Converting 4CEP to 4TC (& 4REP later?)

[Brian Kirby]

Hi again Mike,

Using the CEP "door-in-window" should be fine, as you say, it should be the same dimension. Checking the photos above, it's Ceptic's Replica suburban bay in a Replica TSO, where the sub windows might be a fraction too wide. Actually, your idea of using the CEP driving motor sides, chopped up and turned around is a good one, you could then pinch spare sections and windows off one of the CEP trailers, perhaps saving one car and coverting it to loco-hauled? Middle cars will be easiest with the addition of a complete loco-hauled FK and BSK (not forgetting to fill in THAT window), then Bob's your uncle, although these two coaches won't have window frames, life is never simple!

The 4-car powered chassis would be perfect for a 4EPB, using whoever's bodies, as long as you don't mind the motor showing, plus you'd have various options for the required extra 4TC chassis. BK

[Bulleidboy]

A bit later than promised, here is another shot of the driving cab after some more filling / smoothing to match the rooflines

 

 

Apart from sorting out some minor blemishes, I think this will satisfy me!

 

Am continuing to work on the more obvious joint in the side panel (and doing the same to the first two sections of the second driving coach).

 

Mike

 

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Remember to elongate the gangway as IIRC it is too low and puts the indicator too low as well. I think it's about 3 mm or so that has to be added in.

[Bulleidboy]

Remember to elongate the gangway as IIRC it is too low and puts the indicator too low as well. I think it's about 3 mm or so that has to be added in.

Thanks - will tackle the front of the cab once I've finished the filling.

 

Mike

[Colin parks]

Hi Mike,

 

The cab is coming on well.  Once the yellow paint goes on the end, it will look very neat.  It certainly is quite a transformation from the early pics. of the mis-matched body and cab front casting.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

[AMJ]

Looking good but I can't help thinking that one of the majors might do one RTR - or more correctly ready to roll.

 

A motor less 4TC with DCC chip to control lighting and through wired could be quite an easy item for them to do. 

 

I remember a trip in a set from Cardiff with a 33 pushing us to the English south coast in 1988.  So a 4TC could get to various parts and not just Southern region.  A limited edition version for LT museum?

[Budgie]

I remember a trip in a set from Cardiff with a 33 pushing us to the English south coast in 1988.  So a 4TC could get to various parts and not just Southern region.  A limited edition version for LT museum?

I remember a "Rail Ale Ramble" consisting of three of them with a class 33. Can't remember where it went, but it did go through the Severn Tunnel.

[Bulleidboy]

Have been to the Toy & Train sale at Doncaster today.  Managed to get 4 Mk1 SO (with B4 bogies) and a Mk1 FK at a good price.  The latter will obviously become part of the 4TC (with a bogie swap), another set of B4 bogies will go under the BSK (and yes I did remember to fill in that window!).

 

Will have a think about how to best use the other two sets of bogies this week, the chice is to modify them to fit the 4CEP chassis or probably keep those chassis (for a 4EPB??) and modify the SO chassis by cutting off the corridor connection ends and then using them for the two DTSO.

 

No pictures but the second DTSO is now built as far as the cab side doors - next jobs are to cut the can end to accept an MJT cast end and remove all the roof ribs on the two centre coaches.

 

Mike

[Bulleidboy]

During the last week I've been working on the roofs of the two centre coaches (removing the ribs) and have also got the second driving coach body built to the point where it now needs filler.

 

The four coaches:

 

The TBS - a little more work needed on smoothing the blanked out guard's window and the ends of the roof ribs:

 

And the second DTSO, which hasn't had any work done on the roof vents yet:

 

And just in case anyone is wondering, two of the roofs are in red primer simply because I ran out of grey!

 

Mike

[bluex5]

Looks superb Mike!

[Ceptic]

 Details aside,.. ...It's looking good Bulleidboy  .

[Crompton48]

Any more udates on this project ?

[Bulleidboy]

Any more udates on this project ?

 

Hi Crompton

 

Having been away most of June and spent some time since gardening, my thoughts are once again turning to the 4TC.

 

Pictures below show current state of play on the driving cars - the roof profile is nearly there, corridor connections are in place (these were cut just above the rubbing plate and re-assembled with some plasticard to get the correct height) but need tidying up.  I've recently bought a bottle of "Mr Surfacer" and will try this on the final filling stages - my nephew has praised its use on model aircraft.

