kirley Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Colm Flanagan's MPD's, (as seen on the Bleach Green Layout) was the inspiration for me to have a go at modelling this important part of our local transport history. However an evening with Colm quickly dispelled any thought that this would be a straightforward build. His well made point that, "nearly each one was different" was borne out after studying the UTA drawings, kindly made available by 33Lima on this Site. I followed Colm's suggestion of using a Bachmann Mk1 Suburban coach to model No. 46 as the easiest one to do. Just block out some windows, add sliding doors and a Cab. I also used the Bachmann for a MPD Trailer No. 543 Power is provided by Black Beetle motors and I had a problem in trying to fit them into the Bachmann and Lima underframes. It resulted in cutting the Lima underframe to fit the Black Beetles but in the case of the Bachmann a Comet underframe was used. Lima donors were used to produce the No 59 & 60 Power cars. To get the window spacing right involved a serious amount of cut and shutting and the only way I could get my head around it was to number the individual windows/doors etc required. and this resulted in sides such as these. Enter Colin Smith, a local modeller, who adapted the cut and shut method to brass. He introduced me to the world of brass modelling and the use of Comet sides to achieve what was done in the plastic Lima/Bachmann approach. This is no 42 This is No 36 in the making. The most complex model to do so far is No 63 which involved the greatest amount of cutting and soldering to get the window/ door ratio right. I should add this is Colin's work, I just watched and learned. Still a lot of work to do to get the Cab ends right and the under frame detail but it's getting there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmflanagan Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Nice to see them taking shape, I look forward to the day when we can run a complete service on Killagan or Bleach Green entirely with MPDs! Colm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hidden-agenda Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Excellent looking so far the results will outweigh the painstaking work your putting into this project. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunslet 102 Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Looking good Kieran,Colin is doing a great job,although your own cut and shut job is taking good shape as well,as Hidden says it will be worth all the effort. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Great to see these units getting the attention they deserve. Cutting and shutting with etched sides looks like it will produce really nice replicas. Keep us posted! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Got some of the MPD's through the Paint Shop The "Red colour" looks very bright in the photograph, in real life it's darker. I see I've some touching up to do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 You've did a wonderful job on them well done Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunslet 102 Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Great job with the MPDs Kieran,I really need to get cracking with a set myself,well done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Wow! MPD Heaven! Especially like the Triang restaurant car conversions, tho a lot of them must have had to give their lives for the cause. You now have type of MPD I don't think anyone else has tackled so well, if at all. May be wrong, but I don't think the 'suburban' MPDs ever carried a corridor connection, before NIR hacked them into open configuration and they lost most of the slam doors, perhaps Colm can clarify. Can't wait to see thise finished, great job! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 MPD build continues. No 65 takes shape along with Buffet Coach from Worsley Works. Black Beetle motors with side frames and couplings fitted. Testing the chassis to ensure all run smoothly round my layout by pulling them behind a Loco. Now to wire in decoders and test under their own power. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunslet 102 Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Superb work Kieran,the underframe looks very neat with the black beetles,will be interested to hear what you think of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted September 14, 2014 Author Share Posted September 14, 2014 Ran some of the MPD's on my old layout (DC) before converting to DCC. Thought I was nearly finished but the number of faults I had not seen with the naked eye means it's back to the work bench. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwbWi3v9IT0&feature=youtu.be Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 The last time I saw so many MPDs they were real ones! Excellent work, doing justice to a quirky and under-rated but innovative class and a worthy tribute to the resourceful and talented UTA engineers who designed them and to the railwaymen who ran them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 The end of the MPD build. There was a time when I thought this day would never come but I've decided to finish here with my MPD build. I'm not sure if I'll get round to do the interiors but at the moment I'm happy just to be able to run them round my layout. I did eight models, seven Power Cars and one Trailer. MPD 36 MPD 42 MPD 46 MPD 59 MPD 60 MPD 63 MPD 65 MPD Trailer 549 The Collection. A word to thanks to all who helped me and encouraged me, especially Colm Flanagan, Colin Smith and Ivor Hughes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ah now, isn't that a sight to warm the very cockles of my heart! Great job. I can see some of the improvements made over the early pics. May I ask a couple of questions? I'm having still mulling over how to do this for my current MED build (and intend to do one or more of the MPDs like 59 or 60). Re those those narrower windows: your 59 and 60 started off re-using the narrower passenger windows cut I think from from Lima Mk1 restaurant cars, complete with the usual thick Lima framing. But as completed, you seem to have cut away all the framing and relied instead on overlaid windows, cut slightly larger than the gap and then stuck on with clearfix or whatever, and with the ventilator framing (and the frame around the outer edge of the window) painted individually onto each piece of glazing. Is that how you did it? How did you get the painted-on framing so neat? Also, how did you do the numbers in a circle. on 36, 46 & 549? I know not all UTA railcars had circled numbers but it would be good to know your mehtod, for those that did. Anyhow, great work, and thanks for posting all the inspirational pics!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunslet 102 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hats of to you Kieran,a superb collection of the many varied MPDs that once donned the NIR network.They look fantastic painted in the various liveries from the UTA era to their end livery with NIR.Well done all round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmflanagan Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ivor, "mabex" do these for numbers up to 100. ( don't have a website but just search for "mabex transfers" and you can send by emails for a catalogue). This would do fine for MED power cars and MPDs but not for the trailers. I just used "wrong" ones on mine - no-one has ever noticed to date -just keep 'em moving! Colm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ivor, "mabex" do these for numbers up to 100. ( don't have a website but just search for "mabex transfers" and you can send by emails for a catalogue). This would do fine for MED power cars and MPDs but not for the trailers. I just used "wrong" ones on mine - no-one has ever noticed to date -just keep 'em moving! Colm Thanks Colm! I thought they were possibly bus transfers (tho a bus numbered 549 seemed an unusually happy co-incidence!). I still have some (non-ringed) Mabex gold bus numbers and UTA roundels from the 1990s. Didn't realise (or had forgotten) they did ringed numbers, as well! Ivor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Lovely models Kirley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirley Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 May I ask a couple of questions? But as completed, you seem to have cut away all the framing and relied instead on overlaid windows, cut slightly larger than the gap and then stuck on with clearfix or whatever, and with the ventilator framing (and the frame around the outer edge of the window) painted individually onto each piece of glazing. Is that how you did it? How did you get the painted-on framing so neat? Also, how did you do the numbers in a circle. on 36, 46 & 549? I know not all UTA railcars had circled numbers but it would be good to know your mehtod, for those that did. I had the windows made by Glenderg Models, Dublin. He will custom make windows with surrounds and glazing bars to your specifications. Originally Railtech were to do the decals but after waiting months with no completion date I ended up with SSM at Limerick. I'll email you their contact details tonight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33lima Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Many thanks Kieran. I could use a good supply of both the small, framed passenger windows and the unframed half windows. Hopefully glenderg still has the masters for the ones made for your 59 & 60! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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