What is on the bench was previously in my head !

[Gibbo675]

13 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

This reminds me of painting 83012 into Electric Blue 20 years ago.  Always the best livery the Old Ladies ever carried.

Hi Northmoor,

 

As much as I like the electric blue livery the 83 will be painted BR Blue so that it fits into my period of modelling which is 1973, the electric blue locos that I will have will be late repaint 81's with full yellow ends. Both my 83 and 84 models will be newly out shopped refurbished locomotives from Doncaster. The un-refurbished electric blue locomotives of the period would have been stored in Bury Loco Shed at the time awaiting modifications. The locomotives were stored from 1967-71 being put through the works between 1970 and 1973.

 

Two 83's and two 84's with Tommy along with a prototype push pull conversion contraption that was trialled

 

Gibbo.

[John Tomlinson]

That's a good find of a picture, much better than my fuzzy effort on an Instamatic when I was a spotty teenager!

 

Clear evidence as well that "Tommy" finished its days in green with small yellow panel, contrary to what one sometimes reads.

 

No probs about walking round in those days either, despite the adjacent building and sidings - out of sight to the right - having 3rd rail for the electric units.

 

John.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

The class 83 has been undergoing paint stripping along with the WCML Pullman cars so no work worth photographing there.

 

What I have been doing is working upon the chassis and bodies of two more 81's and an 85, E3001, 81 019 and E3071. There is very little to with the 81 bodies other than cleaning up moulding flash and mould parting lines however the 85 body has various modifications to make it correct to type.

There are five modifications:

1. There is  step on the bodyside where the originals had the top half split off from the bottom for maintenance, this is formed by a .010" strip of plasticard 14.5mm deep running between the inner edges of the handrail recesses.
2. An extra oil tank near the site of the pantograph, this is made from layers of plasticard 3mm thick with a micro rod filler cap
3. A rearranged window spacing in that the outer windows are closer in to the centre and the addition of the raised window frames. The outer windows were filled with .040" plasticard and then re-cut, the window frames are made from .010" plasticard with the aperture roughed out to shape. they are then placed centrally over the window apertures and when cured they are filed to size.
4. A different style and rearrangement of ventilation grilles on the opposite side from the windows. My previous class 85 utilised grilles from a scrap class 20 body, I have yet to decide what to do about this detail unless I can source a scrap class 20 body.
5. Guttering slots in the cab roof dome. These gutter slots were cut in using a junior hacksaw blade with the ends of the slots carfully carved out with a scalpel. The slots over the door were chain drilled and tidied up with a scalpel. The slots over the cab windows had three pieces of plasticard glued into the slots in the corners and over the centre window, once cured they were filled back to the profile of the roof dome.

The two 81's in the background with the 85 in the foreground shewing the oil tank, the body side profile, window frames and cab roof dome gutter slots.

 

The bogies and underframes are taken from some Hornby class 86's, modifications to the bogies involve cutting off the flexicoil brackets and carving back the shape of the bogie frame and equalising beams. Very handily the Hornby class 86 chassis is just the right width to fit into the Trix body without any trouble. The class 86 chassis is cut in line with underframe box and 5mm behind the buffer beam. For the 81 the flexicoil springs are cut clean off in line with the underside of the chassis however the class 85 has a triangular bogie retention bracket. To form this I filled off the spring detail and then marked out a triangle with a 6mm base to the full depth of the filed off spring.

 

The modified bogies and chassis details shewing the triangular brackets of the class 85.

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

1 hour ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Folks,

 

The class 83 has been undergoing paint stripping along with the WCML Pullman cars so no work worth photographing there.

 

What I have been doing is working upon the chassis and bodies of two more 81's and an 85, E3001, 81 019 and E3071. There is very little to with the 81 bodies other than cleaning up moulding flash and mould parting lines however the 85 body has various modifications to make it correct to type.

