A c.1998-2002 Sussex coast workbench | MJT 4Cig and 4Big

[South Central]

Hi all,

 

About a year ago I settled upon an era change to the years of local railway operation I could actually remember! Privatisation was still young, liveries were colourful yet most of the stock was of BR heritage, not least the Mk 1 slam doors in their twilight years.

 

I've been steadily building up a fleet of stock appropriate for the Sussex "Coastway" lines radiating from Brighton for the 1998 to 2002 period. Trains wore the colours of the erstwhile Connex South Central, South Central Trains, Thameslink (the first incarnation), South West Trains and Virgin Cross Country operators with some vehicles clinging on to BR Network SouthEast and Intercity liveries. 750v DC third rail units naturally predominate, with interlopers adding to the variety including DMUs from the West Country, class 47/mk 2 rakes and Voyagers from the North West and Scotland. 

 

By way of a scene-setter, here is a Connex South Central 4Vep cobbled together from the Hornby RTR offering:

 

 

The unit started life in factory NSE finish, which soon was lost to a bath of Phoenix SuperStrip.

 

 

This model's failings are well documented on these pages, and a face transplant with MJT cast whitemetal ends was essential onto which widened end gangways were fixed. The cast jumper cables and recesses were drilled out and backed with plasticard. 

 

 

Airbrushed enamels from Humbrol added colour, onto which custom run Connex yellow stripe waterslide transfers were mounted. Copious amounts of Humbrol Decalfix helped these to sit down over the model's raised detail, hinges and rust prevention strips. Adding two bars to every passenger droplight with plastic microstrip was a laborious process!

 

 

The beauty of using the Hornby 4Vep as a base model was the factory fitted lighting. Again, the flimsy wiring on these units is infamous however spare connectors and whole PCBs are readily available and the soldering experience is no bad thing...a final weathering to prototypical unloved condition and this workhorse is ready for the rails.

 

Edited September 23, 2018 by South Central

[South Central]

Sticking with the 400s theme, and specifically the Hornby 4Vep as a base model...

 

 

A couple of early privatisation examples in the form of Connex South Central Phase 1 4Cig 1741 and Network SouthCentral Phase 2 4Big 2251. Both are repaints of units I built a few years ago in 1980s guises, so both were stripped back to bare MJT brass before receiving their respective new colours.

 

 

2251 was chosen as one of the last surviving entire 4Big on the South Central lines. It's buffet last served grub on Christmas Eve 1997 and the unit soldiered on into 1998 with its counter locked out before transfer to South West Trains. The Trailer Buffet made way for an ex-CEP TSO for the unit's twilight years largely spent on the Portsmouth Direct. 

 

 

Modelled very much in its last few years as a true BIG, I rather like the combination of the Connex front-end "Zorro" styling with faded NSE paintwork (white weathering powders) and retained Network SouthCentral shadow franchise branding. 

 

 

A legacy of the buffet's years in service...who burned the toast!?

 

A few years ago, RMweb's number6 kindly recreated the 'mural' which adorned the galley kitchen wall - duly printed and fixed in place.

 

 

 

And the beauty once again of using the Hornby 4Vep as a base is the factory lighting which pleasing survived the conversion...

 

 

Next up was another yellow peril:

 

 

MJT brass sides mounted on the base Mk1 bodyshells in the usual manner...looking rather at home in the Hornby box, oh what might have been!

 

 

The view from the stops, just need a layout now...

 

 

Thanks for dropping in! 

[number6]

I'd forgotten all about that Buffet wall. That looks excellent - amazing job on the paintjob and weathering - that window is so evocative. I almost miss the ambiance of those BIGs. 

 

My kitchen wall needs painting maybe I'll print a big sheet of this and fix it up...

 

cheers