 sides rest on the top of the solebar). Unfortunately the pivot hole in the CEP bogie is much smaller than that on a Mk1 coach bogie, so simply swapping them will involve a little work to overcome that problem. When ready for painting, the 4TC will be finished in blue with small yellow panel (as delivered) so that it can legitimately run alongside steam stock. Mike

Hi Crompton Having been away most of June and spent some time since gardening, my thoughts are once again turning to the 4TC. Pictures below show current state of play on the driving cars - the roof profile is nearly there, corridor connections are in place (these were cut just above the rubbing plate and re-assembled with some plasticard to get the correct height) but need tidying up. I've recently bought a bottle of "Mr Surfacer" and will try this on the final filling stages - my nephew has praised its use on model aircraft. The pipework on the Dart cast cabs looks a bit crude compared to their separate offerings but the latter are slightly too long to fit in the recess - will think about that one! Underframe components have been ordered from Southern Pride - I now need to decide whether to use the CEP chasis for the two driving cars and modify / replace the bogies or use two spare Mk1 underframes that already have Mk4 bogies. The two centre coaches are modified Mk1s, so keep their Mk4 bogied chassis.

During the last week I've been working on the roofs of the two centre coaches (removing the ribs) and have also got the second driving coach body built to the point where it now needs filler. The four coaches: The TBS - a little more work needed on smoothing the blanked out guard's window and the ends of the roof ribs: And the second DTSO, which hasn't had any work done on the roof vents yet: And just in case anyone is wondering, two of the roofs are in red primer simply because I ran out of grey! Mike

Have been to the Toy & Train sale at Doncaster today. Managed to get 4 Mk1 SO (with B4 bogies) and a Mk1 FK at a good price. The latter will obviously become part of the 4TC (with a bogie swap), another set of B4 bogies will go under the BSK (and yes I did remember to fill in that window!). Will have a think about how to best use the other two sets of bogies this week, the chice is to modify them to fit the 4CEP chassis or probably keep those chassis (for a 4EPB??) and modify the SO chassis by cutting off the corridor connection ends and then using them for the two DTSO. No pictures but the second DTSO is now built as far as the cab side doors - next jobs are to cut the can end to accept an MJT cast end and remove all the roof ribs on the two centre coaches. Mike

Thanks - will tackle the front of the cab once I've finished the filling. Mike

Hi Broadbent Do you mean that all headcodes and interior lights all work correctly under DCC but not when using DC?? Or, when using DCC you get the above problem?? Mike

Hi Paul Sorry - forgot about your enquiry! Anyway, having both power cars in pieces at the moment........................ It doesn't appear possible to simply swap the circuit boards as they have fixing holes in different places and also the contacts for the bogie pick-up are wider apart for the motorised bogie. This is my version of the wiring in the non-motor driving coach I'm not sure what the component labelled "Z3" is - possibly a zener diode?? Hopefully someone else looking at this thread may be able to comment? On the circuit board, if you short the contact marked "R LED -" to either of the pick-up contact strips, then the route indicator LED lights up but only in one direction but I think you have already got that far. Sorry this doesn't help you Mike

A bit later than promised, here is another shot of the driving cab after some more filling / smoothing to match the rooflines Apart from sorting out some minor blemishes, I think this will satisfy me! Am continuing to work on the more obvious joint in the side panel (and doing the same to the first two sections of the second driving coach). Mike

Hi Brian Originally I was thinking of using the CEP chassis for a 4EPB (with DC Kits body) and may try that in the future but then your thread got me thinking about a 4TC as a way of using the otherwise redundant CEP bodies. I've made some SP coaches in the past but have never been really happy with the finish of the coloured sides (it looks slightly textured) and there is no way I'm going to mask the windows and respray as you have done - I'm sure I could never get the finish you have. I don't know if the "door-in-window" windows are the same size as on a Suburban coach but have assumed that those on the CEP and TC are the same size - they appear so in Brian Gouldings book. At the moment there is little progress to show on the first DTSO as I am doing some more filling and smoothing. However a start has been made on the second one but this time (not having another spare CEP SK) it involves a little more cutting and shutting. I did realise that by cutting the sides away from the roof it is possible to take the front four compartments from the CEP driving car and swap them to the other side so that the door-in-window section is at the front instead of the middle. Will post a few pictures in the next few days. Mike

Hi EBD I'm not sure that "fantastic" is appropriate yet as there is still much fettling to do but thanks for the comment. The end result may not be 100% accurate (especialyy in a photo) but I'm hoping that it will pass muster when on the layout....but then I've got to either build a 4REP to push it or buy a Dapol 73/1. Mike

Hi Colin Thanks again for your encouragement, I guess a few small imperfections will never be noticed while the unit is going round the layout. Yes I am going down the plain blue route (with SYP) - at least there is nothing else blue in my stock so I don't need to worry about matching any manufacturers finish. There speaks a man with a several catering car sets (re-built Tavern Cars, Maunsell Kitchen & Open 3rd, Maunsell Cafeteria) which have been in primer for over a year whilst I get my head round the closest match to Bachmann / Hornby versions of green). Regards Mike

The embryo DTSO sitting on a Bachmann chassis (obviously work to do on that later) Followed by two shots of the front end I cut the bufferbeam off the cast cab end and modified the end of the Bachmann chassis to suit. It still needs more filler to match the roof profiles. The primer has shown up a poor joint between the first & second seating bays (particularly on the nearside) - honestly it looked fine before! When fitting the section with the door into the seating bay I left the sides attached to the inner roof section - perhaps for the other DTSO it would be better to just use the sides?? There are enough window sections left to be able to cut & shut the other driving coach but it will have more joints than this one. Mike

Hi Colin Thanks for the encouraging comment. The various parts to make the DTSO are now assembled and primed - will post some pictures later today but need to re-size them first. Mike

Time to show some progress since last week...........don't photos show up plastic dust that you don't notice beforehand! Front end cut off the 4CEP SO to form the basis of the new DTSO Mid seating bay door & windows removed from CEP DMBSO Front cab section cut along door edge (hopefully this will hide the joint) and all three sections temporarily clipped to the roof (new slots made in the two smaller "offcuts") which will need to be trimmed back once the cast cab front is in place. The cab section still needs cutting along the forward door edge and then about 3mm removing behind the cab side window before reuniting with the door section - as the door handle is at the front on the TC, I can turn this section round before glueing it back to the cab. The first two sections have now been glued together with reinforcing plasticard inside the roof and sides and the joint will probably be filled tonight

Hi Ceptic Thanks for posting the link to the front end photo from the VEP thread. I must admit that I hadn't thought about using the Replica coach sides and elongating the windows where the door enters into the seating bay - will bear it in mind for the future. Mike