Corbs & Chris' Clinic - Taking Stock

[RedGemAlchemist]

Cheers mate, I have to say I'm very glad I did chop out the skirt.

 

I ended up using a plasticard plug and the remains of the bottom of the 4F boiler, and lots of filler, to give the impression of the underside of the boiler.

 

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prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill-prime-sand-fill

 

The handrails are the 4F ones, trimmed. The brake gear on the right side is also from the 4F, cut down and with the pipe reversed so it goes under the boiler rather than over the splasher.

 

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Paint is just Halfords satin black. Reversing rod is the 4F one, flipped upside down, cut in half and glued at an angle, trimmed to length, in the 4F mount.

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And expectedly, it is indeed a very smart looking loco. 

[Corbs]

Thanks mate! It's getting there, work is quite busy at the moment so I haven't been able to work at the same pace as before.

 

Here's where I'm up to. I wasn't satisfied with the flattened-off boiler underside so I chopped up a marker pen, glued it on and added a tiny bit of filler, then some more black and lacquer.

The brake pipe and coupling was fitted to the front (still need front plate and lamp irons).

 

I've figured out the mounting (box section styrene glued inside the firebox, a hole drilled through the chassis so a single screw goes into the styrene and holds the body on).

 

It's numbered as 43435 which is the only 3F I've seen photos of that had this design of tender.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[Northmoor]

Thanks mate! It's getting there, work is quite busy at the moment so I haven't been able to work at the same pace as before.

 

Here's where I'm up to. I wasn't satisfied with the flattened-off boiler underside so I chopped up a marker pen, glued it on and added a tiny bit of filler, then some more black and lacquer.

The brake pipe and coupling was fitted to the front (still need front plate and lamp irons).

 

I've figured out the mounting (box section styrene glued inside the firebox, a hole drilled through the chassis so a single screw goes into the styrene and holds the body on).

 

It's numbered as 43435 which is the only 3F I've seen photos of that had this design of tender.

 

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As my Dad and I between us have 3 Airfix 4Fs I'm seriously tempted to look out for a Triang 3F body and do this conversion.

 

However, one of them is allocated to a LNER J11 conversion, in accordance with an article in Model Trains magazine in about 1981!

[Ian Kirk]

Hi Corbs,

Well done with the 3F. Makes me nostalgic. It takes me back as "doing up" the Triang 3F from my train set days was my first go at trying to get a "scale" model.  Romford wheels, separate handrails and ERG 3 link couplings (which were nearly as big as O gauge) nothing like as good as your version of course but people were much less critical back then and I was still only a lad.

 

best wishes,

 

Ian

[RedGemAlchemist]

As my Dad and I between us have 3 Airfix 4Fs I'm seriously tempted to look out for a Triang 3F body and do this conversion.

 

As am I. Or would be if it fit my theme.

[Corbs]

Thanks for the kind words and the 'likes'!

 

One problem I'm having with the 3F is the tender derails a lot. It seems to climb check rails on points when running loco-first. Tender-first doesn't seem to be much of an issue. I checked the back-to-back on the leading tender wheelset and it seems to be ok. Very strange, anyone else had this problem?

 

LIMBY CLASS 50

 

Whilst not strictly part of the collection, a 'Hoover' was missing and we really wanted one to go with the other BR Blue era diesels. I have a very early memory of seeing one in large logo livery at Exeter St. Davids (They must have been withdrawn shortly after) and they have always had a soft spot in my trainbrain.

 

I bought a Lima example for £30ish on eBay. I was very lucky in that this one had been detailed by a previous owner, with etched plates, the roof cut out plated over, a driver and flush glazing fitted. Some of the masking lines aren't great but overall very good.

Slightly more expensive was the Hornby chassis. These are worlds apart in their performance. The modern chassis has a lovely smooth motion.

 

 

 

They are actually slightly different in length, too. I needed to remove quite a bit of material from each end of the Hornby chassis to allow the Lima body to fit.

 

This was filed to make it smooth. I also used a scalpel to cut down the back 'wall' of the cab as it was too high for the thick Lima body to fit snugly.

 

 

The Hornby mounting lugs were also cut down using the dremel and filed flat to stop the sides from bulging.

 

 

I also removed the directional lights as they shone through the bodywork.

 

 

Now, how to secure the body? I thought a lot about this. Drilling through the thick chassis wasn't desirable. In the end I opted to take a leaf out of Nile's book and add a couple of Neodymium magnets (might add some more) to the chassis.....

 

 

 

and on the body....

 

 

 

This is how it currently stands.

 

 

 

 

I'd like to tidy up the black lines a bit, and possibly add a bit more grime. The couplings and pipes need sorting out once I get some suitable NEM pockets, and the underbody boxes need making (robbed by a previous owner). Overall though I love it.

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[Booking Hall]

One problem I'm having with the 3F is the tender derails a lot. It seems to climb check rails on points when running loco-first. Tender-first doesn't seem to be much of an issue. I checked the back-to-back on the leading tender wheelset and it seems to be ok

 

Hi Corbs, great job on the 3F, looks really good for an old un now! Re. the problem above - could it be lack of play/pivot movement in the coupling bar between loco and tender?

[Corbs]

I thought that as well, but I repositioned the drawbar to give more space between loco and tender and the same thing happens. On closer inspection it doesn't actually climb check rails, the leading tender wheelset just jumps the track in an attempt to carry straight on. It does this on more than one point. Hmmmm......

[cheesysmith]

If its not the tender to loco connection causing it, it sounds like the tender weight distribution is off, with too much mass at the rear. A good way to check would be to propell the tender from the rear and see if it still happens without the loco to tender coupling having any effect.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Can be the centre wheelset's action too, especially if it is set a little low so the tender is rocking slightly on it. If taking the centre wheelset out results in trouble free performance, then slackening the bearings for the centre wheelset such that it is an 'uninvolved passenger' as far as the vehicle is concerned will do the job

[Corbs]

I wonder if you may be right there, 34C. After some more testing it happens even on gradual curves, and in most cases the front and rear wheelsets come off, with the centre one staying on the track.

