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Let's see your Airfix/Kitmaster kit


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13 hours ago, Ruston said:

AirfixMinerals-013a.jpg.ac63614ac549f1ed143832bb92c57c2d.jpg

Excellent rendition!!

 

Isn't it always the way...you wait ages for one to come along and then...

 

I have purposely opted for Airfix's kit - 50+ years on, their's is still the best 9ft underframe - brakegear from Red Panda's underframe kit, Lanarkshire Models' Oleo buffers and Modelmaster transfers...I just need some time now to begin construction...

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15 hours ago, Ruston said:

clasp-002.jpg.46494e01552eb4eff267742b0400d3a7.jpg

 

OOOOOOOO just realised that this one is special. Dia 1/117 Fitted with the 8-shoe Clasp Brake but without the AVB.  I definitely need to get some more Airfix kits and some Red Panda Chassis now I've seen these. 

 

Cheers Trailrage

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11 hours ago, TRAILRAGE said:

 

Now that is one very sexy Mineral Wagon. I've not seen many models fitted with the AVB 8-shoe Clasp Brake. Very nice!

 

Cheers Trailrage

 

I have built three so far. Two used bits and pieces from Parkside kit spares, vac cylinders from a broken Airfix tank wagon, plus some scratchbuilt plasticard parts. Some of the bake gear was guesswork. Heavy duty buffers, from LMS.

image.png.fbb7243bbf1273a9fbcee66745a17c72.png

 

The other used whitemetal brake shoes and etched yokes, from Wizard. The other brake parts are all milled brass and turned aluminium vac cylinders. The brake gear is more accurate on this one. Oleo buffers, from LMS.

image.png.648ceb3159631d224bb6ccb5b632bf3c.png

 

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3 hours ago, Ruston said:

I have built three so far. Two used bits and pieces from Parkside kit spares, vac cylinders from a broken Airfix tank wagon, plus some scratchbuilt plasticard parts. Some of the bake gear was guesswork. Heavy duty buffers, from LMS.

image.png.fbb7243bbf1273a9fbcee66745a17c72.png

 

The other used whitemetal brake shoes and etched yokes, from Wizard. The other brake parts are all milled brass and turned aluminium vac cylinders. The brake gear is more accurate on this one. Oleo buffers, from LMS.

image.png.648ceb3159631d224bb6ccb5b632bf3c.png

 

I like those too.  I'm particularly interested in the wagon in the second photo - were the cranks, compensators etc. along the longitudinal centre line put together by you?  I have a template of how they look from a Slater's O Gauge wagon, but (other than Rumney Models) haven't found 4mm equivalents.

 

Mark 

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59 minutes ago, Mark C said:

I like those too.  I'm particularly interested in the wagon in the second photo - were the cranks, compensators etc. along the longitudinal centre line put together by you?  I have a template of how they look from a Slater's O Gauge wagon, but (other than Rumney Models) haven't found 4mm equivalents.

 

Mark 

I made everything, except for the brake shoes/hangers and the yokes. I made styrene patterns so that I can mill as many sets as I want and they'll all be identical.

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New I had a couple more. This 16t VB Fitted with Dowty Buffers. Waiting on some Cambrian Tier bars and new Door Bangers

The two pressflows dirty one is old Airfix and clean one is Dapol.

 

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Edited by TRAILRAGE
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...and back to the meat van again. This time in P4 over a Rumney chassis with Exactoscale wheels. Parkside doors replaced the originals. Cambridge Custom transfers. All in all just as easy a project as building it ‘out of the box’. All credit to Airfix for a lovely little kit.

 

’B’ type tank wagon next...

 

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best,

Marcus

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Really enjoy this thread and a great credit to Airfix making this kits over 60 years ago, in terms of quality, value for money never been bettered. Quite a few of this beautiful kits have survived years of service and contine to do so, often rebuilt, repainted, rewheeled, re coupled etc. I'am not far off having over an 100 and plan to haul them all in one train using an Airfix 9F fitted with X04 motor.

 

Here's one made about 30 years

 

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As you can see almost a perfect paint match to a Hornby Dublo, roof almost matches as well, wished I made a note of the paint used at the time. Often confuses us as this one gets put in the wrong box or just lost on the layout.  Now all models have a code painted underneath so can match/compare future models.

 

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On 19/02/2021 at 21:17, TRAILRAGE said:

New I had a couple more. This 16t VB Fitted with Dowty Buffers. Waiting on some Cambrian Tier bars and new Door Bangers

The two pressflows dirty one is old Airfix and clean one is Dapol.

