Popular Post Barclay Posted February 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted February 9, 2019 I've greatly enjoyed reading, and contributing to the thread on K's kits, so it seemed a good idea to see if there is enough interest to kick off a similar thread for the old Kitmaster/Airfix plastic kit range. This thread is for us to show how we have adapted these kits for full, rather than static, use, as they have helped so many of us into the righteous path of kitbuilding over the years. All welcome - loco's, wagons, coaches. To start off I submit my own for inspection - please be kind, 2 of them are very old ! To start, my very first 'finescale' loco - built in 00 when I was 15 or 16. This is a lightly detailed Pug with a Bristol Models brass chassis, Sharman Wheels and Tenshodo open frame motor. Gears are 38:1. It hit the rails and instantly rendered all my R.T.R loco's obsolete, sending me down the path of kitbuilding and EM gauge, so it has a lot to answer for: The diesel shunter is an original Kitmaster (already built up when I bought it, collectors will be pleased to hear). It has been modified to represent the LMS version, though I forgot about the cab roof profile. The chassis was originally a very crude scratchbuild in brass. It was my first EM gauge loco, though quickly fell into disuse. More recently a secondhand Impetus chassis and a repaint have re-vitalised it, but I can hardly call it state of the art: Somewhat more recent, this Austerity has a chassis by Perseverance (I think, or it might have been Comet), brass running plate and steps, and boiler fittings from Brassmasters. Mashima motor and Branchlines Multibox. Gibson Wheels. Now, please, let's see yours - I'm sure there are some real gems out there ! 27 14 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 9, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2019 I noted that one of Tony Wright's 9Fs on Little Bytham is a Kitmaster. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Gibbo675 Posted February 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted February 9, 2019 (edited) Hi Barclay, Here are two Rocket kits, one as Northumbrian, that I built and at the other end of the scale a made up Mallett contraption from spliced the 9F kits. All models a static and were built for my own amusement. I have plenty more to show, four Presflos on the bench at the moment, but I shall drip feed them in as we go along. Dapol still produce a lot of those original kits, perhaps put their name in the title. Gibbo. Edited February 9, 2019 by Gibbo675 Mention of Dapol 21 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangoOscarMike Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 I'm glad to see those completed Gibbo, especially the modified Rocket. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 16 minutes ago, TangoOscarMike said: I'm glad to see those completed Gibbo, especially the modified Rocket. Hi Tom, I may be busy building Airfix/Dapol Presflos tanks but only because the second coat of blue is currently drying on my Cartic-4. I have even painted those bogies of yours a suitable shade of black so your efforts are slowly being put to use ! Gibbo. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 3 hours ago, Gibbo675 said: Are those the Ks 'Mataro' coaches (narrowed)? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 1 minute ago, BernardTPM said: Are those the Ks 'Mataro' coaches (narrowed)? Hi Bernard, Well spotted ! They are indeed the K's Mataro caches but I did not narrow them, they are as built externally with the exception of altering the foot boards and squaring the windows to make them look more like Liverpool and Manchester Railway types. Along with fitting compartment dividers the other modification made was that I had two sets and so one of the mail coach types was converted into an extra first class coach. Gibbo. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbler Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 I like the cattle wagons..... Dont go much on the 'working' hinged though, so i modify them a bit. Cheers Scott 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teacupteacup Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Here is one of mine, meat van... Built this a few years back and used it in a parcels train formation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 G'day Folks I've done one 04, with the side panels and cow catcher. Just painted, Good five years ago. manna 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RosiesBoss Posted February 10, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted February 10, 2019 G'day, all, Introduction Like many others, I’ve been building, adapting and using Airfix/Kitmaster/Dapol plastic model railway kits for many years – beginning around 1964. The loco kits were made originally to just “gather dust”, but I had a long-term aim to motorise at least some of them from duplicate kits. Rolling stock kits were always meant to run, but polystyrene axles in polystyrene bearings did not work out well. Replacing plastic wheelsets with modern metal ones with pinpoint axles running in 2mm brass bearings made a world of difference. Here are pics of some of my collection. As you can see, some are now showing their age! The Models · Mineral wagon · Lowmac wagon · Cement wagons · Cattle wagons · Brake van · Meat