Jump to content
 

Building a pair of Class 309 Clacton Units


74009
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium
1 hour ago, Les Bird said:

These are looking really good. You can keep all the modern units (cracked or not!), give me a 309 any time especially in maroon.

Absolutely, and I really do not believe it’s a case of time/memory improving the breed, they were superb units.

 

And if “74009” is going to sell them, I’ll have a maroon set please.....easily worth what an APT is ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Hi 74009

 

I have only just found this thread, the units are looking very good.

 

I too am building a Clacton and Walton set, a full 1960's ten car. Using Andi's (Dagworth) photos I have got this far in drawing one side of the under gubbins of a motor coach.

2088625095_sofar.png.e79495aae1ead1ada50d1fb834b69b6e.png

It seems I am too late as you have painted the units. I am sure the VEP painting drawing would be OK for 4mm, but had I known about your quest I have the 309 Notwork South East drawings.

017.jpg.3af0f20993794c97a60f4e341ba1e6cd.jpg

 

My models are cut and shuts from Tri-ang coaches with scratchbuilt ends. No where near advanced as yours, mainly as they have been put to one side as they do not fit my present layout. Here are all six driving cars. 100_4622a.jpg.4c411b648cf6b5abbc34779f290e0430.jpg

 

I look forward to seeing your finished units.

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you everyone for your kind comments.  I've just fitted the 128th and final window frame without getting glue on the paint, so hopefully it's an easy job from now on.  The interiors and chassis are already finished - all I have left to do is the grab rails / handrails, glazing then fit the pantographs and headcodes - plus repair one multiple working hose that I snapped off during the rubber band process.

 

More pics soon.

 

Stuart

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 10/05/2021 at 10:51, Clive Mortimore said:

Hi 74009

 

I have only just found this thread, the units are looking very good.

 

I too am building a Clacton and Walton set, a full 1960's ten car. Using Andi's (Dagworth) photos I have got this far in drawing one side of the under gubbins of a motor coach.

2088625095_sofar.png.e79495aae1ead1ada50d1fb834b69b6e.png

It seems I am too late as you have painted the units. I am sure the VEP painting drawing would be OK for 4mm, but had I known about your quest I have the 309 Notwork South East drawings.

 

 

My models are cut and shuts from Tri-ang coaches with scratchbuilt ends. No where near advanced as yours, mainly as they have been put to one side as they do not fit my present layout. Here are all six driving cars. 100_4622a.jpg.4c411b648cf6b5abbc34779f290e0430.jpg

 

I look forward to seeing your finished units.

 

These are looking good Clive.  The 309s that are the subject of this thread are not for me, but I do intend to do some blue / grey unrefurbished ones later on for myself.  You've made a good job of those ends - the original curved windscreens are quite difficult to replicate.

 

Good drawings too - that's one of the motor coaches from a 2 car unit isn't it.  When those were refurbished and extended to 4 cars, the door nearest the centre of that coach was removed and replaced with another standard hopper window - but the drawing of a refurbished vehicle in the Hugh Longworth BR EMUs book incorrectly shows the door still in situ  -  a trap for the unwary.

 

Best regards

 

Stuart

Edited by 74009
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

That is a fine pair of units there. You do realise you have made a mistake? You are only allowed to finish them when one is announced as RTR?

 

Th 309 and the 303 , along with the 123 & 124 DMU are such distinctive classes I'm surprised that they have not been done yet to modern standards.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for your kind comments.  I'm pleased with the way they turned out but they were also very much a learning experience and there are definitely things I'll do differently next time.  I'm very tempted to do a 'Jaffa' pair now and I'd like to make one of them a 309/1 with the pantograph above the cab, so I'll have to speak to Allen at Worsley Works about the possibility of a different set of etches.   I've also got an unrefurbished set in progress from Britannia Pacific models, which will be in Blue/Grey, but I think I'm going to take the cab-end castings out of that and replace them with the 3-D printed ones.  All that said, I'm a bit Clactoned-out at the moment so some other projects will come before any more work on those, in particular the Bulleid 4-DD and some EPBs I'm working on.

 

Cheesysmith - after your previous post I did examine the possibilities of some open hoppers and managed to make one in the refurbished CEP trailer.  It's awkward to do but it does look nice - so I think I will try to do it in the Jaffa ones :)

 

I've got a couple of short videos of the 309s running, which I'll add soon.  

 

Best regards

 

Stuart

Open hopper.jpg

Edited by 74009
  • Like 6
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all,

 

As promised, here's a short video of the 309s running. The video was only shot on a phone so it's a bit jerky. 

 

The excellent layout is that of the Chatham and District Model Railway Club; because the train is not yet DCC fitted it's restricted to one particular circuit of the layout which can be switched to DC operation.

 

 

  • Like 9
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
  • Round of applause 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

So, that's probably about it for this thread.

 

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments along the way.  Huge thanks again to David Crow for allowing me to use his 4-CEP window frame artwork to make the frames required for the 309.

 

If anyone would like to obtain some of these window frames for their own use, I'll put the details below:

 

Contact enquiries@ppdltd.com

 

(Precision Photofabrication Developments Ltd. - Unit 3 Highbank Park Ind. Est. - Lochgilphead - Argyll - PA31 8NN)

 

For my version of the window frames, as used on the Worsley Works 309 in this thread, the details are

 

Order Number: 33512

e-mail : pinza007@btinternet.com

Order date : 18 November 2020

Material : 0.2mm stainless steel

 

 

I also checked with David and he's happy for me to re-share the details of his original order in case anyone needs some of those:

 

Order Number: 4456

e-mail :  davyjcrow@hotmail.com

Order date :  14th November 2011

Material: 0.2mm Stainless Steel

 

David's sheet contains frames that are sized to fit a Bachmann 4-CEP, for if you want to make a refurbished version without using brass overlays for the whole thing.  Note though that it's an involved process because in a refurbished CEP the windows are in different places to the originals, as is the guard's van.  As well as the window frames, David's sheet also contains etched bodyside sections to represent the guard's van in it's new position, and some cowling to go around the corridor connectors to cover up the rubber bellows.  There are also some fold-up square headlights.  If you search on RMWeb you'll find some threads about this from when David was working on his.  Below is one of them but I think there were others too.

 

I also measured the frames up against some MJT refurbished CEP etched sides, as they could be used to add some relief to those.  David's sheet is the better fit of the two for this application, but I think it would be necessary to remove the transverse bar across the windows on the MJT etch as they are much thicker and heavier than the stainless steel ones.  This would mean strengthening the stainless steel frames in this location, but the sheet does contain some reinforcing bars designed for this purpose.

 

The price of my last order was £10.50 per sheet, plus VAT and postage.

 

All the best,

 

Stuart

 

 

 

Edited by 74009
spelling
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
10 hours ago, 74009 said:

Hi all,

 

As promised, here's a short video of the 309s running. The video was only shot on a phone so it's a bit jerky. 

 

The excellent layout is that of the Chatham and District Model Railway Club; because the train is not yet DCC fitted it's restricted to one particular circuit of the layout which can be switched to DC operation.

 

 

Absolutely brilliant, but does the club know one of their columns is about to collapse? :o

 

I am kidding...sort of....:D

Link to post
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...