There are five modifications:

1. There is  step on the bodyside where the originals had the top half split off from the bottom for maintenance, this is formed by a .010" strip of plasticard 14.5mm deep running between the inner edges of the handrail recesses.
2. An extra oil tank near the site of the pantograph, this is made from layers of plasticard 3mm thick with a micro rod filler cap
3. A rearranged window spacing in that the outer windows are closer in to the centre and the addition of the raised window frames. The outer windows were filled with .040" plasticard and then re-cut, the window frames are made from .010" plasticard with the aperture roughed out to shape. they are then placed centrally over the window apertures and when cured they are filed to size.
4. A different style and rearrangement of ventilation grilles on the opposite side from the windows. My previous class 85 utilised grilles from a scrap class 20 body, I have yet to decide what to do about this detail unless I can source a scrap class 20 body.
5. Guttering slots in the cab roof dome. These gutter slots were cut in using a junior hacksaw blade with the ends of the slots carfully carved out with a scalpel. The slots over the door were chain drilled and tidied up with a scalpel. The slots over the cab windows had three pieces of plasticard glued into the slots in the corners and over the centre window, once cured they were filled back to the profile of the roof dome.

The two 81's in the background with the 85 in the foreground shewing the oil tank, the body side profile, window frames and cab roof dome gutter slots.

 

The bogies and underframes are taken from some Hornby class 86's, modifications to the bogies involve cutting off the flexicoil brackets and carving back the shape of the bogie frame and equalising beams. Very handily the Hornby class 86 chassis is just the right width to fit into the Trix body without any trouble. The class 86 chassis is cut in line with underframe box and 5mm behind the buffer beam. For the 81 the flexicoil springs are cut clean off in line with the underside of the chassis however the class 85 has a triangular bogie retention bracket. To form this I filled off the spring detail and then marked out a triangle with a 6mm base to the full depth of the filed off spring.

 

The modified bogies and chassis details shewing the triangular brackets of the class 85.

 

Gibbo.

Evening Gibbo as ever ill be watching this with interest as i think i have a couple of Trix bodies somewhere. Just thinking i may have an old Hornby Dublo/Wren plastic class 20 body somewhere cant remember why i have it, would that be any use for the grills for you?

Cheers

James

[Gibbo675]

3 minutes ago, jessy1692 said:

Evening Gibbo as ever ill be watching this with interest as i think i have a couple of Trix bodies somewhere. Just thinking i may have an old Hornby Dublo/Wren plastic class 20 body somewhere cant remember why i have it, would that be any use for the grills for you?

Cheers

James

Hi James,

 

It was a Lima class 20 that was used for my first class 85, other bits of it went into a class 23 and an LMS 10000 so it might be best that the second one matches it !

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

Just now, Gibbo675 said:

Hi James,

 

It was a Lima class 20 that was used for my first class 85, other bits of it went into a class 23 and an LMS 10000 so it might be best that the second one matches it !

 

Gibbo.

Thought it would have been a Lima one, will probably be a lot better moulded and accurate than the old dublo one! I think my plan was to create the proposed Deltic powered 20 iv seen a drawing for but its never got started. Happy to send it over if you get really stuck finding a lima 20 though. Ill keep an eye on Ebay too although nothing seems to be going too cheap at the mo...

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I decided that four class 81's are quite enough so I decided a second class 84 was in order. The spare body has already been cut and shut, the roof altered, windows blanked, grilles filled and cab rain strips attended to, I even managed to make up some air tanks to go onto the roof. A Lima class 33 has been ordered to provide bogies, the body may well be used to convert a Hornby class 25/1 or early 25/2 into either a late 25/2 or 25/3. I know that Bachmann make one but where is the fun in just opening a box !

 

With regard other tidings, the paint has been fully stripped from 83 010 and minor filling and fettling work has been carried out on the two 81's and the 85. A set of air tanks was made up for 81 019 also, E3001 and E3017 are in vacuum brake only condition and so do not require roof mounted tanks.

 

84 003  with 84 009 providing juxtaposition, 83 010 is in the background.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I have taken the plunge with the body side grilles of the previously finished class 85. As the arrangement wasn't quite correct to start with and also that I decided that I could do a repaint that avoided the cabs I have made up some grilles using my scribed plasticard method the same as the other modified electric locomotives. The style of the framing is slightly different in that the frames will be cut from .010" plasticard and overlayed rather than being inset into the body side as with the other locomotives.

 

E3071 and 85 024.

