Intercity Class 90

[RBE]

Well I've sourced a resonable cheap 90 for this project. As a lad of the 80's I found the WCML electrics exhilerating. Coming from the midland mainline the WCML always seemed a little special with its humming electrics clicking away in the station. I must admit a fondness for the class 90 and when I moved house recently I discovered a nice loft that I could convert. Still to be be started mind you but a little West Coast magic to be had shortly me thinks!!

 

Anyway I digress, the plan for this project is a push pull IC 90 as seen at the beginning of the 90's. I'm intending to give her more detail than Hornby did and replace the god awful pantograph with something a little more scale, a scratch build Brecknell Willis affair (we'll see how this goes!). The finished model is to be intercity so I've not gone to town with the paint stripping etc. just enough to remove paint edges and unwanted colour (the donor model was Hornby intercity) I also intend to replace the chassis too but more on that when the rest is sorted.

 

This is where I am so far.

The front end has had the light and horn insert removed and binned!! I decided to scratch build the horn grill, the lights will be formed by scratch building the light units inside the recesses and covering with thin clear plastic. I have filed back the frames of the light units to leave a small recess all of the way around them, this should leave enough room to add the clear light cover that I make and keep it pretty flush with the front of the cab. We should then have what looks like light units behind glass/perspex/polycarb? like the real thing instead of lights painted on the outside of the glass as Hornby decided to depict!!

 

 

Apart from filling the holes in the roof I've also added the roof trims? aerodynamic enhancers or whatever they are called to the backs of the cab roof. These are made of very thin plasticard cut to shape and superglued in place. The rapid set is beneficial here I find as the piece is thin and curved.

 

 

Again on the roof I've decided to open out the roof vents and added shawplan 2.25" pitch square mesh. This adds a lot of depth to the roof I think.

 

 

Making a start on the pantograph. Well actually I kind of do things simultainiously as I let stuff dry or get a idea for the other bit!! I turned the top of the arm from 1.6mm brass rod held in a minidrill. Using a large file I put a slight taper along its length. The head was made by drilling a 0.8mm hole in 2 pieces of 1 x 0.5 brass angle and cutting to size. These were inserted into grooves cut into wood and 2 lengths of 1 x 1 brass channel soldered across the top. The top of these channels were then filed to a slight curve to match the original (kind of). The horns are yet to be added but I will use very fine wire for these. The top portion of the arm was then bent up from 0.8mm brass rod and inserted into the head holes. The other end being soldered onto the very tip of the tapered arm made earlier. The 'hinge' is made from 1.6mm brass tube soldered onto the 1.6mm rod at right angles (make sure this part is parallel to the head or a wonky pantograph will result. Once happy trim the tube to a fraction wider than the tapered part. This is wider on the real ting too.

 

 

More to come as I progress!!

 

Cav

[46444]

Looking good RBE,

 

The Class 90 is a good looking loco and hopefully you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear!!!

 

I'll be watching this thread.

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

[James Makin]

Looking very impressive!

 

That front grille is looking good too - I know from experience that is a right pain to try to scratchbuild! I've noticed from recent prototype pictures that the 5 triangle roof vents could be 'beefed up' on the Hornby model - they've only modelled 'half' of them whereas on the real thing they appear to be a more complete triangular shape...only been modelling the EWS and Virgin ones later in their careers so unsure if the 90s were built like that from new though!

 

 

Best of luck, looking great, can't wait to see how your pantograph goes too, very nice one!

[Jim Martin]

As luck would have it I was reading the May 2000 issue of Model Rail, which included a big article on the 90s, earlier today. The etched roof grilles really do make quite a big difference, don't they? The MR included a detailing feature by Dave Lowery in which he replaced the bodyside grilles with etched parts: I didn't find them particularly convincing though, because as I recall (and it's been a while since I saw a 90 close-to) you really couldn't see anything at all through those grilles on the real thing and Hornby's moulded effort actually looked better (to me, at least) than the etched substitute.

 

Anyway, I like the work you've done so far. Those roof fillets / fairings / whatever are very neat. Keep up the good work. It's a classic design and even though I don't really have any need for one, I'd be tempted if a reasonably-priced Farish example appeared in front of me.

 

Jim

[RBE]

The beefed up roof triangles? came later. Originally they were as Hornby modelled. I will be beefing mine up though as mine is going to be a 'later' IC version. Done a bit more pantograph work tonight will post pics tomorrow. Plenty of burned, stabbed fingers. But looking good!!

[RBE]

Well heres a few pics of progress. Theres not much as I've been a little tied up with other stuff but hey. Well I've pretty much finished the pantograph. Just some cosmetics to do. I decided to reuse the Hornby base albeit modified with a lot of filing. I think it looks pretty good. Only problem is that it's aluminium so can't solder it!! grr. We'll have to see if it holds up. seems pretty tough at the minute. I've placed it on top of the loco for photo purposes so not added insulators etc. Will add it properly after painting the loco and pan seperatly. As for the 90 I've added roof ariels, done the triangle things (cheers James), done the front dams, added filed buffers and about to start the vestibule plates. Anyway take a look I'm gonna see if I can get a bit more done while the missus is out!!

