Signaller69's projects

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Martyn,

 

My Saturday and holiday job was in a vegetable pack house starting in 1986 and pallet wrap was used then, it is nothing more than thick clingfilm. Some of the pallets also had webbing nets to secure stacked loads of either boxes or sacks also along with the webbing straps fitted to rails within the body and to the bed of the lorry.

 

Gibbo.

By 1983, I'd seen bricks, tins of paint and sacks of cereal secured with the stuff.

[Signaller69]

All 5 (so far) of my Liliput/Bachmann BRT hoppers have now had their resin underframe parts and cast metal brake shoes fitted. The final job is fitting some improved Oleo type buffers. The buffer housings are ok, but the push in heads are rather poor by modern standards, so rather than go for my usual choice of Lanarkshire Models (LMS) cast buffers I have used MJT 16" heads (conveniently in a 20 pack) with small brass tube collars. (By some fluke, these were left overs from some model boat handrail stanchions and fit perfectly over the shanks and into the buffer housings.)

 

 

The end result looks a lot finer!

[saxokid]

More top work here

[Signaller69]

I've gone about as far as I want with the Liliput/Bachmann BRT hoppers now, but one of my Lima versions needed new advertising hoardings to replace worn versions. One of the slightly more obscure brands advertised on the prototypes was "Jamie Stuart Scotch Whisky", which, having no complicated logos was fairly easy to produce on my old computer and print onto white transfer film. Ironically, Liliput did cover this brand on one of their wagons, an online photo of which helped with the colouring as the prototype photo I was using as reference was Black & White.

 

Awaiting loading at Dunnington with the 5 Liliput/Bachmann wagons:

[Signaller69]

A visit to my local model shop this morning saw a couple more secondhand purchases with projects in mind. Given the silly prices online currently, they were "justifiable bargains" in my book.

Both may sacrifice their chassis. Or not. The Hornby single unit could end up with cab roof work as SC55013, which was used as a Driving Trainer in Scotland in mid 1972 (with white passenger Saloon windows). The rat a simple renumber maybe.

The other solution is the DMU chassis going into my original 126 for the improved running over the Lima power bogie, and the 25 chassis going into either my remaining unpowered class 29, or under the green Hornby 25 body.

An early Fathers Day gift of a "Pub in a Box" from my thoughtful offspring may help me decide over the weekend....!

[cheesysmith]

The single car 131 parcel DMU. Some had a extra pair of double doors added. Check with photos.

[cheesysmith]

Looking at the railcar website, 13 was converted to parcels use by 71 whilst still in green, with th extra double door added.

 

Numbers 2, 5 & 7 were at Eastfield by 72 with three DTS, sounds like they were being used as a power trailer sets.

Edited June 19, 2021 by cheesysmith
Information added

[Signaller69]

3 hours ago, cheesysmith said:

Looking at the railcar website, 13 was converted to parcels use by 71 whilst still in green, with th extra double door added.

 

Numbers 2, 5 & 7 were at Eastfield by 72 with three DTS, sounds like they were being used as a power trailer sets.

That's useful to know thanks, as a parcels car it increases the running options rather conveniently! The photo caption in the book could possibly have been wrong saying 55013 was in use as a Driver Training unit. Will look out some more photos.

Cheers,

Martyn.

Edited June 19, 2021 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

The project pile just recovered further......these were going on a FB sales group for a very reasonable price. Just need to decide what they will end up as! Probably at least 1 class 24 and 25/0 plus livery variations on 25/1s, some possibly ending up as pairs semi permanently, with small plugs and sockets for improved pickups. The 37 bodies might just donate their ends onto my Bachmann split box loco, or possibly a whole body with a fair amount of work. 

 

All very 1980s I know, but for me, much more excitement and anticipation than unboxing a new loco, and cheaper to boot!

[cheesysmith]

I know what you mean. I appear to have a second Lima 127DPU conversion under way whilst waiting for the paint to dry on the first lol

[sb67]

Look forward to seeing what you do with them. I've got one in my "to do" box, they were always one of my favourite Hornby locos back in the day! 

[Signaller69]

Whilst musing over the options for the various Hornby 25s, I compared the "one I did earlier", D5188 with a plain "out of the box" Hornby one. As discussed earlier (p.54 onwards) the Hornby model sits too high and looks a little ungainly as a result. I didn't have another to compare with then but now have several!

 

 

The solution is to lower the chassis on the bogies as far as possible, as well as lowering the body on the chassis. Improving the battery box area also makes a big visual difference as the photos hopefully  demonstrate, so further locos will have the same treatment.

I feel resin battery boxes etc might be the way forward here to save time on 4/5+ locos, depending on what variations are decided on (and some will be BR blue this time, for those who expressed that preference with the first one!).

 

[Mad McCann]

On 01/06/2021 at 20:35, Signaller69 said:

 

Interestingly, having never had an issue before I have now experienced this very phenomenon. One casting out of well over 100. Whatever else was cast in the same batch seems to have been ok. A dozen or so of this exact casting have been fine, strangely this odd one on the right has not set solid and expanded on all axes can be seen.