 

Work has continued upon the class 83 and the new class 84 in that 83 010 now has ab steps and the route indicator box has been attended to to make it look a little more like it ought to. The class 84 has had its air tanks and roof detail added although it is awaiting the pipe work, buss bar and pantograph, it too has had alterations to the route indicator box.

 

83 010 and 84 003.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

The new grilles for the class 85's are now done along with some other works for the other locomotives. The class 82 has had is air tank pipe work fitted and the head code boxes have been worked on for the two new 81's the 82, 83, 84 and the new 85. The class 84 has also had its under frame details made and fitted, the next job for that locomotive will be to start the bogie build as the already dismantled class 33 arrived today has had the bogies set aside for that purpose.

 

New grilles for 85 024 and progress for E3071.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

It has been bogie building this evening and it has gone quite well. The main side frame are made form .080" plasticard with all sorts of other bits and bobs cut and glued into place to make the axle box and brake gear details. The job is now waiting upon some .060" plasticard to make up the secondary spring brackets.

 

 

A minor job that was done earlier was to cut the panel grooves into the both of the class 85's with a razor saw. The original grooves on the new grille side of 85 024 had to be filled and sanded off first as they were in line with the original grilles that were not quite of the correct proportion. a first coat of BR Rail Blue has since been applied also. The groove that runs over the cab roof of E3071 went a bit wobbly and so that had to be filled and re-cut, fortunately the defect was easily sorted out, all the other grooves were straight and true.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I have finished the bogies for the class 84, the body now requires the suspension brackets fitting to it so that the bogies may be fitted into position.

 

83 009 and the soon to be 84 003 balanced upon its bogies.

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

5 hours ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Folks,

 

I have finished the bogies for the class 84, the body now requires the suspension brackets fitting to it so that the bogies may be fitted into position.

 

83 009 and the soon to be 84 003 balanced upon its bogies.

 

Gibbo.

Excellent job on them bogies Gibbo, how many individual pieces make up 1 sideframe!? Patience of a saint!

[Gibbo675]

3 hours ago, jessy1692 said:

Excellent job on them bogies Gibbo, how many individual pieces make up 1 sideframe!? Patience of a saint!

Hi James,

 

TOO MANY !!!

 

Or to put it another way 230, plus three make up shims to centre the Lima boogies within the cosmetic bogies.

 

I take each piece in order starting with cutting out the bogie frames building up from them starting with the axle boxes of which there are eight each made from three pieces. This way I only have either four eight or sixteen parts to make and fit depending on what it is being fitted.

 

1. Decide what is next.
2. Look at the drawing.
3. Select material from stock.
4. Cut them out.
5. Apply the glue.
6. Fit them.
7. Have a sip of tea.
8. Return to process 1.

 

Listening to stuff like this is also assists in making the experience expansive:

 

 

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

9 hours ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi James,

 

TOO MANY !!!

 

Or to put it another way 230, plus three make up shims to centre the Lima boogies within the cosmetic bogies.

 

I take each piece in order starting with cutting out the bogie frames building up from them starting with the axle boxes of which there are eight each made from three pieces. This way I only have either four eight or sixteen parts to make and fit depending on what it is being fitted.

 

1. Decide what is next.
2. Look at the drawing.
3. Select material from stock.
4. Cut them out.
5. Apply the glue.
6. Fit them.
7. Have a sip of tea.
8. Return to process 1.

 

Listening to stuff like this is also assists in making the experience expansive:

 

 

 

Gibbo.

230! And i thought the grilles on the 48 were too much, top work as ever, although swap tea for beer and things do seem more manageable, well up to a point..

Certainly expansive listening, but cant quite get onboard with that with the plexiglass...

[Gibbo675]

24 minutes ago, jessy1692 said:

230! And i thought the grilles on the 48 were too much, top work as ever, although swap tea for beer and things do seem more manageable, well up to a point..

Certainly expansive listening, but cant quite get onboard with that with the plexiglass...

You don't get out for nowt !

[jessy1692]

Just now, Gibbo675 said:

You don't get out for nowt !

True but that did crack me up a bit to be honest!

