roythebus1 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 From my memory of driving EPB stock every day for 10 years, 4 car units didn't have shoe beams on trailing bogies, nor did the 2EP units either. Having said that the 2EPs had collector beams on the outer end of the driving trailer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted February 16 Author Share Posted February 16 1 hour ago, roythebus1 said: From my memory of driving EPB stock every day for 10 years, 4 car units didn't have shoe beams on trailing bogies, nor did the 2EP units either. Having said that the 2EPs had collector beams on the outer end of the driving trailer. They didn't, the beams are only on the outer (motor) bogies - one of the 'motor' bogies on this one is a dummy. The 501s on the North London lines had quite a different arrangement, a single driving motor car with both bogies powered and with shoebeams plus an additional shoebeam on the outer bogie of the driving trailer. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 The 2EPBs did have a collector shoe on the outer end of the driving trailer, otherwise the unit would only have one collector shoe each side and would be liable to get gapped, something which most Southern electric drivers will have had experience of. :) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted February 24 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 24 MTK Class 404 4-GRI EMU Cheers Darius 14 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted February 29 Author Share Posted February 29 The DJH Class 25 is a rare example of a Diesel Electric kit from that august manufacturer and probably about as far apart from MTK as it's possible to get. I have an unbuilt one in my pile but took the opportunity to bid on a built one that was in an auction this week. It's a lovely build, clearly of some vintage but produces a model that knocks spots off anything that came before Heljan/SLW/upcoming Bachmann. It's buzzing but not moving at the moment, I suspect a seizure in the driveline due to dried lubricant so will need to clean that up. But a super addition to my D & E kitbuilt collection. 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 10 hours ago, andyman7 said: The DJH Class 25 is a rare example of a Diesel Electric kit from that august manufacturer and probably about as far apart from MTK as it's possible to get. I have an unbuilt one in my pile but took the opportunity to bid on a built one that was in an auction this week. It's a lovely build, clearly of some vintage but produces a model that knocks spots off anything that came before Heljan/SLW/upcoming Bachmann. It's buzzing but not moving at the moment, I suspect a seizure in the driveline due to dried lubricant so will need to clean that up. But a super addition to my D & E kitbuilt collection. When I can its so much easier to buy a ready built model providing the build standard is as good if not better than you could build. As for a non-runner, if its a kit built loco unless its a clear design fault, it should be easy to repair. Depending on its purchase cost even buying a new power bogie/chassis could still be financially viable Given the change of DJH ownership/availability may be a good time to sell unwanted kits 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 16 hours ago, andyman7 said: The DJH Class 25 is a rare example of a Diesel Electric kit from that august manufacturer and probably about as far apart from MTK as it's possible to get. I have an unbuilt one in my pile but took the opportunity to bid on a built one that was in an auction this week. It's a lovely build, clearly of some vintage but produces a model that knocks spots off anything that came before Heljan/SLW/upcoming Bachmann. It's buzzing but not moving at the moment, I suspect a seizure in the driveline due to dried lubricant so will need to clean that up. But a super addition to my D & E kitbuilt collection. Gosh, I'd forgotten this kit even existed, thanks for the reminder! Imagine if MTK kits had been produced to the same standard as this and Dave Alexander products.......but I don't think Colin M's equipment was anywhere close to this level of sophistication, and it had been his range would probably have been considerably smaller (depriving @Darius43 of all the fun he's currently having!) The description on the box correctly points out that this bodyshell was applicable to Class 25/2 as well as 25/3, but it appears that the instructions may not have made reference to the first five being boiler-fitted........or perhaps they did but the builder simply missed it (Bachmann achieved the same with D5182 but in reverse). He's done a fantastic job otherwise though, it looks great. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 (edited) 1 hour ago, Halvarras said: Gosh, I'd forgotten this kit even existed, thanks for the reminder! Imagine if MTK kits had been produced to the same standard as this and Dave Alexander products.......but I don't think Colin M's equipment was anywhere close to this level of sophistication, and it had been his range would probably have been considerably smaller (depriving @Darius43 of all the fun he's currently having!) The description on the box correctly points out that this bodyshell was applicable to Class 25/2 as well as 25/3, but it appears that the instructions may not have made reference to the first five being boiler-fitted........or perhaps they did but the builder simply missed it (Bachmann achieved the same with D5182 but in reverse). He's done a fantastic job otherwise though, it looks great. Indeed, I'm in two minds whether to renumber (D5238 would actually be an easy fix) and fit more accurate blind numbers (I well recall that until Fox Transfers there were only these rather 'thick' headcode numerals available) Edited March 1 by andyman7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halvarras Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 7 minutes ago, andyman7 said: Indeed, I'm in two minds whether to renumber (D5238 would actually be an easy fix) and fit more accurate blind numbers (I well recall that until Fox Transfers there were only these rather 'thick' headcode numerals available) The headcodes look like MTK's, I still have a couple of sheets but they're almost useless now! Back in 1975 I did use them on an MTK Class 25 but carefully thinned them down with black paint and a sharpened matchstick. Other products since then have made such a pita task unnecessary, thankfully, as my eyesight ain't what it was 49 years ago (as I keep discovering.....!