van · Tank wagon · Interfrigo wagon · Prestwin silo wagon · Brakedown crane · Coaches · RFO · BSK · CK · SO · SK · FK · Stirling Single · Railbus · Diesel shunter · City of Truro · City of Truro derivatives: - 2251 - County - Earl Cawdor - Tre Pol & Pen - Saint class - Stella class - 388 class - Weedkilling train Reflections Construction these kits provided the foundation of the skills I have used and developed for more than 40 years. I can’t recommend them highly enough for new modellers. References/Links · Kitbashing Coaches: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70799-kitmaster-fk-coach-kitbash/ · Motorising Kitmaster Stirling Single: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67037-motorising-a-kitmaster-stirling-single/ · Motorising Kitmaster diesel shunter: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59875-motorising-kitmaster-08/ · GWR 4-4-0s on Carmarthen Junction: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70438-gwr-4-4-0s-on-carmarthen-junction/ · Stella 2-4-0: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134586-gwr-stella-2-4-0-kitbash/ · 388 class 0-6-0: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_activity&mid=17793 · Track cleaning train: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/141543-track-cleaning-train/ · Carmarthen Junction Miscellena: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70550-carmarthen-junction-miscellena/ 24 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Hi Folks, After seeing all of Rosie Boss' City of Truro conversions, I especially like the rebuilt Badminton 3297 Earl Cawdor. As a result here is my take on an imaginary 4-6-0 City of Truro contraption based upon a number 100's boiler on an old style frame set. Gibbo. 15 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2019 (edited) Not sure what happened there! Edited February 11, 2019 by The Johnster Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2019 (edited) I 'ad one of them Kitmaster mk1 Restaurant Cars, easy enough build and a lovely runner; I may have been 9 or 10 when I built it and I was a ham fisted sort of kid. I'm a ham fisted sort of adult, come to that, the test of any kit is giving it to me to build and if I can do it anyone can... I remember being very impressed that this model had details in the toilet compartments, despite the fact that these couldn't be seen when the model was completed. It had tables and chairs with plates and cups on as well; as this was the first coach I ever owned with an interior I thought I was the mutt's nuts. It sort of helped, somehow, knowing that there were really toilets and wash basins behind the white glass... Kitmaster coaches were the best available for many years, even after they ceased being available if you see what I mean. Triang introduced scale length mk1s shortly after Kitmaster's demise, but their's had deeper set windows and not such a variety of types as KM; you got a BSK, a CK, a Buffet on B1 bogies, and an overlength BG. I had some Airfix bashes in my teens which I am not too proud of now; an unholy union between a City of Truro and a 61xx to make a 43xx which was probably the least objectionable, and an appalling 56xx made from a 61xx and a Jinty chassis; it ran, though! There was also a pretty dreadful 42xx on a HD 8F chassis using 61xx cylinders and slide bars; the rest was 61xx as well and so wrong that it sort of didn't matter that the wrong axle was coupled to the crosshead. I also had a 61xx running on an old Triang Princess mechanism, but we all had one of those! In my defence, Model Railway Constructor, who should have known better, published an article on how to make a 2884 from a HD 8F and a Castle at around this time... Edited February 11, 2019 by The Johnster 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2019 9 minutes ago, The Johnster said: Not sure what happened there! Sorted now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Killybegs Posted February 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2019 See how many Airfix/Kitmaster kit builds you can spot among this lot. Boy we used to cram them in when we were kids (late 50's/early sixties). Dad did the baseboard, embankments, hills and oil refinery, an uncle wired it up and we did the rest. 27 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Captain Kernow Posted February 12, 2019 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted February 12, 2019 I used to love getting Airfix railway kits when I was a kid and building them. Often they would be received as Christmas or birthday presents and a ham-fisted attempt at assembly would then follow. I often wished I could motorise them, but I wasn't initially aware of the motorising kits that were on the market at the time and in later years, initial attempts didn't work out too well (thinking especially of attempts to get an old K's tender-drive unit in the mid-1970s to work properly, so that it could power a City of Truro). The only motorised Airfix kit loco in my roster these days is 76027, which was completed in the 1980s, using the excellent Kemilway chassis kit: I have an old Airfix 'Austerity' on a Perseverance chassis, but that was one of the RTR bodies. I have a number of Airfix wagons, though, in service. BR standard brake van, in OO: This one was built in P4: Meat van, also built in P4 (apologies for the photo being