 

It's Presflo, not Pressflow. Yeah, I know, Sorry... :tomato:

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While on subject of Airfix kits anyone still use the airfix coupling supplied with the kits like these ?

 

20210215_204226.jpg.84fcfba921cdab33e16b4a0b3f35c136.jpg

 

Too be honest not the best coupling although 2 advantages, one they came with supplied with the kit and in the 60's at 2/- per kit doubled in price if you fitted peco, whose coupling was 2/- per pair. Other is very close coupling at about 13mm between wagons, compared to most others which is about 20mm, hence very realistic train formations.

 

Disadvantages well known, ok pulling but expect derailments if pushing, elastic band essential for operation rotted quickly, never found a automatic uncoupling ramp, and pins holding coupling easily broke.

 

Dispite what some model magazines at the time said, I did find they couple to plastic type Hornby dublo but you still needed "hand of God to uncouple"

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Hello all, here's my first Airfix build (though it was actually the Dapol reissue), from last autumn:

 

DapolLNER20TBrake0508-CL(4).jpg.930cc8b2f99305c51161e07aee3f5955.jpg

 

The guard is a modelu figure, and below is a view showing the DCC Concepts LED lamp in action, powered from the track via phosphor-bronze wire wheel pickups - it doesn't look as over-bright as this in normal use, but after too much time spent trying to balance the lighting to get the van itself visible but the light not too bright in defiance of my phone camera's attemtps to re-balance it, this shot seemed the least bad:

 

DapolLNER20TBrake0508-CL(6).jpg.8a5411a9a99e223c2f5387d1889f261e.jpg

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On 25/02/2021 at 17:24, locomad2 said:

While on subject of Airfix kits anyone still use the airfix coupling supplied with the kits like these ?

 

20210215_204226.jpg.84fcfba921cdab33e16b4a0b3f35c136.jpg

 

Too be honest not the best coupling although 2 advantages, one they came with supplied with the kit and in the 60's at 2/- per kit doubled in price if you fitted peco, whose coupling was 2/- per pair. Other is very close coupling at about 13mm between wagons, compared to most others which is about 20mm, hence very realistic train formations.

 

Disadvantages well known, ok pulling but expect derailments if pushing, elastic band essential for operation rotted quickly, never found a automatic uncoupling ramp, and pins holding coupling easily broke.

 

Dispite what some model magazines at the time said, I did find they couple to plastic type Hornby dublo but you still needed "hand of God to uncouple"

 

 

I've got a pile of these models, some of which retain the original Airfix couplings. I found the concept quite neat but other than as a novelty they were somewhat impractical in use.

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On 09/03/2021 at 21:34, Steamport Southport said:

Not being critical as the modelling is fine.

 

But for an LNER version you need to shorten the footboards.

 

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/lnerbrake/e2cccf219

 

 

 

Jason

Hello Jason, thank you and yes, I know there are quite a few things that could be modified to bring it closer to prototypes - there's also for instance a contradiction between the inclusion of the concrete weight platforms on this particular variant and there are some excellent threads on turning this kit into something quite a bit more authentic.

I decided to build it pretty much as supplied though (aside from additions like the guard and the light, I think the only modification is the inclusion of safety bars) because sometimes I find it very enjoyable just to follow the instructions and not have to get too involved in decision making :).

I usually have something more ambitious on the go at the same time, which might involve a lot more added detail or modification, so a build like this is a nice and relaxing contrast; currently I'm building a London Road Models GNR C2 / LNER C12.

I'm also a sucker for lighting effects: once something lights up I'm happy :D!

Edited by Chas Levin
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  • 5 weeks later...

Hi guys, 

 

I've built a few of the wagon kits, but thought I'd share these pictures. First is a city of Truro in preserved condition after a boiler lift and although repainted, she's awaiting the hand of a skilled painter to reapply numbers and insignia. 

 

The next was an attempt at Salt weathering so needed a suitable guinea pig... Its the schools class devoid of motion, buffers and a smoke deflector in Barry scrapyard condition. The tender was covered with a piece of an old "St Michael" (for those that remember!) Marks and Sparks carrier bag to act as a tarpaulin, representing a loco that had just been acquired for restoration. 

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John, you have certainly captured the crusty state the locos got into during their time at Barry scrapyard.

 

It took me back to a visit I made to the model railway exhibition in Westminster 1965. In it there was a cameo showing part of a semi derelict station with several (actual Kitmaster kit)  'Schools' in various states of destruction. It was a very well executed model though distressing for an impressionable, young steam enthusiast to see. I can't remember the name of the builder. I do remember the name he gave to the cameo - "Class Dismissed."

 

Ian.

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