Corbs & Chris' Clinic - Taking Stock

[Corbs]

I thought I'd separate out my Stepdad's trains that we are working on revamping. As described on the cobbling thread, I revamped an Airfix prairie of his for a birthday present.
 
MENU - Click the images to be taken to the start point for that model
I'll add models to the menu as they are finished.

 

We are aiming for the layout to be able to represent 3 different eras, swapping the stock out as needed, so I'll try and group them here and use a different nomenclature to the normal one.

 

THE FIRST AGE

 

Steam reigns supreme

 

THE SECOND AGE

 

BR steam and the coming of the diesels

 

       

 

THE THIRD AGE

 

Diesel dominance

 

  

  

 

    

 
PROJECT RESURRECTION BEGINS....

Edited January 7 by Corbs

[Corbs]

PROJECT RESURRECTION BEGINS



We've decided to go through the whole collection now that it's out of storage and breathe some new life into them, bring them a bit more up to date - some of them have been in a box for nigh on 30 years.

So today we went through everything to see what works, what needs working on, and to start on some more locos. Luckily Chris and his Dad bought sensibly in the past and the locos were of high quality for their age (for the most part - the Hornby 'King' is vile and one of the wheels was held in with blu-tac).

There were 2 Prairies in storage so as a joint project we've both been working on the second one today. I'm really pleased with how we got on working on it on/off over about 13 hours.

Unfortunately this one is a non-runner so needs some mechanical surgery as well, but today was a day for cosmetic work.

Here's the patient on the left. This is the state we started with around 10am


As before, the moulded handrails were all cut off and new ones fitted. Smokebox door handles - same. The boiler handrail was in better condition on this one so we just snipped the ends off and melted the knobs further in. False bunker bottom under construction.


A couple of incidents with the soldering iron meant we rebuilt the running plate with some styrene L section and added some filler to this side.


This took up most of the day. Blah blah blah, around 7pm here it is with black paint going on to key areas. I hate masking so try and do the minimum amount possible.

BAM. The time is now 10pm, we masked the smokebox, most of the running plate and the cab roof and sprayed the rest of the loco green (Ford Laurel Green from Halfords)


KABLOOEY. 11:30pm and I've done the lining on one side - VERY hard to do in one piece and I would not recommend. Think this side will get a slap with the weathering stick. I have touched in the matt black by brush. I try and only brush black as it's quite forgiving, I don't really like brushing other colours (except bufferbeams).
Transfers and lining are from Fox Transfers.


BINGO. 12:30am and the other side is lined and branded.

Phew!

Tomorrow I'll go into the other projects we had a go at whilst waiting for paint to dry etc.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Right, now I've had some sleep here's the other projects we got on with yesterday.

 

Here's most of the 'stash' whilst we were test running them.

 

 

HORNMANN PANNIER

 

 

Whilst most of the stash is made up of high-quality Mainline/Airfix locos, some of them are (retch) early Margate-built Hornby ones, like the abysmal 8750 pannier.

I don't think it's worth salvaging the body, but the motor is still good.

 

I have an elderly Bachmann pannier (with the old Mainline chassis) that died as soon as I got it many years ago - think the motor burnt out. So we thought why not put a good chassis to use under the spare body?

 

This requires the cab floor to be cut out, and the inside of the pannier tanks to clear the motor - luckily the plastic is very thick in these models so lots can be taken out. I used a circular saw on the dremel and a stanley blade to shave it down.

 

Here is the chassis after notching, but it needs shortening some more.

 

 

At the front I cut this notch.

 

 

Getting there....

 

This is where I've got to now. I need to level it out and check clearances on the rods etc.

 

Edited October 26, 2018 by Corbs

[Corbs]

A mild update.

 

Updated Hornby wheels for the prairie are readily available and make a big difference. Alas the  Airfix rods have holes that are too small so I need to get some more modern ones.

 

However, it does have a number now! Plates are from Fox Transfers and secured with Klear. It's in the process of some light weathering.

 

 

The Hornmann pannier now sits level and needs securing and couplings. For such an ancient chassis it runs very smoothly!

 

Edited March 14, 2018 by Corbs

[Booking Hall]

Hello Corbs, like you I had a superannuated Triang Pannier but at the time couldn't afford to replace it with the Bachmann one, so I decided to try and improve it. I added brake gear, wire handrails, pipework, lifting hoops, lamp irons, sand boxes, guard irons and number plates. Sadly, just as I was about to order the etched brass coal guards for the cab rear windows from 'Mainly Trains' they stopped trading!!  Still, it can hold its head a little higher now!

