Jump to content
 

Modern Traction Kits


andyman7
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

 

2123340512_QKit40MTK59.jpg.9c5415933324ae9037df692c97906af1.jpg

 

 

 

I’ve read all the above with great interest, particularly when it deviated into Q Kits as well.  These are the only two items of 4mm OO scale that I own.  I built the Q Kits 40 when I was about 14-15 (37 years ago!).  I got rid of my British stock in the mid-90s but kept this because I built it.  It’s a bit bright with it’s gloss varnish but I think it came out reasonably well.  I seem to think the nose doors and fittings were A1 parts, I cut and filed a Hornby 37 radiator fan into place and flush glazed.  It’s sat on a Mainline Peak chassis.  And it still looks like a Class 40.

 

As to the MTK kit behind, this is the first whitemetal kit I’ve ever built and I’ve just finished assembling it as a tester for something else.  A lot of filing, (and probably a lot more work in filling and filing if I was to continue with it) and it isn't perfect by any means but it looks like a Class 59, and to that end I’m really pleased (I intend posting some more about this elsewhere on the forum as I’ve got some questions on general technique).

Edited by Luigi Taveri
Re-uploading photos
  • Like 12
  • Craftsmanship/clever 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

I have an MTK Class 24 and a Q Kits "Falcon" body in my round-tuit pile, which I think I paid £20 and £3 for, respectively.  Nice to see others efforts at making these into something usable.

 

I have tried to put the 24 together in a dry run and the roof section is about 3mm longer on one side than the other (and probably 2mm thicker).  It's going to need some motor to pull it all around...

  • Like 2
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds very much like a MTK kit, having said this in some way they are quite satisfying to build, in that you have a lot of gap filling/modifying of the parts to get them to an acceptable standard

 

I was once given a set of parts for a K's GNR Atlantic, clearly had been built a couple of times and some parts had been attacked with a file so needed rebuilding. Having no instructions was also a contributory factor in getting it to fit together (cylinders fit the body not the chassis), a bit like doing a jigsaw and repairing it as you go, still got there in the end

  • Like 1
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 09/06/2019 at 19:04, Luigi Taveri said:

 

 

 

2103702770_QKit40MTK59.jpg.a8058f440cd17a9b521422b726f995fb.jpg

 

I’ve read all the above with great interest, particularly when it deviated into Q Kits as well.  These are the only two items of 4mm OO scale that I own.  I built the Q Kits 40 when I was about 14-15 (37 years ago!).  I got rid of my British stock in the mid-90s but kept this because I built it.  It’s a bit bright with it’s gloss varnish but I think it came out reasonably well.  I seem to think the nose doors and fittings were A1 parts, I cut and filed a Hornby 37 radiator fan into place and flush glazed.  It’s sat on a Mainline Peak chassis.  And it still looks like a Class 40.

 

As to the MTK kit behind, this is the first whitemetal kit I’ve ever built and I’ve just finished assembling it as a tester for something else.  A lot of filing, (and probably a lot more work in filling and filing if I was to continue with it) and it isn't perfect by any means but it looks like a Class 59, and to that end I’m really pleased (I intend posting some more about this elsewhere on the forum as I’ve got some questions on general technique).

Some would say this looks far more like a class 40 than some RTR offerings we've had over the years. Do keep it and use it!

 

John.

  • Agree 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I think Falcon was one of he best models Mike Cole produced, this is mine photographed on Herculaneum Dock. Powered on one bogie only with an MW double ended motor driving the outer axles it has run very smoothly for many years on various layouts. Mike used to assemble these bogies and always got them to run better than I could.D0280.JPG.6a9d722f08e0e130ef21e896c44fae3f.JPG

  • Like 10
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
On 04/01/2019 at 17:38, mike hughes said:

Has anyone got a list of what O gauge MTK allegedly produced? 

 

Michael, I have an MTK 7mm Rebuilt West Country and also an MTK 7mm Britannia that I am currently rebuilding/refurbishing, both incomplete in the motion and some detailing parts. Are they uncommon as I don't know of any other MTK 7mm steam?

 

Edited by Virgil
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 28/12/2018 at 18:15, MarkC said:

One of these days I will get round to building the MTK Class 40 kit that I have - but I suspect that it will need 2 motor bogies...

And that day has come...

 

It's definitely a kit "of its time", but with perseverance (and a bit of filler!) I think that it will turn out OK.

