Class 83 models

[the penguin of doom]

Hi all.

 

Just wondering if anyone out there knows of a kit in 00 for the Ac electric class 83. I know about the MTK one, but thought Silver Fox did one too? I can't seem to find one in their lists though.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[Wolf27]

Hi

 

I have a resin bodyshell from Apple Green Engines, who bought the L&J stock a number of years ago, but I believe that the mould was worn out and have stopped producing it, may be worth dropping them an email though. Silverfox have never made an 83 and the MTK kits is not really worth the effort. So in short, no is the answer I'm afriad.

 

cheers

 

Shane

[the penguin of doom]

Hi Shane.

 

Thanks for your advice. Seems I may hit a dead end, but I wonder if you have any contact details for the Apple models company? Its not necessarily important for it to be an 83 and I seem to remember now that L + J did a large range of AC electrics......

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[Wolf27]

Hi Sean

 

Try this http://homepage.ntlworld.com/applegreenengines/index.html it may be worth a shot. I did manage to buy 81-85 from these guys before they stopped making then. Silverfox do an 81 as do DCkits, who also do an 85.

 

cheers

 

Shane

[iploffy]

I purchased 2 class 84's from MTK previous owner I cannot remember the mans name or indeed his phone number but he said he had other kits but be warned the kits that came were junk absolute rubbish and would have taken a master craftsman to complete to a half reasonable standard

 

Ian

[Wolf27]

I purchased 2 class 84's from MTK previous owner I cannot remember the mans name or indeed his phone number but he said he had other kits but be warned the kits that came were junk absolute rubbish and would have taken a master craftsman to complete to a half reasonable standard

 

Ian

 

Sounds about right, I was given an MTK class 85 years ago, most of it went into the melting pot. Only the cab roofs and the motor bogies survived, but that was Lima! I also have a 74 that I am determined to get looking like a 74!!.

 

cheers

 

Shane

[the penguin of doom]

Thanks guys.

 

I'm keen not to turn the thread into an MTK bashing forum, but have read many other similar reports on the standard. In their defence, a mate of mine has a class 100 DMU which looks to be a well detailed and simple kit.

 

Having looked on the Apple site, it looks like they don't do any AC electrics, but I'll fire off an e mail to them and DC kits to see whats available.

 

I'll keep you posted.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[RANGERS]

Lets be fair to Colin Massingham, when he was producing his kits from the early 70s onwards, there was precious little else around for the contemporary modeller and his kits were a fair reflection of much of what was around at the time. He also managed to produce an awful lot of types in a fairly short space of time, imagine Bachmann with all the resources at their disposal producing somewhere in the order of 35 locos, almost 100 units and a similar number of loco hauled coach kits (this in 4mm alone) in less than 10 years, that was what Colin managed and without it, the blue period modelling era probably would never have got off the ground.

 

His 83 and 84 were pretty poor mind!

[Waveydavey]

Practical Model Railways in July 1986 had an article on modelling the 82 & 83s.

 

The 83 involved shortening a Triang AL1 body and mounting it on a modified Roco DB110 chassis.

 

Cheers

 

David

[the penguin of doom]

[quote name=Waveydavey' date='06 April 2010 - 15:24 ' timestamp='1270567479'

post='116528]

Interesting you should say that, that be may how I look at doing it? I assume the rake on the front end is almost the same on all the early AC electrics?

 

Now, to find a Triang 81...........

[Wolf27]

You're right to assume that the front rake is ALMOST the same on the early electrics but the differences are very subtle. I suppose its possible to use a triang 81 but it could end up looking like a cross between an 81 and whichever class it is you want. From memoery the rake on an 84 is the same from top to bottom whereas the other seem to have a two stage rake (differing angles) Also the headcode boxes on all the classes are different sizes.

 

cheers

 

Shane

[the penguin of doom]

You're right to assume that the front rake is ALMOST the same on the early electrics but the differences are very subtle. I suppose its possible to use a triang 81 but it could end up looking like a cross between an 81 and whichever class it is you want. From memoery the rake on an 84 is the same from top to bottom whereas the other seem to have a two stage rake (differing angles) Also the headcode boxes on all the classes are different sizes.

 

cheers

 

Shane

 

Aha.

 

I won't say too much at this stage, but the headcode boxes are irrelevant for my plan.

 

All I'll say for the moment is the 83 is exactly the right length, any of the other first generation electrics may need shortening.....

 

I'll keep folks guessing for now though as I've already said too much.......

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[298]

Aha.

 

I won't say too much at this stage, but the headcode boxes are irrelevant for my plan.

 

All I'll say for the moment is the 83 is exactly the right length, any of the other first generation electrics may need shortening.....

 

I'll keep folks guessing for now though as I've already said too much.......

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

 

Don't discount the Hornby class 86 body, it's easy enough to shorten and fill the sides in, and the nose can be bent forward by making a vertical slit on the lower cabside where the yellow end meets the bodyside, and bending it forwards.

 

The article in Practical Model Railways sounds like Graham Clark's, i'm also doing the same with a Triang body and Roco DB110 chassis.

 

You're not modelling a Polish EU06 or something similar, perchance...?

[the penguin of doom]

Don't discount the Hornby class 86 body, it's easy enough to shorten and fill the sides in, and the nose can be bent forward by making a vertical slit on the lower cabside where the yellow end meets the bodyside, and bending it forwards.