[Corbs]

Wow! That's a heck of a job you've done there, very impressive! You've set the bar very high for me now

 

The good thing these days about Bachmann panniers is that so many people use them as chassis donors, there are tons of bodies floating around. I have about 6 panniers sharing 3 chassis between them. But I hate waste, so this Hornby chassis deserved a new lease of life.

 

We have a Lima 9400 that I want to 'do the works' on as you have, so that's something to aim for.

[St Enodoc]

Wow! That's a heck of a job you've done there, very impressive! You've set the bar very high for me now

 

The good thing these days about Bachmann panniers is that so many people use them as chassis donors, there are tons of bodies floating around. I have about 6 panniers sharing 3 chassis between them. But I hate waste, so this Hornby chassis deserved a new lease of life.

 

We have a Lima 9400 that I want to 'do the works' on as you have, so that's something to aim for.

Corbs, have a look at:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=forums&module=forums&section=findpost&pid=2938993

 

for my take on this.

[Norton961]

Corns, like the Prarie, and I use Fox transfers for lining, but definitely not in one piece. For the tank sides I would start with one end and start with a corner, go down to the bottom corner. Then proceed along the bottom to the next corner and then work up. For a tank side I would cut the lining into around 7 or 8 pieces. I have lined a number of locos this way. The point to remember is that bu cutting up slightly reduces the length.

I will find some photos to post.

 

David

[Corbs]

Yes definitely, that's how I've done the blue NWR locos like this one

 

Usually all the long straights and the corners as separate pieces with a slight overlap on the join, and I think that's how I would do anything going forward. I think the Pannier above had 20ish individual pieces.

[Corbs]

4160 edges closer to completion with the numberplate, brake pipe and coupling added.

 

 

I've also fitted the airfix gear to the Hornby axle using loctite, so hopefully a replacement airfix motor will work, who knows?

 

 

7702, the Hornmann Pannier, now runs well. I secured the body to the chassis by countersinking a screw into a hole drilled in the body at the front. The front coupling plugs into the Lima mounting, and the rear one is glued to the chassis. I think some etched plates, maybe some crew members and real coal would set this cheap bodge off nicely. 

[Coppercap]

I thought I'd separate out my Stepdad's trains that we are working on revamping. As described on the cobbling thread, I revamped an Airfix prairie of his for a birthday present.

 

 

 

 

I did similar job to you many years ago, but as a GWR 'roundel' version of 4110 (which I used to be connected with, before it's move to Minehead).

I hope you are aware that your 'ferret & dartboards' are not quite correct - they should either both face forwards (as they did for a while until it was deemed that only the left-facing one was permitted), or both should face to the left. You have the one on the right side facing to the right/rear, which is incorrect. (The 'cycling lions' always faced forwards.)

Edited March 15, 2018 by Coppercap

[Corbs]

Yep I did realise that when checking reference photos of how to position them! 

 

I think what's happened is I ordered a sheet of reversed ones (presumably intended for people modelling the early ferret and dartboard era) by mistake. By the time I realised, the transfers were on the tank sides so I thought what the heck, it can just be a little quirk.

[Corbs]

Right, the pannier is waiting on etched plates and now has some real coal so it's pretty much done. I can't do anything on the prairies until some parts arrive so it's on to the next one.

 

HORNFIX CLASS 31

 

 

The Airfix Class 31, despite its age, seems to be regarded quite well in terms of overall shape and I think the body can be brought up to scratch quite easily. The motor isn't bad and Chris got it running by cleaning the pickups etc. However, modern diesel and electric models are just so smooth and an idea formed in my head.

 

 

As we all know, early Hornby 31 models were plagued by mazak rot, smashing the chassis and often the bodies to pieces as it expanded and cracked. On the plus side, this does mean that they can be picked up relatively cheaply and you get some decent bogies and a nice big motor with flywheels.

 

I was lucky to find this skinhead on ebay and got it for £48 posted, I imagine you could get it cheaper though. This example has a mostly undamaged bodyshell which I may sell on or adapt to the airfix chassis in the future. The chassis is expanding and cracking and the bufferbeams have snapped off and shattered.

 

 

I immediately set to removing the running gear. I think I'll dispense with the PCB and run this the old fashioned way for simplicity.

 

This shot shows the Airfix model as it comes. The huge weight in the middle sits in the battery box. The pickup bogie well needs to be cut out to fit a powered bogie.

 

The cutout was made with a dremel as shown here. I can't reuse the ballast weight so I filled the battery boxes with liquid gravity (which is not lead) and cyano glue in layers. The reaction was getting quite hot so I popped it in the fridge for a while which seemed to help.

 

I salvaged the rubber motor cradle mounts from the Hornby chassis. These are glued down to a piece of styrene cut to size. The mounts will have a brace going over the top. I had to cut down the screw mounts inside the body for this to fit.