🤪) 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 I took the body off the DJH Class 25 and traced the problem to a single seized bearing in one of the cardan shafts - now sorted. However I have decided to make a few small refinements too - D5233 has magically become D5238 which was the first 25/2 without a boiler and thus now within the correct number range for this kit; the translucent roof panel has been painted in and an exhaust port added; and I am replacing the headcodes with ones using the correct typeface. The only other odd thing about how this had been made up were the two lamp brackets on each end - as delivered, the Class 25s normally had three, none of which were in the positions used on this model as built; they were, however, in about the right place for the headboard brackets, so a quick snip and some paint matched touching up, and headboard brackets they will become. Photos to follow in due course. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 Photos of the tweaked DJH Class 25. Compare with the pictures further up which are as it came to me. 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 19 Author Share Posted March 19 On 28/12/2023 at 00:52, andyman7 said: This isn't as good as any of @Darius43 's builds and has taken much longer to put right but of note is that the second-ever MTK project I acquired has finally been sorted. This came to me in an auction lot pre-Covid, a 4-REP built in classic MTK style with door shut line transfers etc, brush painted with a gloss varnish. As acquired the BFK was a mess as the chassis was cut up from Lima components and used class 33 bogies. I guess most would have chucked it in the bin but I like a challenge. The REPs of course had the driving ends powered on both bogies, so I bit the bullet and bought a Replica motorised 63' chassis with the aim of motorising one of the driving ends. Bogies for both Driving coaches came from Hornby VEP spares, the sideframes only for the powered vehicle and the complete bogies at the other end. The 'recovered' aluminium floor from the end that took the Replica chassis was used to create a floor for the BFK. Replica B5 bogies were used for the Buffet and BFK. It was nearly all done when I realised that the BFK vehicle was wrong for a REP - the kit seems to have included a Mk1 BFK shell but on the REP the BFKs were rebuilt from Mk1 CKs so have a different door arrangement. I happened to have a spare MTK BG shell that could be cut to provide the altered windows and door. Trying to piece together a bodyside using MTK aluminium parts is a nightmare, it's nothing like as straightforward as Kitmaster or Triang plastic sides. It's just as well that the whole kit had a bit of 'patina' and that Mk1s are more compatible with filler and general bodging but eventually I was able to sort the shell and interior so that it was the correct pattern. The MTK cast ends definitely don't quite hit the mark - had they been raw castings I would have had a go at improving the 'face' but they were built and painted so left alone. The whole unit got a complete set of new number as the originals were in the wrong place but the other markings are vintage MTK or SMTS. And at least with the Replica mechanism it runs properly! You may recall my MTK 4 REP featured last year. The weak point of the model for me were the cab ends - the cast MTK versions being fairly crude representations of the BR SR standard fibreglass corridor cab ends. However it was done and other projects beckoned...then at the Tonbridge show I came across a stand with some MJT parts including a pair of said BR SR EMU cab ends....£6.50. I bought them, took them home and made them up, they are so much better than the MTK ones that inevitably with a sigh out came the MTK REP again. Anyone who has built these kits will know that getting a decent bond between the whitemetal ends and aluminium sides is not easy, but I managed to get the old ones off, clean and attach the new ones and then endure that they were well bonded with copious epoxy filleting and filling. Well, I have to say it is well worth it, the model actually looks the part now from the end view as well as the sides, so I am pleased I went to the effort. 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 Looks good. I'm still trying to get the ends to stay on my MTK Cravens parcels car! Araldite is the latest weapon. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 20 Author Share Posted March 20 I have found that a two stage approach is best adopted with the cabs located in place and glued with 5 minutes epoxy, and then a liberal interior coating of a good 24 hour epoxy that acts as a fillet and strong bond, left to set properly. Milliput can also be used to strengthen the joint. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cctransuk Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 9 hours ago, roythebus1 said: Looks good. I'm still trying to get the ends to stay on my MTK Cravens parcels car! Araldite is the latest weapon. I have, in the past, resorted to brass wire dowels, drilled through the aluminium sides into the whitemetal ends. Once filed flush they are invisible, but seem to help in preventing flexing / cracking of the corner joints. CJI. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Also use a good quality degreasing agent on the ali surfaces. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 20 Author Share Posted March 20 Here's a scan of a 1982 MTK advert in Railway Modeller... 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold melmoth Posted March 21 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 21 14 hours ago, andyman7 said: Here's a scan of a 1982 MTK advert in Railway Modeller... The kit described as a 'Great Bear 4-6-0' would appear to epitomise MTK accuracy. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 (edited) Well, theres a few on there that I would like, I must admit. Not sure that they ever appeared, but I'm reckon something good could be made of them. Edited March 21 by stewartingram Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieGuyRob Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 16 hours ago, andyman7 said: Here's a scan of a 1982 MTK advert in Railway Modeller... Has anyone built the tram kits? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 They were on my want list above! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted March 21 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 21 I built one of the Blackpool single deck trams many years ago, it wasn't bad as I recall but I can't remember what I did with it. We tried running it on Andy Ross's Leeds tram layout but while it got round the corners the combination of a long vehicle with a pantograph in the middle (rather than over a bogie) was too much for the overhead wires. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 I still regret not keeping a few of his 1938 tube stock brass etches just to how how awful they were! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted Monday at 16:43 RMweb Gold Share Posted Monday at 16:43 MTK 2-HAL Stores Unit just completed. Cheers Darius 14 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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