RMweb Premium polybear Posted January 25, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 25, 2010 Hi all, The excellent Masterclass models etched brass kit for a CCT in 4mm has been unavailable following the sale of the first batch of 50 kits. I've been after one for some time, without success. Fortunately after contacting Chris Higgs (Masterclass Models) it seems that a further batch of a minimum of 12 kits is practical, so if anyone else is interested then perhaps an email to Chris Higgs (masterclassmodels@yahoo.co.uk) would be worthwhile. The model is shown here: http://www.masterclass-models.com/id5.html The model was the subject of a kit review in MRJ183 and was described by John Sutton (who built the 3mm version) and hails it as "the best etched kit he has ever seen"; Tim Shackleton built the 4mm version and says "you are buying a superb set of components that will be a pleasure to assemble into a model infinitely better than anything else on the market...". Anyway, advert over. Usual disclaimers etc. (no connection) - I'm just hoping there are at least another 11 people out there somewhere who want one too... Best Regards, Brian Tulley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waveydavey Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Anyway, advert over. Usual disclaimers etc. (no connection) - I'm just hoping there are at least another 11 people out there somewhere who want one too... Best Regards, Brian Tulley Hi Brian, Funnily enough I've been in contact with Chris Higgs about another batch recently as a result of a thread on the DEMU forum. Between three of us we reckoned we would order six and possibly a couple more to make the new batch happen. I'm fairly sure therefore that it should be possible to drum up enough interest to get Chris's minimum order of twelve. I'd prefer to wait a little time until after the Bachmann announcement before committing just in case they are going to do a CCT. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted January 27, 2010 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2010 Hi Brian, Funnily enough I've been in contact with Chris Higgs about another batch recently as a result of a thread on the DEMU forum. Between three of us we reckoned we would order six and possibly a couple more to make the new batch happen. I'm fairly sure therefore that it should be possible to drum up enough interest to get Chris's minimum order of twelve. I'd prefer to wait a little time until after the Bachmann announcement before committing just in case they are going to do a CCT. Cheers David Hi David, The Mostyn team have just announced they have placed a sizeable order for BR CCT's with Chris Higgs, which takes the orders above the minimum required for a second production run; excellent news. http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/mostyn.html As for a possible Bachmann CCT - I'd go for a Masterclass Models CCT just to be sure you get one; a third production run may never happen. Any RTR CCT would have to be REALLY good to better the kit version IMHO. And you don't get the fun of building it either. As a last resort, you could always hang onto the kit for a year or so then Ebay it for a nice profit Best Regards, Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nickey Line Posted March 24, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2010 Hi all, I've been considering for a while 'stepping up' to brass construction, with the ultimate aim of building locos. As a competent builder of plastic kits (Parkside etc.), would this CCT be good introduction to brass kits? Are any specialist tools, i.e. folding tools, bending bars etc. required to build this? I should add that I'm a competent soldering iron user... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted March 24, 2010 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 24, 2010 Hi all, I've been considering for a while 'stepping up' to brass construction, with the ultimate aim of building locos. As a competent builder of plastic kits (Parkside etc.), would this CCT be good introduction to brass kits? Are any specialist tools, i.e. folding tools, bending bars etc. required to build this? I should add that I'm a competent soldering iron user... It's an excellent kit by all accounts (I have one on order - I've received confirmation that a new batch is being produced) but I'm not so sure it's simple enough for a first time out kit (others who've built the kit already may be able to advise better than I). I'd go for a simpler (and cheaper) kit first I think. HTH Brian ps Buy the CCT by all means, and save it until you're ready - they may not be available forever (this latest batch was a little shaky to begin with). There's a review of the kit in MRJ183 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 ....hang onto the kit for a year or so then Ebay it for a nice profit Y e e e s s s . . . two came up recently. One went for £42; the other went for £36. Not really a sizeable profit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted March 24, 2010 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 24, 2010 Y e e e s s s . . . two came up recently. One went for £42; the other went for £36. Not really a sizeable profit. The current price (when available) is £37-50 incl. postage so somone made a loss... Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nickey Line Posted March 24, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2010 It's an excellent kit by all accounts (I have one on order - I've received confirmation that a new batch is being produced) but I'm not so sure it's simple enough for a first time out kit (others who've built the kit already may be able to advise better than I). I'd go for a simpler (and cheaper) kit first I think. HTH Brian ps Buy the CCT by all means, and save it until you're ready - they may not be available forever (this latest batch was a little shaky to begin with). There's a review of the kit in MRJ183 Sounds like a plan! Especially as I've just had my bonus (and no I'm not a banker!) Thanks Polybear. But I'd still prefer to know if bending tools are required for e.g. the sole bars before committing my poonds... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Hi all, I've been considering for a while 'stepping up' to brass construction... An excellent choice sir, very funky...! Seriously, this looks to be a superb kit. I paid up front for mine a few weeks back, so hopefully we'll see them soon! Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 An excellent choice sir, very funky...! Dave. I'll be building a wagon to that later Unless the instructions have been rewritten they are the biggest issue with the kit, they seem to have been written around a test build and didn't match the kit I got. Completely different parts numbers were listed at one stage. I'd recommend two pieces of metal (ie rulers) in a vice or similar to do the solebars but I can't remember anything else that would need them. Be very minimal doing the overlays on the ends is my only other point. Mine is waiting to be finished off as I want to replace a few parts with my own. The body and roof alignment are very nice but other parts suffer from poor design or being enlarged from a 3mm scale kit. They were £35 in the first batch so the eBay seller probably didn't lose anything. I didn't get a NS inner with mine but another forum member got one in his. Although my kit did turn up I hadn't had any response to emails in the 5 months since ordering! He seems to have been responding to other's email more recently however. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nickey Line Posted March 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 25, 2010 I'll be building a wagon to that later Unless the instructions have been rewritten they are the biggest issue with the kit, they seem to have been written around a test build and didn't match the kit I got. Completely different parts numbers were listed at one stage. I'd recommend two pieces of metal (ie rulers) in a vice or similar to do the solebars but I can't remember anything else that would need them. Be very minimal doing the overlays on the ends is my only other point. Mine is waiting to be finished off as I want to replace a few parts with my own. The body and roof alignment are very nice but other parts suffer from poor design or being enlarged from a 3mm scale kit. They were £35 in the first batch so the eBay seller probably didn't lose anything. I didn't get a NS inner with mine but another forum member got one in his. Although my kit did turn up I hadn't had any response to emails in the 5 months since ordering! He seems to have been responding to other's email more recently however. Hmmm... multiquote doesn't appear to be working... never mind. Thanks for the advice, folks, have to get my order in sharpish I think! Done! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisMitchell Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Brian I'm just about reaching the completion of my kit. It is the first etched brass kit that I've built, and although I have taken my time over it I've had very few difficulties. I have a small "Hold and Fold" which I used - for the solebars I used metal rulers to bend them without any problems. Bill Bedford's handrail bending jig was definitely useful though. The most difficult bits I found were the chassis and brake gear. Filing back the whitemetal axle box/spring castings was awkward and I ended up buying more from ABS models. I have also fitted Masokits screw couplings as well. Back in May last year I posted a query on RMWeb about suitable buffers: "Further to my post yesterday the kit designer, Chris Higgs, has been in touch and says the buffers supplied are the closest commercially available buffer castings he could source (ABS), though the head size is wrong as it should be 16 inch. For sprung buffers he has suggested MJT buffers item 2307S (GWR Fitted wagon buffers) http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt/2307S.htm substituted with 16" heads http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt/2372.htm. They are missing the third rib on the bottom of the buffer (which can't be seen) and also need the small footstep/door stop adding. These are the buffers Richard Oldfield used in his review build described in Rail Express in last year." Hope this helps regards, Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Thanks for the tip on the buffers, I hadn't got far enough to have a look at those. The spring/axlebox casting is indeed a right pain and i've had similar issues with BR brakevans and pretty much everything else with J hangars! I've got some etched springs going on my test etch to try though which may help me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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