 

The pipework on the Dart cast cabs looks a bit crude compared to their separate offerings but the latter are slightly too long to fit in the recess - will think about that one!

 

Underframe components have been ordered from Southern Pride - I now need to decide whether to use the CEP chasis for the two driving cars and modify / replace the bogies or use two spare Mk1 underframes that already have Mk4 bogies.  The two centre coaches are modified Mk1s, so keep their Mk4 bogied chassis.

 

[Natalie]

Looking good Mike. Nice to see some more Southern unit modelling.

 

I have been taking another close look at these units and the accompanying REPs to get to grips with the changes involved in their conversion (specifically the catering vehicles on the REPS- the ex-RU examples in the 1974 units having quite extensive mods compared to the ex-RB versions in the 1966 units). Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your pic of your TBSK suggests that you have filled in the wrong window on your vehicle. The window to fill in is the one that is for the guard compartment (the small one to the left of the guard door with the compartments to the right). The window opposite the compartment on the other side of the vehicle is retained on the 4TC TBSK.

 

I have considered Replica vehicles as the basis but am put of by the body being complete. The ability to dismantle fully the Bachmann Mk1 coaches being a big plus in their favour. How does the CEP vehicles and the hauled Mk1 stock look together re profiles etc? Do they match well?

 

Have you seen http://www.bloodandcustard.com/bournemouth1966.html at all? Lots of useful information- formations, livery details, repaints etc and very much worth while taking a look at if you have an interest in the Bournemouth 1966 stock. Includes such delights as as 4 TB- ie a 4-TC but with a REP buffet.

 

Looking forward to seeing the unit in blue. 

[Bulleidboy]

Looking good Mike. Nice to see some more Southern unit modelling.

 

I have been taking another close look at these units and the accompanying REPs to get to grips with the changes involved in their conversion (specifically the catering vehicles on the REPS- the ex-RU examples in the 1974 units having quite extensive mods compared to the ex-RB versions in the 1966 units). Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but your pic of your TBSK suggests that you have filled in the wrong window on your vehicle. The window to fill in is the one that is for the guard compartment (the small one to the left of the guard door with the compartments to the right). The window opposite the compartment on the other side of the vehicle is retained on the 4TC TBSK.

 

I have considered Replica vehicles as the basis but am put of by the body being complete. The ability to dismantle fully the Bachmann Mk1 coaches being a big plus in their favour. How does the CEP vehicles and the hauled Mk1 stock look together re profiles etc? Do they match well?

 

Have you seen http://www.bloodandcustard.com/bournemouth1966.html at all? Lots of useful information- formations, livery details, repaints etc and very much worth while taking a look at if you have an interest in the Bournemouth 1966 stock. Includes such delights as as 4 TB- ie a 4-TC but with a REP buffet.

 

Looking forward to seeing the unit in blue. 

 

 

Hi Natalie

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

Looking back in the thread I can see that I've only posted a picture of one side of the TBSK - with compartments to the left.  So from your info I've filled in too many windows rather than the wrong one ie I filled them on both sides (following the diagram in Brian Golding's book).  Ah well, either drill out the filler on the offending side and hope the window frame remains intact, or failing that just use a spare body side (it just happens that the Mk1 coaches I recently bought for their Mk4 bogies were all BSKs).

 

To my eye the profiles of the Mk1 and CEP bodies are a good match.  There is though a discrepancy in the heights of the NEM pockets, even with a "stepped" coupling in the Mk1 it is still higher than a "straight" coupling in the CEP chassis.

 

I think someone else must have mentioned the "Bool & Custard" website as I recently added it to my favourites - yes it has a lot of detailed information.

 

Today I've been thinking about whether to use the CEP chassis for my DTSO or modify a Mk1 chassis.  The former is probably the easier option as the chassis side goes above the solebar  so the "cut & shut" CEP bodies fit over it easily once one end is cut back to the rear edge of the cab casting (the Mk1 sides rest on the top of the solebar).  Unfortunately the pivot hole in the CEP bogie is much smaller than that on a Mk1 coach bogie, so simply swapping them will involve a little work to overcome that problem.

 

When ready for painting, the 4TC will be finished in blue with small yellow panel (as delivered) so that it can legitimately run alongside steam stock.

 

Mike

[muddy water]

Hi was this completed before the rtr one appeared?