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

The 84 003 is structurally finished except for the air pipe run to the side of the air tanks, this is only because I ran out of .030" micro-rod. The stanchions are made up from two pieces that form a rebate so that they locate upon the inside of the body and also they fitted into a .5mm pocket filed into the lower side of the body. All of the roof detail has been fitted along with pantograph. Fortunately I had some buffers that matched the set on 84 009 so these were fitted.

 

84 003 and 84 009.

 

My next job will be to reappraise the underframe details of the 81's and 85's as they are not quite as they should be.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I have been busy working upon the underframe details of the 81's and 85's. So far I have built up the battery boxes that are on the ventilator grille side of the body but only made up smoothing chokes that are fitted to the window side of the body for the 85's. The details of the white plasticard is not shewing up very well in the photographs.

 

85 024 and E3071

 

Gibbo

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I've finished all of the new underframe details for the classes 81 and 85, all subtly different.

 

Class 81 original condition.

 

Class 81 refurbished condition.

 

Class 85 refurbished condition.

 

I have made a mistake in that I have fitted the later style of smoothing chokes to the original condition class 81, this is particularly annoying as the original style are much easier to make. fortunately all other details are identical.

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

This is a project that required a Lima class 33 body, it is a class 25/3, 25 317 which was a Springs Branch locomotive. The class 33 body is a left over form using its bogies under 84 003.

 

So far the cantrail mounted radiators have been cut from the 33 and let into the 25, the exhaust arrangement has been altered and also to boiler detail has been filed flat . Where the boiler vent would have been has been blanked off with .010" plasticard. The communication doors have been filed off and the centre cab window has been enlarged. I went a bit mad with the file at one end and it has had to have its lower edge built up. The most difficult bit was to scrape a rebate around the lower edge of the window to make it match the others. The only body side grilles too have been filled were done using a left over bit from working on two of the 81's.

 

So far the alteration to the frame has involved removal of the water tank and new larger wheels in the bogies. I shall lower the buffer beams to allow the buffer height to be correct and also the body to sit a slight lower.

 

 

 

 

 

Gibbo.

[Gibbo675]

Hi Folks,

 

I have rectified my smoothing choke faux pas.

 

For any one that wants a set of refurbished smoothing chokes for either a class 81 or 85 do let me know for I now have a spare set that I do not require.

 

The correct old style smoothing chokes as now fitted with the now removed refurbished style next to the locomotive.

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

Busy busy busy on your bench Gibbo, great idea on the 25 with the 33 grilles. The Sparky underframe gubbins looks spot on as well. Never seen so many electrics on the go between yours and Darius' stuff. Once again these will be added to my one day list..!

All the best

James

[Gibbo675]

5 minutes ago, jessy1692 said:

Busy busy busy on your bench Gibbo, great idea on the 25 with the 33 grilles. The Sparky underframe gubbins looks spot on as well. Never seen so many electrics on the go between yours and Darius' stuff. Once again these will be added to my one day list..!

All the best

James

Hi James,

 

It gets worse, especially if you look in this box:

 

 

Only five 86's plus three body shells and an 87.  I shall likely get back on with the WCML Pullmans after the early AC electrics before starting the above lot with a class 25 in the mix also.

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

9 minutes ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi James,

 

It gets worse, especially if you look in this box:

 

 

Only five 86's plus three body shells and an 87.  I shall likely get back on with the WCML Pullmans after the early AC electrics before starting the above lot with a class 25 in the mix also.

 

Gibbo.

'It gets worse' love it haha!

I suppose you best get on with the pullmans, them electrics need something trundle about with. Cant beat having a good selection of projects on the go, although i try keep it to just a couple now, life gets in the way too much to churn things out like i used to.

[Gibbo675]

8 hours ago, jessy1692 said:

'It gets worse' love it haha!

I suppose you best get on with the pullmans, them electrics need something trundle about with. Cant beat having a good selection of projects on the go, although i try keep it to just a couple now, life gets in the way too much to churn things out like i used to.

Hi James,

 

For the Pullmans I have got some car spray paints by looking up RAL numbers for paint codes, I am happy with the blue but the grey seems too pale. I know a paint sprayer near by who has a RAL colour chart, hope fully then I can get the correct shade and get some ordered.

 

Gibbo.