RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 In 1978 my family moved from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Belfast (Dad worked for Michelin) and I spent my teenage years there. We nearly bought a house next to the (then) Belfast to Larne Line at Whiteabbey but eventually ended up on the slopes of Cave Hill at Ben Madigan. Whilst my parents were looking at the Whiteabbey house I spent my time looking at the maroon and blue NIR 70 ant 80 class DEMUs roaring past and have been fascinated by them ever since. I cut and shut some Lima Mk2s to make a 2-car 80 class unit in the early 1980s but now, thanks to Model Irish Railways I have some etched sides and cab/bogie detail parts to make a 3 car unit. Cheers Darius 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 The plan is to finish the unit in the late 1970s NIR maroon and blue livery, which is their best livery in my opinion, and to motorise the unit using Bachmann DMU motor units and bogies. Here’s the unit I made over 35 years ago. Cheers Darius 6 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Hi Darius, Are you aware of this thread, it may be good for ideas: Gibbo. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Gibbo675 said: Hi Darius, Are you aware of this thread, it may be good for ideas: Gibbo. Hi Gibbo, Yes - and there is also a prototype thread on the Irish Railways Part of RMWeb. Cheers Darius 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted May 13, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 13, 2020 (edited) The last few weeks I was on tour in Northern Ireland I was at RAF Sydenham (George Best Belfast City Airport) and I use to see the class 80s in their blue and maroon livery passing by. Sadly I never traveled on one. Edited May 13, 2020 by Clive Mortimore 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 First coach modified to receive the etched sides and white metal cab/roof parts. The tumblehome is not well defined on the etched sides - more of a straight bend than a curve. I will have to induce a curved profile somehow prior to fitting the sides. Cheers Darius 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 20 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said: The last few weeks I was on tour in Northern Ireland I was at RAF Sydenham (George Best Belfast City Airport) and I use to see the class 80s in their blue and maroon livery passing by. Sadly I never traveled on one. I made a few trips from York Road to Larne with my Grandad and from Central to Bangor. My first main line steam trip was from York Road to Whitehead and back in 1978. Cheers Darius 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 13, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 (edited) Here are some photos that I took near Sydenham in 1985. Cheers Darius Edited February 26, 2023 by Darius43 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted May 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2020 As ever watching this build as I have several as well - my first has died of brittle plasticard on the filled in windows on the middle car. I have also adapted for the rebuild later conversions with parts from a 310 kit to give the passenger door /small window arrangements. I did wonder given the fit of metal parts about using the brass end part as a template to cut plastic to give a stronger end ? Robert 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 14, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2020 (edited) Bachmann EMU power unit fixed into body. Bachmann motor and trailing bogies reconstructed using MIR white metal sides. Cheers Darius Edited February 26, 2023 by Darius43 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 (edited) Had a go at improving the tumblehome on the etched brass sides. I used a steel rod tensile test piece clamped in a vice and gently tapped the tumblehome shape around it with a hammer. A surprisingly easy and quick operation. The modified side is the top on in the photo below. Before:- After:- I have had the steel test piece since I undertook the test at University in 1984 - I knew it would come in useful one day!!! Cheers Darius Edited February 26, 2023 by Darius43 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 Left hand driving motor coach side glued to coach body. Cheers Darius 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 (edited) The cab nose profile didn’t look right in the last photos so I have removed and refitted it. I think it looks better now. Looks like some packing and filler will be needed to blend the cab end in with the sides and roof. Cheers Darius Edited February 26, 2023 by Darius43 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 Fits where it touches! I'm sure you'll do a good job fixing that though. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiths park Posted May 15, 2020 Share Posted May 15, 2020 (edited) Following this thread with interest. On holiday in the province in the towards in the early 00's, saw a pair flying through Lisburn on a special from Dublin to Londonderry for the Apprentice Boys parade, and another on a Londonderry service on that skewed level crossing on the way to Belfast International. Markle DVD NIR Then and Now Vol. 1 has some excellent coverage of the class. Which Mk2's do you use as donor's. Edited May 15, 2020 by smiths park 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 1 hour ago, smiths park said: Following this thread with interest. On holiday in the province in the towards in the early 00's, saw a pair flying through Lisburn on a special from Dublin to Londonderry for the Apprentice Boys parade, and another on a Londonderry service on that skewed level crossing on the way to Belfast International. Markle DVD NIR Then and Now Vol. 1 has some excellent coverage of the class. Which Mk2's do you use as donor's. I used Lima Mk2's obtained cheaply from eBay. I have that DVD - will dig it out for a viewing with my coffee today. Cheers Darius Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 Right hand side etch prepped. The “square” engine vent was not well defined in the etch so I removed it and added the cruciform framing using plasticard strips. Tumblehome “bashed” in. Glued to coach side. Cheers Darius 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 15, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 15, 2020 Lima roof trimmed to length and fitted. Door step boards and body lifting lugs added using plasticard strips. Cheers Darius 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 16, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 Underframe equipment boxes etc. added - mixture of Lima, Replica And MTK spare bits. I have also lowered the body relative to the bogies. Cheers Darius 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted May 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 Looking good , without damaging anything any chance of an upside down photo, It would be good to see how bits have fitted underneath around the trusses - something I have not tackled. Ride height looks better but it does make bogie sideframes stick out as fat, rather than been tucked under the tumblehome to me anyway. Have you decided on a colour scheme as I have been unable to source " Suburban" .. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 16, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 Hi Robert, Underside pics as requested. The MIR white metal bogie sides are quite chunky but they don’t in fact extend outside the tumblehome. Their chunkiness makes them look like they do, plus the prototype bogies were quite chunky relative to the B4 bogies on the trailer coaches. Cheers Darius Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 16, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 This set will be in the maroon and blue livery that I remember from the late 1970s. I have a second conversion that will be in the NIR grey and red livery as per the photo below. Cheers Darius 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 The power bogies are basically like those under Class 73s, 4-CIG/4-VEP etc. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 16, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 (edited) Roof fittings, door hinges & handles and handrails added. White metal cab end blended in to sides and roof using filler. One thing to note is that the etch has the door handle and handRail holes on the wrong side of the right hand side driver’s door. As you look at the door, the hinges are on the right hand edge so the handle and handrail should be on the left. Holes were re-drilled accordingly. Cheers Darius Edited February 26, 2023 by Darius43 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 16, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 16, 2020 Primer on. Cheers Darius 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now