out of focus a bit): Mineral wagon (this time in OO again): 20 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Izzy Posted February 13, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 13, 2019 I did consider a while ago whether to challenge myself to see if I could build a creditable small layout to a decent standard using just the current exAirfix kits from Dapol. I was initially thinking of locos & rolling stock but I think it could have been extended to include the main buildings if I had allowed myself a bit of kit bashing. My thoughts had been centered around the railbus for passenger traffic and the 04 drewery for goods and midland based because of the signal box, so in early BR days, which most of the wagons also support. A few wagon kits were put together, but then a well priced s/h Heljan W&M railbus came along and it never got any further, the big problem being the total cost of motorising if commercial kits were used, being more than a lot of s/h can be found at. I might think on it again if enough spare time and money appears, having plenty of projects already to absorb them at present. Izzy 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted February 13, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2019 I have two locos, first my Dapol bodied Bachmann chassis DELTIC with A1 Models whiskers etc and my Dapol bodied Comet Chassis 76xxx BR Standard, completed just as Bachmann released theirs ..... 14 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Nickey Line Posted February 13, 2019 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) My first experience of Airfix wagon kits was with my grandfather, when I was 4 or 5. He had been a guard with the LMS and later BR, and we sat at the dining table and built (well, he did anyway) the guards van kit. No idea what happened to it mind, but I do have a couple of others that I built subsequently. The tank wagon is very old, built when I was perhaps 11 or 12, has the original transfers, still no paint, except the red on the axle boxes, (no, I don't know why either!) Really should spruce it up some more... it has sprung buffers and Romford wheels and bearings fitted but plenty more work could (should) be done. The brake van is a much more recent Dapol version; I have two of these but the other is still unpainted. Almost forgot, there's this too... ...and somewhere I have an ancient Pug but I've no idea where it is at present! Edited February 13, 2019 by Nickey Line Added content... and spelling korrection 20 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nickey Line Posted February 13, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2019 I can only assume that the photo on the box for the tank wagon kit showed axle boxes with red painted centres, as it appears RosiesBoss has done the same... is there any prototype evidence for this? Haven't found anything on Bartlett... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Here's one I made earlier infact over fifty years ago. I first motorised it with homemade 1/16 thick brass frames and I think a Triang XT60 motor. Sometime in the '80's I reframed it and added a Portascap motor. The body is untouched since I assembled it and painted it all those years ago. I home made all the steps from brass sheet. 14 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 15, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 15, 2019 Back in the day I would buy Airfix loco kits just for the pleasure of building them even though they were unsuitable for my WR/SR North Devon small port. I cannot remember who made 'motorisation kits' for them, but I had a go at a couple of these with limited success. You got a set of suitably sized Romford driving wheels, with no regard to accuracy in terms of numbers of spokes, a length of rail predrilled to accept crankpins to use as a coupling rod, Romford axles, and top hat brass bearings that you reamed out the holes in the plastic frames to fit. Precision engineering it wasn't! I managed to make a functioning J94 with a Romford Terrier and 40:1 gears, but it was never my best runner and a bit stiff. Locos with Walchearts or even GW type motion were less successful, as the plastic valve gear was not up to the job; you were on a bit of a hiding to nothing and better off with an RTR chassis if one was useable. My best runner of this sort was a 61xx with an old Rovex type Triang Black Princess chassis, complete with Triang flat cylinders, motion, and solid wheels. A 42xx made out of a 61xx and CoT boiler with a HD 8F chassis ran superbly, but looked every bit as awful as it sounds with the motor bursting out of the cab. It was a great learning experience, and lifelong lessons were absorbed. The most important of these was probably not to ever try anything like this again... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Long gone now but I bought a rtr chassis from Bristol Models for my J94/austerity. It proved a tad light so I fabricated the footplate from 1/8 steel. (A bit like the new 7mm Manning Wardle.) At the time, the J94 was unavailable and I paid a premium price for an unbuilt kit, probably at the Wakefield show in Unity Hall. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Does anyone know how to fit nem couplings to them? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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