 

It's a heavy beastie, so it will have 2 Lima power bogies fitted.

 

Regarding the Q Kits CoBo - I agree with others. I built mine in 1994, I think. The ends had more holes in them than a pair of lace knickers, as the saying goes - ditto the roof, which was both rubbish metal and misshapen. Bend, file, fill and repeat...The etched sides were nice though! I used WAY more filler than the Class 40 will need, that's for sure!

 

I did manage to get a motor bogie built using the parts provided - it ran for about 20 minutes before the motors died...it's sat in a display cabinet ever since, but I might try to build a better motor bogie for it. One day...

 

Mark

  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Virgil said:

 

Work in progress on stripping the 7mm Britannia, a lot of paint on there!

West Country body with partly rebuilt WC and Britannia tenders, still a lot of work to be done.

Brass chassis and Slaters wheels not shown, the chassis are good solid brass, nicely produced.

fullsizeoutput_5d3.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_5d2.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

On ‎15‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 18:11, Virgil said:

 

Yes there's quite a few steam locos in the range.

For the BR there's Standard 4 2-6-0, 2-6-4, 4-6-0, Brit, 9F. LMS Black 5, 8F, Ivatt 2-6-0 and 2-6-2. LNER A4 and SR Q, Q1, WC/BB (original and rebuilt). There was more locos in the development stage.

There is a lot of work to improve the range required which will take time.

Do you know which bits are missing?

 

Michael

Link to post
Share on other sites

An interesting range Mike, needed I'm sure as an avenue for the average person to obtain larger locos for a more reasonable price;  good on you for reintroducing and improving them.

Parts needed so far include valve motion, motion brackets for the pair, crosshead guided for the West Country and loco and tender body detailing parts for both, are you in a position to supply such items?

Regards

Doug

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I built a 7mm BR 2-6-4T once, I still had about 75% of the kit left when I had finished. To give on example the tank sides and bunker were each cast in one piece - one side was 1/4in longer than the other one..... both went in the melting pot. They were perfectly accurately described on the labels as "El Crappo" kits.

  • Friendly/supportive 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

On ‎17‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 15:59, Virgil said:

An interesting range Mike, needed I'm sure as an avenue for the average person to obtain larger locos for a more reasonable price;  good on you for reintroducing and improving them.

Parts needed so far include valve motion, motion brackets for the pair, crosshead guided for the West Country and loco and tender body detailing parts for both, are you in a position to supply such items?

Regards

Doug

The crossheads/slidebars were never part of MTK kits. The valvegear was part of the chassis etch (I need to redraw these at some point as the original was never very good) Do you know which parts on the tender are missing?

 

Michael

Link to post
Share on other sites

On ‎18‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 12:11, Michael Edge said:

I built a 7mm BR 2-6-4T once, I still had about 75% of the kit left when I had finished. To give on example the tank sides and bunker were each cast in one piece - one side was 1/4in longer than the other one..... both went in the melting pot. They were perfectly accurately described on the labels as "El Crappo" kits.

Must of been when the moulds were made then as I've the masters for that and they're both the same length

 

Michael

Link to post
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, mike hughes said:

The crossheads/slidebars were never part of MTK kits. The valvegear was part of the chassis etch (I need to redraw these at some point as the original was never very good) Do you know which parts on the tender are missing?

 

Michael

Mike, it already has Premier Products coupling and connecting rods, (and very likely a chassis), they will be producing more Britannia motion kits in a couple of weeks so I'll go that route to match the rods. Still need motion brackets though to hang the motion from.

How about supplying rear tender ladders also the step like square on the right rear of the tender top?

fullsizeoutput_636.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_637.jpeg

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Virgil said:

Mike, it already has Premier Products coupling and connecting rods, (and very likely a chassis), they will be producing more Britannia motion kits in a couple of weeks so I'll go that route to match the rods. Still need motion brackets though to hang the motion from.

How about supplying rear tender ladders also the step like square on the right rear of the tender top?

fullsizeoutput_636.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_637.jpeg

I’ll have a look in the moulds for them, bit busy for the rest of the week but will look when I can

 

Michael

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Some of the variation depended on the quality of the metal, the amount of shrinkage allowed for in the master patterns, temperature of the moulds, loads of factors really. th bigger the bit, the more difficult to cast it accurately.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...