I have pressed it back into shape but it just bulges out again (it has the consistency of a wine gum).

I can only put it down to a small amount of resin that has not been mixed quite as thoroughly as it should.

 

Most odd.

 

As previously stated, this could be a stack off mis-fills or rejects stashed in the corner of a yard, perhaps of a feed merchants and kept for say local customers who perhaps only take a handful of bags for a smallholding or the likes 

 

Davy.

[John Tomlinson]

On 23/06/2021 at 11:30, Signaller69 said:

The project pile just recovered further......these were going on a FB sales group for a very reasonable price. Just need to decide what they will end up as! Probably at least 1 class 24 and 25/0 plus livery variations on 25/1s, some possibly ending up as pairs semi permanently, with small plugs and sockets for improved pickups. The 37 bodies might just donate their ends onto my Bachmann split box loco, or possibly a whole body with a fair amount of work. 

 

All very 1980s I know, but for me, much more excitement and anticipation than unboxing a new loco, and cheaper to boot!

Perhaps the seller replaced them with the new Heljan ones, that's over 900 notes at least!

 

Hours, days, months of fun to be had with your new acquisitions.

 

John.

[Signaller69]

6 hours ago, Mad McCann said:

 

As previously stated, this could be a stack off mis-fills or rejects stashed in the corner of a yard, perhaps of a feed merchants and kept for say local customers who perhaps only take a handful of bags for a smallholding or the likes 

 

Davy.

Hi Davy,

Yes I am thinking of a cameo scene for it, it did finally cure fully!

 

Thanks,

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

4 hours ago, John Tomlinson said:

Perhaps the seller replaced them with the new Heljan ones, that's over 900 notes at least!

 

Hours, days, months of fun to be had with your new acquisitions.

 

John.

Hi John,

I bought them from a Toyfair trader, not sure if he is packing up or just using alternative means until they can start up again. But yes it would be a big investment to replace so many in one go!

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

[ISW]

On 23/06/2021 at 22:54, Signaller69 said:

Whilst musing over the options for the various Hornby 25s, I compared the "one I did earlier", D5188 with a plain "out of the box" Hornby one. As discussed earlier (p.54 onwards) the Hornby model sits too high and looks a little ungainly as a result. I didn't have another to compare with then but now have several!

Martyn,

 

That's such a huge improvement. I'm really going to have to 'tackle' my pair of 1980s Hornby Class 25s to get them up to your standard.

 

Ian

[Signaller69]

As hinted at earlier, a plasticard master for moulding class 24 & 25/0 underframe equipment in resin is now in progress. Brassmasters do a sublime one piece casting for this, although I require options to leave off the water tanks hence doing my own.

 

The basic shape is getting there.

 

 

 

The fuel tank is the reduced height version (the boxy bit at the left end) but the boiler water tank will be the shortened deeper version which suits most 24s. This is being made separately so it can be left off on the 25/0 (and any 24s which didn't have boilers) thus:

I hope to leave the inside hollow to allow weight to be added. Although primarily aimed at replacing the rather plain structure on the Hornby 25 chassis (for 24 & 25/0 conversions) it should suit the older Bachmann 24 & 25 underframes too. Size comparison v Hornby 25:

 

And Bachmann 25/1:

 

Detailing to be added next. As always some compromises will be needed to enable casting, such as keeping undercuts as shallow as possible.

 

I aim to do a 25/1/2/3 version too.

 

Martyn.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Signaller69
Alter text.

[Signaller69]

More progress.....further detail added and a quick check against a new Bachmann 24 for size:

 

And so to making the mould: no it's not an 80s computer animation robot design....

The underframe has been removed from the mould and more silicone rubber added to the interior so it can be cast hollow; the white bar across the centre has wire running through the mould so that it can be pulled out.

 

However I couldn't resist doing the first cast solid, but added a couple of Hornby weights into the resin, seen here waiting to be cleaned up of flash:

 

The first "hollow" version in progress, not much to look at! Note the white bar holding the centre part of the mould in place as an aid to removal:

 

And as removed from the mould, still soft and with the water tank added loosely, the whole still to be cleaned up after setting fully:

[cheesysmith]

Question. I see you built your own underframe tanks to cast. But is there a reason not to chop up and add extra bulk or more 3D to the original parts, so keeping some of the details?

[Signaller69]

25 minutes ago, cheesysmith said:

Question. I see you built your own underframe tanks to cast. But is there a reason not to chop up and add extra bulk or more 3D to the original parts, so keeping some of the details?