 

[Guest jim s-w]

Hiya

 

Assume you have seen this? http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rugby-parkway.com/images/90roof/roof6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rugby-parkway.com/images/90roof/90roofdetail.html&usg=__lX13u1D96RsDrY9d12mzuhJASGI=&h=442&w=590&sz=155&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ZLbMFzAndnbv8M:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclass%2B90%2Broof%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[RBE]

Cheers Jim very useful!! Noticed a couple of things to add.

[James Makin]

That pantograph looks amazing...!!

[RBE]

Thanks James, its got a few more cosmetics to add to it but works pretty well. Used an old guitar string as a spring and solid link 42 lpi chain to drive the top section. Been concentrating on the loco today. finished the rubbing plates and primed the loco for starting the paint job tomorrow.

[RBE]

Latest update.

 

I've now almost completed the paintwork on the 90. Not looking bad if I do say so myself!! Still need to finish off the pantograph and give it a lick of paint plus adding all of the roof electrical connections. Chassis still to detail and paint (plus the remotor but I'll do that after). Window units and cab interiors still to build/paint plus headlight covers and lenses to make and paint. I think she's coming on pretty good. I been trying precision paints masking tape and TBH I'm not all that impressed. I find it very difficult to get to stick properly and even then only on very smooth flat areas, not a chance of teasing it round a corner. I'll be popping out to get some tamiya tape tomorrow I think.

 

Anyway heres the pics!!

 

 

[Nile_Griffith]

Looking a lot better than the original Hornby offering.

 

Wouldn't mind seeing a parts list for where you got such things as the buffers and how you made up the rubbing plate etc.

 

Love the fairings, better than my last attempt nd after looking at your 90 feel enthused enough to try again.

[Guest jim s-w]

Looks Great so far Cav

 

Are you sticking with the Hornby drive or changing it for something else? You might be interested in this if you are.

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[RBE]

Thanks for the positive comments guys. Theres still a lot to do but I'm pleased with the progress so far.

 

As for a parts list Nile well the only things I've added commercially are the buffers which were romford round oleo buffers filed on the sides (to represent the later incarnation of the class) to give the clipped look (these were sourced from Nairnshire model supplies)and Shawplan 2.25" pitch etched mesh from howes. All other items such as pantograph, roof fairings and rubbing plates were scratch built from either brass section from eileens emporium or plasticard. The horngrilles were built up from very thin plasticard glued in edge on, not for the ham fisted let me tell you, I swore a few times gluing those in!! I've still to scratch build all the bufferbeam pipework and drophead buckeye. I also need to devise a method of coupling to my stock, as the loco is for push pull services it will only need to couple at one end and be good for pushing at speed as well as pulling. I'm working on a design for a bufferbeam mounted Kaydee coupler but I'll see how that goes, I don't know how Kaydees fair when pushing as I've not used them before. The other option is a semipermenant fixed bar but would prefer the kaydee if i can get it to fly.

 

Jim I do intend to replace the drive, I'd not thought of the Warpship/Hymek option but seems a pretty good solution from the article you have pointed to. Do you know of a cheap source for these, I've looked on ebay and a warship or Hymek is gonna cost me around £60 by the looks of it.

 

More updates soon.

 

Cav

[big_daddy_ray]

That looks amazing it still amazes me how much detail member put in to their models to recreate realistic reincarnations of their favourite loco's, great work you should be very proud.

[Guest jim s-w]

Hi Cav

 

Never paid more than £30 for a warship off the bay. Remember you should get half of that back for the warship body and about a tenner for the Hornby power bogie making an upgrade cost of £5 for all wheel drive a no brainer! Best advice is, be patient.

 

You can get clipped OLEO buffers from A1 models.

 

HTH

 

Jim

[RBE]

Cheers Jim, I'm thinking it would be better for me to use a hymek chassis as I'm running 00 so would be better with the bigger wheels but the same rules apply I guess. I'm aware of the A1 clipped buffers but I thought they looked a little overclipped to me so did my own. Of course the A1 models ones are available as the alternative.

[Nile_Griffith]

Hello RBE... A bit of an alternative tack to jim's method of re-powering. I went for creating a powered MK3 carriage to put behind a rather dismally performing Class 90.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=blog&module=display&section=blog&blogid=506&

 

It's the only blog I have put together so far so apologise if it doesn't string together well. But as said an alternative idea.

[RBE]

Thats a pretty neat idea Nile, something that most people probably wouldn't think of. Having said that I do think I might feel a little cheated to not have the 90 do the work as per the real thing.

 

The blog looks pretty good though and easy to follow. I really should find time to blog. I bearly get time to model though so its no wonder really.

