00 Gauge Modern Image DMU/EMU Kits

[Clive Mortimore]

19 hours ago, roythebus said:

The expression "modern image" was coined by the late Cyril Freezer, editor of the Railway Modeller in June 1962 if my memory serves me correctly.  the Modeller for the month had one of the new AC electric locos on the front and pictures of the new modern station vuildings at Macclesfield and a junction station, again the name escapes me.

 

The headline in a circle on the front cover read "Modelling the Modern Image". The term modern image has stuck ever since for anything diesel or electric. I may still have a copy of that issue lying around somewhere. So the term "modern image" dates back almost 60 years!

Oddly Cyril Freezer said about my two 1960s green period diesel depots when he saw them "This is proper modern image".

 

I agree about the terminology, it is out dated.

[Clive Mortimore]

51 minutes ago, nhdesigns said:

Either way I personally would still like to see some more emphasis on these EMUs from the major manufacturers like Bachmann and Hornby along with some of the others makes. They've all done some good work on modelling the southern region EMUs and even better with electric locomotives like the class 87 and class 90. Though this is partially because I'm not really one for scratch building or kit making and bashing. Even though I'd be willing to build one from a kit, if there are any available right now.

I agree it would be nice to see a manufacturer produce a decent 25 Kv OLE unit. A AM2 would be great.

 

Class 108 and Class 308 BOTH have a continuous curve side profile. But then most people are not prepared to study EMUs or DMUs.

 

Take BR Mk1 EMUs well their cabs.

Southend stock (later AM7) had an Eastleigh cab as did the LMR North London sets.

 

AM5 and 8 had a York cab

 

AM2 a Doncaster cab, larger drivers windscreens. 

 

AM4 and Bury sets had a Wolverton cab, slightly different dimensions to a York cab. Check out the diagrams on the Barrowmore Railway Group's site.

 

All the above were based on Mk1 non-gangway coach designs.  If modelling these don't take things for granted, an example is the BDTS, all the ER sets had a battery on both sides with the charger on the left. Th LMR AM4 had two batteries on the left and a charger on the right.

 

AM3 and 11 had a very similar cab to the Swindon Transpennine cabs.

 

These were classed as Mk1 design as they shared many common features but not the side profile and of course the sliding doors.

 

AM9 had a wonderful design of cab.

 

Based on Mk1 hauled gangway stock

 

AM10 and Class 312 had a new design of cab based on the AM9 without the gangway connector. These were the only Mk2 based EMUs and suburban designs. Others had been planned for the Bournemouth electrification as well as express units but money was tight and more VEPs were built and hauled coaches converted into TCs and REPs.

 

I would suggest to anyone wanting EMUs to have a go at making your own.

[Ravenser]

16 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

I agree it would be nice to see a manufacturer produce a decent 25 Kv OLE unit. A AM2 would be great.

 

Class 108 and Class 308 BOTH have a continuous curve side profile. But then most people are not prepared to study EMUs or DMUs.

 

Take BR Mk1 EMUs well their cabs.

Southend stock (later AM7) had an Eastleigh cab as did the LMR North London sets.

 

AM5 and 8 had a York cab

 

AM2 a Doncaster cab, larger drivers windscreens. 

 

AM4 and Bury sets had a Wolverton cab, slightly different dimensions to a York cab. Check out the diagrams on the Barrowmore Railway Group's site.

 

All the above were based on Mk1 non-gangway coach designs.  If modelling these don't take things for granted, an example is the BDTS, all the ER sets had a battery on both sides with the charger on the left. Th LMR AM4 had two batteries on the left and a charger on the right.

 

AM3 and 11 had a very similar cab to the Swindon Transpennine cabs.

 

These were classed as Mk1 design as they shared many common features but not the side profile and of course the sliding doors.

 

AM9 had a wonderful design of cab.

 

Based on Mk1 hauled gangway stock

 

AM10 and Class 312 had a new design of cab based on the AM9 without the gangway connector. These were the only Mk2 based EMUs and suburban designs. Others had been planned for the Bournemouth electrification as well as express units but money was tight and more VEPs were built and hauled coaches converted into TCs and REPs.

 

I would suggest to anyone wanting EMUs to have a go at making your own.

 

If there is any kind of demand out there, a logical step would be to push Charlie Petty to reintroduce relevant parts of the DC Kits range. But he said that he let the range lapse because the kits just didn't sell any more.

 

With the Replica RTR chassis available , the problem of motorisation is eased

[Clive Mortimore]

21 minutes ago, Ravenser said:

 

If there is any kind of demand out there, a logical step would be to push Charlie Petty to reintroduce relevant parts of the DC Kits range. But he said that he let the range lapse because the kits just didn't sell any more.

 

With the Replica RTR chassis available , the problem of motorisation is eased

DC kits would need updating. There is a compromise with the TC(L) all the compartments are the same length, The first class compartments are longer. These days this should not be acceptable. There was no door handles, grab handles or door hinges on the mouldings. As for the guess work on the undergubbins.

 

They were good kits at the time but not up to today's standards.