[TRAILRAGE]

I had a couple of  Airfix Castles who's tenders rocked on the middle wheels. silly things derailed all over the place. I still have one of them that gets the occasional outing but still occasionally jumps of the track.

 

Cheers Trailrage 

[Corbs]

Ah at least it's not just me! I removed the traction tyres from the centre axle and it's a bit better. If you go slow it doesn't jump so much. May just live with it.

[Corbs]

A bit more work on the Hoooooover.

 

The Hornby chassis was missing some of the 'gubbins' that goes between the bogies, this seems to be a common fault and the parts aren't on the Hornby parts list (or seemingly in many shops), I've seen a couple of Class 50s for sale that were bought just to salvage these bits for another model!

So I dismantled the Lima chassis - the bogies went on eBay - and ye olde razore sawe was employed to get the bits I wanted.

 

 

 

And glued in under the loco.

 

 

 

The end with the driver in it got some detail salvaged from the Lima chassis in the form of the homemade brake pipes (from wire). The coupling is from a GBL loco.

The black edging on the loco has been tidied up a bit.

 

 

 

I think the 31 looks quite work worn by comparison.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[BernardTPM]

The Gubbins are Compressors. Not surprisingly very similar to those under the Cl.86 & 87.

[Corbs]

Ah, thank you. I guess it's the fuel tank in the middle, what's at the other end, are they battery boxes?

[BernardTPM]

Yes, though between both the batteries and the compressors are several air reservoir tanks partially hidden away (they can be seen through the air compressor cradles). There was a really good (though not quite perfect) set of drawings in the Railway Modeller for February 1968 when they were new.

[Corbs]

Cheers Bernard, all makes sense.

The store-brand vacuum cleaner is finished/done with for the time being.

 

Added another pair of magnets to the back of the bulkhead to secure the body in place, you can't lift it by the body but neither would doing so result in a 50 on the floor.

 

The brake pipework was salvaged off the Lima chassis. Hornby NEM pockets are different to Bachmann ones so I got a set today.

 

One of these days I'll replace the moulded handrails and tidy up the yellow/black divide some more, but it's as good as it's going to be for a while.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[Corbs]

'evening all, been a while! 

Another Limby class 50 and a Vitrains class 47 are in the works so I should start clearing the decks.

 

 

Narrow planet made me a custom smokebox numberplate for 43435, so that's now more or less finished.

 

 

 

as is the unrebuilt Royal Scot

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[cheesysmith]

That's cheating. The vi trains chassis was sold as a direct swap for the old Lima body. A quick mod to the glazing and it fits in perfectly.

[Corbs]

ah, I'm not sure how I've managed to goose this one up in that case, I've been stalled on it for a while, do you know how it's supposed to mount? The bodyside lugs  wouldn't fit on the vitrains chassis when I tried it.

Edit: Actually just had a search and it seems it doesn't securely mount so I'll need to make some clips - may use the magnets again as with the class 50.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Corbs

[RedGemAlchemist]

'evening all, been a while! 

Another Limby class 50 and a Litrains class 47 are in the works so I should start clearing the decks.

 

Narrow planet made me a custom smokebox numberplate for 43435, so that's now more or less finished.

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as is the unrebuilt Royal Scot

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Here's the Litrains class 47 so far.

 

Vitrains chassis (from a loco my grandmother won in a prize draw) going under a Lima body (to receive more details)

 

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Great work as always Corbs. Got quite a nice fleet of revived engines coming along.

[Corbs]

I've had a change of heart on this Lima 47. After testing a sister engine on the helix, the performance was so surprisingly good, we've decided to refit this body to the Lima chassis, add some more weight and detail the body. Possible future upgrade to a CD motor drive, maybe fit lighting etc.

 

So on to the body, all I've done so far is start shaving off the handrails on the front of the cab. I'm going to use some handrails from a Heljan sprue, normally I would use wire but the odd shape of the under-window one. Flush glazing kits have also been ordered.

 

 

 

The layout that all these projects will live on is under construction at last! It's a mammoth undertaking and the biggest layout we've ever done.

 

Here is the thread:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135452-northbridge-junction-shades-of-sisyphus/

Edited September 21, 2022 by Corbs

[St Enodoc]

I've had a change of heart on this Lima 47. After testing a sister engine on the helix, the performance was so surprisingly good, we've decided to refit this body to the Lima chassis, add some more weight and detail the body. Possible future upgrade to a CD motor drive, maybe fit lighting etc.

 

So on to the body, all I've done so far is start shaving off the handrails on the front of the cab. I'm going to use some handrails from a Heljan sprue, normally I would use wire but the odd shape of the under-window one. Flush glazing kits have also been ordered.

 

IMG_7467.JPG

 

The layout that all these projects will live on is under construction at last! It's a mammoth undertaking and the biggest layout we've ever done.

 

Here is the thread:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135452-northbridge-junction-shades-of-sisyphus/

Following!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...The Bachmann A1 conversion might seem bonkers but it was 1 of the original batch that had the bad motors in it.

 

I have managed to find new A1 chassis on ebay but again finances prevent its purchase for now that is.  1 day 60153 Flamboyant  ( ex 60161 North British ) will be running properly as a loco drive not a tender drive.

 Have you tried scrounging around for a Mashima 1430? That's a direct replacement for the original pattern motor that had the failures due to poor wire quality. (There's a real performance benefit for DC operation, as it is double shafted a good size flywheel can be fitted too, there is space enough inside the body shell.)