 

The article in Practical Model Railways sounds like Graham Clark's, i'm also doing the same with a Triang body and Roco DB110 chassis.

 

You're not modelling a Polish EU06 or something similar, perchance...?

 

You caught me out already!!!

 

An EU07 if I can get a drawing and some inspiration. I'm here at the moment, but not managing to get close enough to grab some detail pictures. Going to Koshalin tomorrow though so will hopefully have more luck.

 

Any pictures etc you need for your project?

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[the penguin of doom]

Hi all.

 

Well, I've managed to source an 81 off e bay, so there may be one or two more questions to follow, the first of which though is does anyone supply etched brass grille sheets, preferably of the right style and (if I'm really lucky), the right size for the 83 body side vents?

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[Steve K]

You caught me out already!!!

 

An EU07 if I can get a drawing and some inspiration. I'm here at the moment, but not managing to get close enough to grab some detail pictures. Going to Koshalin tomorrow though so will hopefully have more luck.

Sean - I'm sure you realise this, but Polish company Tololoko make a model of the EU07 - in HO, naturally - which is already on my (somewhat hypothetical) wishlist for the British HO project that I will one day undertake. Strictly, I ought to be looking for a model of an EU06, but trying to model British outline in HO, one can't be too choosy...

 

Coincidentally, I logged to RMweb this morning with the express purpose of mentioning Tololoko on my "British HO" thread!

[DavidBelcher]

Sean - I'm sure you realise this, but Polish company Tololoko make a model of the EU07 - in HO, naturally - which is already on my (somewhat hypothetical) wishlist for the British HO project that I will one day undertake. Strictly, I ought to be looking for a model of an EU06, but trying to model British outline in HO, one can't be too choosy...

 

Coincidentally, I logged to RMweb this morning with the express purpose of mentioning Tololoko on my "British HO" thread!

 

Just to blur the boundaries a little further, here's a link to PKP's own AL3 "tribute act";

 

http://www.gmfk.pl/cpg144/albums/userpics/10917/DSCF4400.JPG

 

Looks rather smart!

 

David

['CHARD]

What are you doing including links to pictures of Heljan's AL6, David?

[Steve K]

What are you doing including links to pictures of Heljan's AL6, David?

It's the limited edition "Lech Rosski", I understand...

[the penguin of doom]

Sean - I'm sure you realise this, but Polish company Tololoko make a model of the EU07 - in HO, naturally - which is already on my (somewhat hypothetical) wishlist for the British HO project that I will one day undertake. Strictly, I ought to be looking for a model of an EU06, but trying to model British outline in HO, one can't be too choosy...

 

Coincidentally, I logged to RMweb this morning with the express purpose of mentioning Tololoko on my "British HO" thread!

 

Hi Steve.

 

Thanks for the link. I had actually seen these models earlier in the week and I'm sure they're outstanding, however, having looked at the price list, the 550 euro charged is a little prohibitive for my meagre pay packet, so I'm going to try make a decent job at a little less of the cost. It will be the only Polish loco in my fleet, more for sentimental reasons than anything else, so it may even just be a static loco and a little whimsical as opposed to an exact scale replica of the real thing.

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

[the penguin of doom]

Just to blur the boundaries a little further, here's a link to PKP's own AL3 "tribute act";

 

http://www.gmfk.pl/c...17/DSCF4400.JPG

 

Looks rather smart!

 

David

 

And just to add to the comments, I think this loco looks rather smart too. I've not managed to "spot" this one so far, but have seen a few of the new refurbished EU07's in the new liveries, (Biege and Maroon and, (I believe), Cargo Blue).

 

Very nice and very reminiscent of the WCML in the 80's

 

Sean.

[Wolf27]

Hi all.

 

Well, I've managed to source an 81 off e bay, so there may be one or two more questions to follow, the first of which though is does anyone supply etched brass grille sheets, preferably of the right style and (if I'm really lucky), the right size for the 83 body side vents?

 

Cheers.

 

Sean.

 

Sean

 

I could be persuaded(sp) to draw some grilles and have them etched. Pm me with what you require.

 

cheers

 

Shane

[Steve K]

Thanks for the link. I had actually seen these models earlier in the week and I'm sure they're outstanding, however, having looked at the price list, the 550 euro charged is a little prohibitive for my meagre pay packet...

At 550 Euros, I think I'll be steering clear, too... !

[the penguin of doom]

Sean

 

I could be persuaded(sp) to draw some grilles and have them etched. Pm me with what you require.

 

cheers

 

Shane

 

 

Hi Shane.

 

Thanks, thats a really kind gesture. I'm hopefully going to be behind an EU07 today, so will give you a pm in a day or so. Sizewise, I'd expect the grilles to be the same as the 83, but we'll see.

 

Cheers for now.

 

Sean.

[Karhedron]

I purchased 2 class 84's from MTK previous owner I cannot remember the mans name or indeed his phone number but he said he had other kits but be warned the kits that came were junk absolute rubbish and would have taken a master craftsman to complete to a half reasonable standard

They were not as bad as all that. It has become fashionable to trash MTK but remember without them there would have been virtually no modern image models for anything not produced in RTR at the time. They were rough and ready but filled a valuable niche. Sure they are crude by modern standards but they are 30 years old. They could be made into decent representations of the prototype with a lot of patience, filler and a large file.

 

Here is my effort with a class 83 kit, bear in mind I was only 14 when I built this. A more experienced modller could probably do a much better job but it shows they are not the unbuildable monstrosities some people claim.