 

 

The bogies need mounting and locating. I measured the centre point of where they needed to be and used styrene strip with a hole drilled in to locate the bogies and provide the correct ride height.

 

The styrene was then glued in to the chassis (using poly cement) and reinforced with more strip.

 

The chassis part way through being sprayed black (as it had turned brown over time) and mocked up

 

 

The steps don't exactly line up as if they did, the bogies could not turn properly, so we'll have to live with that.

 

Not bad so far though.

 

Edited March 27, 2018 by Corbs

[rob D2]

Good job, but I'm not sure about the air fix shape. The Lima wasn't bad, but this one doesn't look right round the front at all

[Corbs]

Yep it's not 100%, but it'll do for the this project I think the sentimental value is in having used the old models and given them a new lease of life. I plan on adding detail and flush glazing to this example to help it along.

 

It's working! For less than a day's work I'm very pleased with it.

 

 

I mounted the bogies by drilling a tiny hole in the locating lug and using a small screw with a washer against the styrene strip.

 

The motor is secured by another piece of styrene with holes drilled for the locating lugs in the rubber motor mounts, and it's a press fit on.

 

What's the diesel equivalent for 'chuffed' I wonder?

[stewartingram]

When introduced, the Airfix model was tested (by one of the mags?) and came out with a phenomenal load - I think it was around 63 coaches? I had 3 of them, very powerful. With a little bit of extra tlc in assembly I made them very quiet too. Personally, I would keep the running gear more or less as it is.

 

Stewart

[Corbs]

Horses for courses, I'd rather have something that moves smoothly, wheelspins with a heavy load and doesn't sound like a chainsaw when it runs (this one was horrendously loud and on a continuous run would have quickly become very irritating). I strongly dislike traction tyres and the funny 4 wheeled power bogies personally so any way of getting rid of them is good in my book. 

Edited March 16, 2018 by Corbs

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

The chassis part way through being sprayed black (as it had turned brown over time) and mocked up

 

 

I believe it was brown to start with, probably an Airfix attempt at frame dirt.

 

Mike.

[F-UnitMad]

Good job, but I'm not sure about the air fix shape. The Lima wasn't bad, but this one doesn't look right round the front at allIMG_0186.PNG

It's getting on for being a 40-year old model..!! Let's cut it some slack, eh?

It was very good for it's time, body-wise, even if the motor was a bit too close to the even older Tri-ang type for my liking, but it was one of my favourite models back then, & Chris Ellis showed how to detail it for a 31/4 in the Sept. 1980 issue of Airfix Model Trains.

[Corbs]

Hopefully it'll be looking a bit more up to spec. soon. I have a SEFinecast flush glazing kit, and plenty of decals to add. My aim is to fit the Hornby cab interiors, replace the front moulded handrails, and give it a bit of a grubbing up. Needs some couplings and brake pipes!

[rob D2]

Of course !

It's the bit of chassis on the model that is mounded as a bit of the body putting it out, if you can paint that bit track dirt of black I reckon it'll look 100 % better

[BernardTPM]

The chassis part way through being sprayed black (as it had turned brown over time)

 

I believe it was brown to start with, probably an Airfix attempt at frame dirt.

Mike.

 

Yes, they were brown from new, probably a misinterpretation of the BR corporate livery: a chocolate brown was used on coach underframes but not locos (other than the two HST prototype power cars which they then decided were part of a multiple unit). Coach underframes were back to being painted black by the late '70s, though once brake dust was liberally applied you'd not be able to tell the difference!

 

Strictly speaking the Airfix model isn't a 31 as the exhausts are the original type so modelled as having the original Mirlees diesel engines, so Class 30. When the Brush Type 2s were re-engined with English Electric diesel engines the exhaust ports were at 90 degrees to the original configuration and they became Class 31. All the locos were rebuilt some years before TOPS numbers were applied so there were never any 30 xxx numbered locos in service.

Edited March 16, 2018 by BernardTPM

[Corbs]

Ah yes, this thread is quite informative on the subject:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65416-class-31/page-2

 

Looks like the Hornby model is correct to represent a Class 30.

 

Debating whether to try and cut the ports out of the 31 and rotate them or to hide them in grime and squint. I suppose if I make a pig's ear out of rotating them then I can always cover it in grime anyway.

[forest2807]

Hasn't someone just done an etch for an EE exhaust? Did I dream that or just misread a thread?

[Corbs]

Yep! Rumney Models

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65265-class-30-vs-31/page-2

[F-UnitMad]

 

It's working! For less than a day's work I'm very pleased with it.

 

What's the diesel equivalent for 'chuffed' I wonder?

 

"Spluttered"..??!!

 

Perhaps not.