Motorising Kitmaster 08

[lj95]

I recently found an old Kitmaster class 08 diesel kit which had been in my 'to do' pile for several years. I was hoping to be able to motorise it with an old lima chassis. I have been browsing ebay for several months, but nothing has turned up at a reasonable price. Does anyone know of an alternative way to motorise it? Also, I live in Ireland, so the chassis will have to be available through mail-order. Thanks in advance.

[Horsetan]

Look out on eBay for either the Bachmann or new-generation Hornby "08" chassis. They do come up now and then as working spares.

 

If you fancy a go at trying to build a chassis, then eBay sometimes turns up the etched nickel-silver chassis kits from either the old Impetus or Crownline ranges.

 

There is a possibility that Modern Outline Kits may resurrect their own "08" kit from the mid-1980s, with the chassis being available separately.

[Trainshed Terry]

I already have been down that road, and I used a "Crownline Gronk chassis kit", that is no longer available, as I always wanted a smooth running 08. But the funny thing is that when I had completed the model, Bachmann released there RTR version.

 

The first two images shown the "Crownline chassis kit" before the body was attached with a 60:1 Comet or was it a tweaked DJH gear box (I think) as I can not remember as it was made about 5+ years ago. The wheels are "Romfords" with extended shafts to allow the use of the correct conecting rods.

 

The third image shows the amount of additional detail that was add to the "Kitmaster Model" to give it a personal feel. And I would never sell it.

 

The 4th is the model is the completed model.

 

The model runs well until the motor developed a fault so at the moment I am looking for a small RG 4 to replace the current set up.

 

 

 

 

 

It was an very enjoyable project at the time I did the model, AS long you take your time putting the kit together, as the results can compear along with the ready to run models.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Terry.

[lj95]

I've been browsing through ebay for several months now, and while I have seen a Bachmann chassis turn up, it sold for £50! For that amount of money I could just buy a RTR class 08.

 

I am a relatively inexperienced modeller, and I have never completed an etched kit, building a chassis would be beyond my years.

 

Any other ideas?

[Horsetan]

Any other ideas?

 

None at the moment. Sorry.

[bigherb]

Hornby Dublo/Wrenn did an 08. Much better performer than the Lima version. You might find a damaged one on ebay for reasonable money.

[halfwit]

Avoid the Lima chassis, otherwise you'll regret putting an outdated, poor performing lump under your nicely built kit body. Better to buy a cheap HornBach 08 for the chassis and sell the body on ebay.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... Any other ideas?

If the kit you have is still in its original packaging, offer it for sale. Some old kits go for silly money, though I have no idea where the Kitmaster 08 stands in the road to nirvana among collectors of plastic kits. Then buy a kit of a subject you are interested in, which is not (currently) available in good ready to run form. (This avoids you slaving away at making a good looking and running result and being greeted by the question "Is that the Bachmann or Hornby model?".)

[Trainshed Terry]

If the kit you have is still in its original packaging, offer it for sale. Some old kits go for silly money, though I have no idea where the Kitmaster 08 stands in the road to nirvana among collectors of plastic kits. Then buy a kit of a subject you are interested in, which is not (currently) available in good ready to run form. (This avoids you slaving away at making a good looking and running result and being greeted by the question "Is that the Bachmann or Hornby model?".)

 

I am sorry but when you do a modfication or build a kit it is a achivement and you can be pround that you have made and completed the model, and it gives the builder a sense of satifaction to say that "I made that" >

 

Terry.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Could that be why I suggested buying and building a different kit I wonder?

 

I am of a mindset that prefers to put modelling effort into subjects for which there is no decent RTR product. The guy asked for "Any other ideas?"; so I made an alternative suggestion.

[clecklewyke]

Avoid the Lima chassis, otherwise you'll regret putting an outdated, poor performing lump under your nicely built kit body. Better to buy a cheap HornBach 08 for the chassis and sell the body on ebay.

 

Not only will it be poor mechanically but I believe it will be underscale, dating from the time when Lima failed to convert us to HO.

 

I note that Trainshed Terry's excellent black gronk has red coupling rods. Was this the norm for black gronlks? I can only find colour pictures of green (and later multi-coloured) ones and no references to paint schemes for black ones. I have a Judith Edge LMS jacksahft shunter in black and want to get the rods right.

 

Ian

[Trainshed Terry]

Not only will it be poor mechanically but I believe it will be underscale, dating from the time when Lima failed to convert us to HO.

 

I note that Trainshed Terry's excellent black gronk has red coupling rods. Was this the norm for black gronlks? I can only find colour pictures of green (and later multi-coloured) ones and no references to paint schemes for black ones. I have a Judith Edge LMS jacksahft shunter in black and want to get the rods right.