 

Cav

[Pete the Elaner]

You've done a cracking job cav, looks a lot better with the lower fairings fitted to the body.

I agree. I think adding the fairings makes the biggest single improvement to this model & is something I started to do with my fleet of 90's a while back (but never got round to finishing any:().

 

I've always thought the Hornby 90 looked plasticky, especially in InterCity, but dimensionally looked ok so was something which could be worked with to make a good model.

 

Looks like this one will look great when finished.

[Burkitt]

The IC Swallow livery looks great on your 90. Definitely one of my favourite ever liveries.

 

Paul

[RBE]

Yeah the factory finish is really plasticky on these. The white is just white plastic and it shows. It makes so much of a difference when its undercoated and finished in white paint as I've done. I agree with you paul the swallow livery is one of my favs too. I was a little unsure about redoing the IC on this but now its done I'm glad I chose to bit the bullet. I was after a push pull 90 and this is working out pretty well I think!!!

[RBE]

Well after a short break I've finally moved on a bit with the 90. Shes pretty much finished now apart from the weathering. I will be doing that soon. I've added the transfers, etched swallows and buffer beam detail plus the headlight covers in refurbished style and pipework over the compressors. I've still to add the light lenses but need to make the light guides inside for these. I will need to sort out the drive mechnism yet though before finalising these as I still haven't sourced my replacement upto date!! Got to fit TDM cables yet too. I've fitted a nem pocket to the bottom of the buffer beam that has taken a No 17 Kadee coupler. initially I made this a swivel but wasn't happy with the play in it under pushing (in fact it simply moved out of the way still coupled and the 90 ended up pushing the coach directly) so I fixed it centrally. The no 17 kadee has a swivel head anyway and when coupled to the coach which has a no 5 fitted to the end bogie will easily negotiate a 3 foot radius which will be the very smallest I intend to allow on my layout in any case. I think it looks pretty good as an upright drophead buckeye so light engine workings or stabling should still look the business, I fitted a dummy drophead at the other end.

 

Anyway here are some pics prior to weathering.

 

 

Weathering coming soon

 

Cav

[43179]

Ive been waitig to see some more of this - what a beaut! Takes alot to beat Intercity Livery .

I can't get my head round how these model pantographs that people build are 'driven' though other than hearing that it involves chain or fishing wire - how does it actually work? how is the upper arm held up?

 

Can I suggest, if its not too late , remounting the windscreens so they sit a little further back -

The lower edge of the window moulding sticks out past the bodywork - which it doesn't do on the real things.

Its a simple little job that improves the look of the model no end.

I believe the error comes from the two windscreen panes being modelled at too sharp an angle where they meet in the middle , if that makes sense.

 

are you going to do a nice Intercity Mainline one to go with it

 

Tfn

 

Jon

 

 

[RBE]

Thanks chaps I'm pretty happy with it. Jon the single arm pantographs work exactly as the real ones do. The chain (or fishing line but chain works better because it doesnt stretch) it attached to the top arm at the pivot and is fed down the inside of the lower arm which is a square tube and fixed to the mounting bar at roof height. The lower arm mount onto the mounting bar is pivoted off centre to the axis of the lower arm which means that when the arm moves up it also moves away from the mounting bar. It is this pulling away motion that allows the chain to pull on the top portion of the pantigraph, lifting it up. I'll post a sketch if it isn't clear. As for a mainline version, I would love to do one!! This one was really strictly push pull so went for IC but mainline also looks fantastic on these.

 

Anyway, to weathering. She is all dirtied up now. Below are some photos showing brief steps to how I did it. I used reference for this.

 

 

Acknowlegdements to Martin Bray for those

 

Firstly the chassis. I've picked out the majority of raised parts with a light brown. As these locos are a little on the moulded side under here I didn't want to emphasise the parts that were supposed to be gaps too much, highlighting the raised details in these area should settle the 'holes' down a bit in comparison to the raised detail when I airbrush.

 

 

Then a light blow over with track grime with the airbrush.

 

 

I will then add lighter and darker patches and detail to this later.

 

As for the body, intercity 90's were generally quite clean but dirt collected in all of the nooks so a dark grey wash with very thin paint was added to all recessed areas. Capillary action pulls the pigment around. The roof was given some small streaks of the wash to represent the way dirt washes back across the roof at high speed. This looks a bit rubbish at this stage but bear with me!

 

 

The roof was then given some dirt blown around the nooks in the roof garden and the pantograph browned a bit. The body was then treated to very very almost black airbrushed on using very very little paint to air. double action is essential here. Apply the 'black' to the cab roofs from behind as the top of the roof is where this deposits, the fine dirt lands here when the opposite end of the loco is leading the front is streaked and the back gets caught in the smokey/ vapourous wake so to speak. The side vents were then given a little blow and we're done.

 

The chassis was patched and areas around hinges etc were given a really dark hue.

 

So when finished she looks like this!! Still need to remotor and fit the damn TDMS!!!

 

 

Cav