Ressaldar Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I saw a photo on Flickr some time ago of this 121 at Reading Station with the S&T Inspection Saloon in tow and took something of a fancy to the pair. I have always had a soft spot for the Bubble and also for Inspection Saloons, especially as between them, they make a nice short train, a godsend in O Gauge, especially at home. I bought the 121, a Bachmann model via an advert in the Guild Gazette, it was still in brass and had hardly been run. I decided from the off that it would be fitted with a Zimo OO Gauge sound chip (the same as in my Lionheart pannier). The Bachmann model lacks quite a bit of the engine clutter on the underframe as well as all of the interior fittings (the two partitions that are fitted are both in the wrong place!) - so all of these requirements, plus the etched window frames came from Dick Taylor of Westdale. This particular 121 was fitted with three oval buffers + one clipped one, these came from Northants Models. The exhausts as fitted were terminated in the wrong place and therefore adjusted. The headcode boxes were filled in, the redundant door furniture removed and the holes filled in. Acid 8 etch primer was used all over and JLTRT Rail Blue and Warning Yellow applied - the interior is left in light grey primer. The buffer beam steps and lamp irons were fabricated from scrap etch. The only remaining thing to do externally is fitting the windscreen wipers, this is scheduled for tomorrow, when the body comes off to do the interior fit-out as I need to support the glazing while drilling the holes The trailing bogie had wiper pick-ups already fitted, so when the chip was installed, I picked up those feeds as well. I bought some 5mm dia Red/White LEDs from Digitrains (the chip came from there as well) mounted them on a piece of Vero boardwith a piece of black plasticard mounted between the rear of the light and the rear face of the Vero board so that light cannot escape into the cab areas. Now the fun will begin doing the model conversion of the JLTRT H33 Restaurant coach into the S&T Inspection saloon as happened at Swindon in 1962. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hi Mike. I like this!! Have you got a link to the picture on Flickr? Just out of interest - I'm not planning on copying the idea - I use a 37 on mine (based on one of Paul Bartlett's pictures). Have you also got a pic, or a diagram, of how you've wired the LEDs on the veroboard? It looks so much neater than the way I've done it in the past - unless of course you've copywrited (?copywritten?) the idea? Just one small point on the bubble, though. I noticed that on the 2 that were at Llangollen last weekend, the exhaust pipes sloped back over the roof, rather than going straight up. It might be worthwhile checking your source photo. Looking forward to seeing the coach conversion. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Siddall Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 And I am linking it a lot too... particularly the mix of clipped Oleo and oval buffers on one end :-) Looks a great deal more 121-like than many that have originated from the Bachmann brass stable I've seen before. Nice one :-) David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 A slightly more weathered one. DB 975042 Man Vic 5 may 1985 Route Learner ? The only Bubble I ever saw at Victoria Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hi Rod, glad you like it, here is the link. I think I'll leave the exhausts, they got bent about quite a bit in real life. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22209362@N03/8387267704/in/pool-881284@N21/ forgot to say that it will be lightly weathered when finished. I'll sort something out about the lights tomorrow when I have a bit more time cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Rod, just to complete the picture as it were, here is a link for the Inspection Saloon http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/7569976328/in/pool-1443566@N25 as I have said on another thread, the coach is preserved on the East Lancs Railway and I have made numerous attempts via email, land line, mobile phone, snail mail and left messages to arrange a visit to survey the coach, but all attempts have been met by silence - not in my opinion, a very good PR exercise on the part of the ELR. I have also made posts on other forums for information, again, with no response and as suggested on my other thread, I am trying to manipulate one of the photos that I have to give me a fighting chance to at least get the replacement doors in the correct position - a steep learning curve, but at least I now have the image in GIMP - fingers crossed with the next steps. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 Hi Rod, with regard to the lights, I used 5mm dia LEDS filed down to give a 'flat top' and be an interference fit in the bezel, then I used Maplin's Vero board ( the spacing of the copper strips was the same as the LED legs, glued a piece of black plasticard to the plain side of the Vero board to stop light getting through, drilled through the sandwich at the correct centres, pushed the LEDs, with the longer outer leg to the top, through and bent over the legs to retain the LED on the board. The centre leg is the + the longer outer leg is the RED - the shorter one the white -.I then cut the legs to suit the board and soldered them to the relevant strip and putting a 1K resistor on the centre + leg. I then wired up a three pin mini plug and socket (All Components) so that removal of the body from the chassis would not be a problem. The 'removable' end of the socket set was wired up with the leading (exhaust) end Yellow for the top row Red - rear light, Blue + common return and White - White light and with the trailing end the mirror of the leading - White wire top, Yellow wire bottom - and wired into the chip wiring. This is my first sound DCC chip wired up 'from scratch' and I have basically used more wire than is needed so I will be returning to the wiring this week to tidy everything up and using the correct wiring colours which will help later on with servicing etc. I hope that I have explained the wiring in an understandable way, if not, please come back to me. I have also adjusted CV60 to reduce the lighting intensity. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 And I am linking it a lot too... particularly the mix of clipped Oleo and oval buffers on one end :-) Looks a great deal more 121-like than many that have originated from the Bachmann brass stable I've seen before. Nice one :-) David Hi Dave, many thanks for your comment. As I said, the Bachmann model is quite good, but why did they leave so much off underneath - presumably keep down to a price. The buffers are both oval at the other end, must have been an operational thing that made them change from the round ones. Cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 a few pictures of the Bubble car on a 'running=in' service for some Inspection Saloons cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Very nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Which manufacturer is the inspection saloon? That would work nicely for me too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Very nice. Thank you Chris, comment much appreciated. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 Which manufacturer is the inspection saloon? That would work nicely for me too Hi Cromptonnut, It is a Sidelines kit. I have this model of DM45026, fitted with a speedo cable for sale (was advertised here in the Classified Section) Please send me a PM if you are interested. It will also be in the Guild News 'Adverts' next week. cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 I think if I was to attempt to build one it would end up looking rather like this photo of your chosen prototype. http://www.departmentals.com/photo/45026a Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ressaldar Posted July 26, 2013 Author Share Posted July 26, 2013 I think if I was to attempt to build one it would end up looking rather like this photo of your chosen prototype. http://www.departmentals.com/photo/45026a even more difficult to produce than my model! cheers Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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