Various AC Electric Questions

[Evertrainz]

I've set out on a path to 3D-model all five early AC "roarers" so I thought instead of creating a new thread for each and every question I would just create a thread for the main purpose.

 

First question, what were the external differences, if any, between the different number ranges of the Cl 83 / AL3? There was E3025 - 3035, E3303 - 3304, and E3100.

 

Second question, were the cooling fans on the AC electrics changed upon refurb? Purely out of interest, as I am quite sure if they were as loud of roarers as their reputations hold then there had to have been some steps taken to quiet it down surely. 

 

Third question, is the angle of the lower front profile not slanted enough? It is still a work in progress but the complicated bogies are almost finished    . 

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Evertrainz

[Evertrainz]

I have also been working on sounds for all five roarers. Check them out at the link below. As per the real things, I have used a variety of audio clips from fans - box fans, an industrial fan, desk fans, etc. - to pitch and somehow create the original sounds. It was a hassle trying to find audio clips, usually scattered across Youtube, to base the recreations off, but I am happy with the result. Audio levels aren't perfect and neither is sound quality, the raw files have more bass in them but had to be compressed for upload.

 

Included is fan run up, idle, and fan run down.

 

Class 81 - https://soundcloud.com/user-893731854/81-master/s-8ZX22

 

Class 82 - https://soundcloud.com/user-893731854/82-master/s-skLgW

 

Class 83 - https://soundcloud.com/user-893731854/83-master/s-75r3O

 

Class 84 - https://soundcloud.com/user-893731854/84-master-1/s-VaTXl

 

Class 85 - https://soundcloud.com/user-893731854/85-master/s-F9lAD

[Gibbo675]

Hi Evertrainz,

 

Good luck with your project !

 

Here are some I prepared earlier, cut and shut from the old Trix body mouldings that were sold off by Dapol about 25-30 years ago. I started the build about that time and then life got in the way somewhat, I have so far almost finished one of my 81's and a class 85 that were shewn the light of day for the first time since 1992 just a couple of months ago.

 

I have four plain white plastic body's as yet untouched so I might have another 81, another 84 and a couple more 85's.

 

 

 

 

 

Gibbo.

[roythebus]

Did you know Adrian Swain of ABS Models made the patterns for the Trix AL1 sideframes?

 

Another fascinating fact.

[Evertrainz]

Thanks to some guidance from Clive M, I was able to see some more of the underframe details that were done away with when the AL3s were refurbished.

 

Still some more to do but I'm happy so far.

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Evertrainz

[Evertrainz]

Been a while, but other side. Still much to do but I'm happy with the progress so far.

 

I am able to find pics of the cab of Class 81, 82, 84, and 85 online but for some reason, nothing on the 83 cabs. Is there a picture floating around of the cab interior that I've missed? Forgive me as it will look very similar to the other four locos' cabs but it would be helpful to get the specific positioning of the controls and all correct.

 

Thanks

Ron

[Bucoops]

Wow that's amazing detail!

[Evertrainz]

Hopefully an easier question (!), is the just-visible object in the recess on the bulkhead a hotplate? Looks a little like the ones on the class 50s, being an English electric product and all.

 

 

[SRman]

On 15/01/2019 at 03:00, Evertrainz said:

I've set out on a path to 3D-model all five early AC "roarers" so I thought instead of creating a new thread for each and every question I would just create a thread for the main purpose.

 

First question, what were the external differences, if any, between the different number ranges of the Cl 83 / AL3? There was E3025 - 3035, E3303 - 3304, and E3100.

 

 

 

 

To the best of my knowledge, there were no external differences. E3303 and E3304 were to be geared differently, listed as Type B, although whether they actually entered service with the lower gearing (for freight work) is another question. I do know they didn't last long with the differences, and were renumbered into the normal sequence as E3098 and E3099.

E3100 was to be another Type B, to be numbered E3305, but ended up as a test bed for silicon rectifiers and other solid-state electronic components. As such, there may possibly have been equipment differences on the roof and/or underframe.

[rodent279]

31 minutes ago, SRman said:

 

 

To the best of my knowledge, there were no external differences. E3303 and E3304 were to be geared differently, listed as Type B, although whether they actually entered service with the lower gearing (for freight work) is another question. I do know they didn't last long with the differences, and were renumbered into the normal sequence as E3098 and E3099.

E3100 was to be another Type B, to be numbered E3305, but ended up as a test bed for silicon rectifiers and other solid-state electronic components. As such, there may possibly have been equipment differences on the roof and/or underframe.

I think E3100 had a grille in the central position instead of a window, but not sure whether on both sides or just one. You'd have to check photos.

As a general observation, although they all look similar, there are subtle differences in the cab and cab roof profiles that mask it possible to distinguish an 81 from an 85, 82 from an 83 etc. For example, 84's had slight dimples in the cab roof. 81's had a sharper curve to the lower body side end than 85's, and the lower cab corners are rounded differently compared to an 85.