 

Ian

 

There is a touch of artist licence I am afraid to say.

 

But there is one thing I forgot to say that the "Crownline Kit" was designed to modified the Hornby model when it first done.

 

Terry.

[clecklewyke]

There is a touch of artist licence I am afraid to say.

 

One possible clue is that the NRM has painted the rods of its black BR 08 red. I would expect their conservators to get that sort of detail right. So I think I will paint the rods red, photograph the result, publish and probably be damned!

 

Ian

 

Ian

[RosiesBoss]

Motorising a Kitmaster Diesel Shunter

 

Introduction

 

Some time around 1999-2000, I acquired a box of discarded Airfix and Kitmaster plastic rolling stock models for just a few dollars. Over time, I managed to strip and rebuild many of them to run on my layout. One which remained in the scrapbox was an old 0-6-0 diesel shunter. Its short wheelbase did not correspond with any of the old steam loco chassis with whom it slept, so it remained – unloved, but a challenge to motorise!

 

Chassis Selection

 

I reviewed what chassis would suit it and realised that only another Class 08/09 chassis would do. Not the Tri-ang or Hornby Railroad one, whose wheelbase was too long and which was also an inside frame. (The prototype shunters have outside frames.) Only current Hornby, Bachmann, Dublo or Lima would be suitable.

 

Given that the Kitmaster moulding, though good for its time, is not really comparable to current Hornby or Bachmann models, I considered it foolish to buy a very detailed chassis, as it would look wrong under the more basic Kitmaster body.

 

Therefore, I searched on eBay for a Dublo or Lima chassis. A few Dublo chassis did pop up from time to time, but were expensive – not ideal for this retiree! A Lima chassis appeared on eBay, which was offered without a motor. This was ideal, as I wanted to use one of my stock of small can motors anyway! My bid won, so it duly turned up in the mailbox.

 

Conversion

 

The model (as found) was rather sad. It lacked buffers and connecting rods and had never been painted or lettered. I began by removing and discarding the battered plastic wheels and axles.

 

The Kitmaster outside frames are much more detailed than the Lima ones and they are integral with the footplate and body, so these were left in place. The bottoms of the axle holes were removed so that the Kitmaster portion could slide over the Lima axles.

 

New brass buffers were fitted to the buffer beams and then the body was set aside pending completion of the chassis.

 

I removed the dummy outside frames from the Lima chassis and then test fitted it to the body. It was too long, so I carefully trimmed each end, test fitting it frequently to ensure that the axles lined up well with the axle holes in the Kitmaster body.

 

Once there was a firm (interference) fit, I then started to fit a new motor and gears.

 

I have a box of small can motors – some purchased new from a local chain which used to sell electronic components and some recovered from old discarded VCRs. I have another box of nylon gears from the same two sources. These were the sources of the motor and gears used next.

 

I removed the connecting rods from the axles and set them aside, then carefully removed the centre wheelset by sliding one wheel off the axle. I selected a worm/gear combination from my collection and then carefully opened up the gear’s hole with a small tapered rat-tail file until it was a good interference fit on the axle and opened up a slot in the floor of the chassis to allow it to rotate. I then reassembled the wheels and gear into the chassis. Please note that I re-used the original Lima wheels and their connecting gears, which work quite well on my layouts which use Peco Streamline code 100 track. (Why “fix” something that wasn’t broken?)

 

I fitted the worm to a suitable can motor and then fabricated a simple brass frame to hold it onto the chassis and in mesh with the axle gear.

 

Suitable wires were then fitted to connect the motor to the existing wiper pickups. Tension lock couplings were also fitted, ensuring they were set so as to just avoid buffer locking while shunting through sharp curves.

 

Initial track testing showed that the model lacked traction, so simple (roofing) sheet lead weights were folded up and fitted into the body. The model can now haul about 15 4-wheeled wagons – enough for my shunting requirements.

 

Once any other adjustments were made to ensure smooth, reliable running, the model was painted in BR green and numbered to represent one of the shunters delivered to BR(W) from an order placed by the GWR. (It fits well with the rest of my BR(W) collection.)

 

Conclusions

 

This was an enjoyable kitbash exercise, which took just a few days to do during 2010. I know that this is a “cheap and cheerful” conversion, but the total costs did not exceed A$20 (important for this retiree). I was also able to make use of lots of bits accumulated over many years to add another useful loco to my collection at about one sixth the local price of a RTR model. I am happy with the final result.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

[Horsetan]

...... to add another useful loco to my collection.....

..which is surely the whole point.

 

And let's face it, what you've made looks a whole lot better than the distorted Lima moulding.