The ones shown above are for 24 & 25/0 sub classes which are not easily altered from the Hornby 25/1 chassis due to the different layout, (the boiler water tank would need removing and replacing with the fuel tank/battery box from a second chassis cut & shut to give the right appearance) hence building from scratch. For a 25/1 though, yes indeed you can chop out bits to give a more 3d appearance, which is what I did on the previous loco,  and it does make a noticable difference:

 

I did consider chopping up Hornby bits to make a master for the 25/1s, which would work for my own needs, but I think it is actually easier to start from scratch to get the best 3d appearance and I can also make some to sell if there was any call for them. The idea of doing resin versions is primarily to save doing the same work on 2 or 3 locos of each underframe type. The detail on the Hornby 25 chassis is fairly basic. Some fine wire detail (battery leads and conduits etc) will probably be added for extra detail though.

[Gibbo675]

5 hours ago, Signaller69 said:

The ones shown above are for 24 & 25/0 sub classes which are not easily altered from the Hornby 25/1 chassis due to the different layout, (the boiler water tank would need removing and replacing with the fuel tank/battery box from a second chassis cut & shut to give the right appearance) hence building from scratch. For a 25/1 though, yes indeed you can chop out bits to give a more 3d appearance, which is what I did on the previous loco,  and it does make a noticable difference:

 

I did consider chopping up Hornby bits to make a master for the 25/1s, which would work for my own needs, but I think it is actually easier to start from scratch to get the best 3d appearance and I can also make some to sell if there was any call for them. The idea of doing resin versions is primarily to save doing the same work on 2 or 3 locos of each underframe type. The detail on the Hornby 25 chassis is fairly basic. Some fine wire detail (battery leads and conduits etc) will probably be added for extra detail though.

Hi Martyn,

 

I did similar to the tanks and battery boxes of the class 23/3 that I built and it does make quite a difference to the degree of relief of the original, that said fitting buffers to it might help matters, another nearly started model !. For my class 24 conversions I simply scratch built the lot, again they shew up the original arrangements lack of depth. The tanks and boxes of my 25/2's now require retroactive actions to this regard, however it is sunny out and so I've been playing out instead of indoors, come October I shall likely get busy again and I shall have a go at them then.

 

Gibbo.

[Signaller69]

The first basic 2 part hollow tank after a quick sand over the top mating surface. 

 

And the weighted one in class 24 guise, after sawing off the Hornby 25 version and fitted to an otherwise unmodified chassis:

 

And less boiler water tank as a 25/0:

Should look better after some solebar detail is added and given a coat of paint.

[Signaller69]

After a short break from modelling, I am returning to the various class 24/25 projects. I mentioned previously about the ride height of the Hornby body on the chassis, this is how I now go about lowering it.

 

As I fit flush glazing I discard the clear plastic glazing unit during dismantling of the loco; it could probably be retained by trimming a couple of mm off the lower edge all round if the lighting is to be retained, otherwise the 2 metal plug units which sit in the glazing strips can be retained within the body (suitably insulated) if required.

The chassis moulding then has the 4 cab door lugs sawn off immediately below the protruding lugs, and the solebar below the door area filed flush. (The bufferbeams were also carefully sawn away as these will also be refitted slightly lower relative to the chassis) as shown on the top chassis in this photo - bottom one is standard Hornby:

 

At this point the chassis will fit snuggly within the body, and can be assessed for height thus:

I used a couple of dummy bogies for comparitive height checks; as can be seen from the comparitive roof heights, things are looking good.

I added new lugs using some 4mm lengths of 1mm plastic rod (1mm square section should work just as well) fitted level with the top of the cut down chassis lugs:

 

Which sets the height nicely and holds the body in place:

 

Next, sorting out the buffer beams (probably....).

[Gibbo675]

1 hour ago, Signaller69 said:

After a short break from modelling, I am returning to the various class 24/25 projects. I mentioned previously about the ride height of the Hornby body on the chassis, this is how I now go about lowering it.

 

As I fit flush glazing I discard the clear plastic glazing unit during dismantling of the loco; it could probably be retained by trimming a couple of mm off the lower edge all round if the lighting is to be retained, otherwise the 2 metal plug units which sit in the glazing strips can be retained within the body (suitably insulated) if required.

The chassis moulding then has the 4 cab door lugs sawn off immediately below the protruding lugs, and the solebar below the door area filed flush. (The bufferbeams were also carefully sawn away as these will also be refitted slightly lower relative to the chassis) as shown on the top chassis in this photo - bottom one is standard Hornby:

 

At this point the chassis will fit snuggly within the body, and can be assessed for height thus:

I used a couple of dummy bogies for comparitive height checks; as can be seen from the comparitive roof heights, things are looking good.

I added new lugs using some 4mm lengths of 1mm plastic rod (1mm square section should work just as well) fitted level with the top of the cut down chassis lugs:

 

Which sets the height nicely and holds the body in place:

 

Next, sorting out the buffer beams (probably....).

Hi Martyn,

 

What you are doing is pretty much the same as what I do. I refit the buffer beams using epoxy resin after heavily scoring the jointing faces and drilling a few shallow holes at jaunty angles to allow the resin a good key as glues don't really take to the polythene type plastic very well.

 

Do you fit larger diameter wheels ? I use either Hornby class 86 wheels or LNER tender drive wheels.

 

Gibbo.