DMU conversions for Sheffield Exchange

[peak experience]

I use the old maxim of "measure twice, cut once, then add lots of filler cos its still too short"!

 

The story of my life! I've never understood how these architectural masterpieces are produced by some folk. Mine consist of layers of filler on filler and plastic shims and anything else I can cram into the gaps. 

Edited May 26, 2018 by peak experience

[MJI]

The Swindon unit now has a basic cab and looked very good as it trundled around the layout with the Trans Pennine going the other way.

 

While those two were pottering around I was busy making the power chassis for the class 309 EMUs. I did get them to a point where I could run the whole 10 car train with all three units powered, some work is still needed but they are getting there.

 

All the time I was busy I had some of my favorite bands playing.

 

Last time I had that I had to drive to the rehearsal rooms.

 

But I had a whole concert just for me!

[cheesysmith]

 

GE EMUs in red and blue/grey. And lots more.

[Clive Mortimore]

 

GE EMUs in red and blue/grey. And lots more.

Thanks Cheesy

 

A lot of the station filming hasn't been done by puffer nutters so it is great for the colours of the clothes the passengers are wearing which will help when I come to paint the figures for the layout. Did you notice the green Mk 2 coaches behind the Spam Cans?

[Clive Mortimore]

The Swindon unit now has a basic cab and looked very good as it trundled around the layout with the Trans Pennine going the other way.

 

While those two were pottering around I was busy making the power chassis for the class 309 EMUs. I did get them to a point where I could run the whole 10 car train with all three units powered, some work is still needed but they are getting there.

 

All the time I was busy I had some of my favorite bands playing.

I have done some more work on the AM9s, the power chassis are working a lot better but the trains is not running very well. Next step take off the Tri-ang bogies and replace with Bachmann Commonwealth ones. Should improve the running and appearance.

 

When it ran past me i felt like I was back on the green at the bottom of Spa Road in Witham , walking my wonderful Labrador called "Oi". He was a stray who came to live with us and no matter what name we tried to give him he would not respond so Oi stuck. 

[chris p bacon]

, walking my wonderful Labrador called "Oi". He was a stray who came to live with us and no matter what name we tried to give him he would not respond so Oi stuck. 

 

 

OT.

 

I had a super mongrel from Battersea dogs home like that, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't figure out her name so ended up shouting 'oi fat bag' that was fine up the Sandhills but not so good when walking past a woman's clothes shop in town, especially when one woman looked at me and I said "oh no not you". . .

[Titan]

I have done some more work on the AM9s, the power chassis are working a lot better but the trains is not running very well. Next step take off the Tri-ang bogies and replace with Bachmann Commonwealth ones. Should improve the running and appearance.

 

When it ran past me i felt like I was back on the green at the bottom of Spa Road in Witham.

 

They weren't half a distraction when taking art on the top floor of Bramston school. You had a panoramic view of them on the embankment as the driver threw the brakes in at 100mph for the Witham stop. The roar of hard pressed brakes was particularly loud if the train was late and the driver left it to the last possible moment - no defensive driving in those days, if you were late you drove it like you stole it to make up time.

 

It also meant I occasionally spotted some unusual workings - Class 309 coupled to a 312 presumably on an ECS working Clacton-Ilford, and the rarest of all, after the 309's being involved in a spate of dewirements - mentor coupled between four car 309's on a test run, making a nine coach train with three pans up. I don't know if Mentor was built to facilitate this or if it required some temporary wiring to allow the 309's to work in multiple with it sandwiched between?

 

My reports for art were somewhat variable...

Edited May 27, 2018 by Titan

[Clive Mortimore]

 Got distracted again.

 

I have unearthed some MTK models, classes 100, 104, 105 and 115. The Cravens had an experimental chassis with Hornby bogies, so I looked at that again today, it still has potential. I have thought of a few modifications before building a series for the 57 ft  units. The Derby Heavyweight power car has be bodged so it fits one of the test chassis for the EMUs, I just need to make a chassis for the driving trailer.

 

Also dug up was my conversion of Tri-ang Mk1s into a Cravens, plan is to rebuild and get it going.

[Northmoor]

Do show us some photos of the MTK DMUs Clive - anything by MTK seems to have a dubious reputation but in the 80s, it seemed to be the only way to build a "modern traction" fleet.

 

I have a never-started Class 24 on the projects pile.  The roof panel is about 3mm shorter on one side than the other! 

[cctransuk]

 Got distracted again.

 

I have unearthed some MTK models, classes 100, 104, 105 and 115. The Cravens had an experimental chassis with Hornby bogies, so I looked at that again today, it still has potential. I have thought of a few modifications before building a series for the 57 ft  units. The Derby Heavyweight power car has be bodged so it fits one of the test chassis for the EMUs, I just need to make a chassis for the driving trailer.

 

Also dug up was my conversion of Tri-ang Mk1s into a Cravens, plan is to rebuild and get it going.

 

My only excursion into MTK products was their Gloucester DMU. With careful work, it assembled and ran very well - shame I sold it on when I stopped modelling BR Blue.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Ravenser]

This , just spotted, may be of interest to Clive

 

http://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-114/operations

 

The relevant section is headed 1965

[Clive Mortimore]

Come on Google, you must be able to do better. 

 

I have just done an image search for class 104 DMUs on Google and to my surprise were three of my model photos. One of them I thought "Oh! Look someone else is doing a 110 to 104 conversion like me". Another one isn't a 104 but my very old 108 from a 110.

[MJI]

Come on Google, you must be able to do better. 

 

I have just done an image search for class 104 DMUs on Google and to my surprise were three of my model photos. One of them I thought "Oh! Look someone else is doing a 110 to 104 conversion like me". Another one isn't a 104 but my very old 108 from a 110.

 

 

Been there done that. I search for something I am modelling and find piccies of my model

[Jim Martin]

Been there done that. I search for something I am modelling and find piccies of my model

 

Maybe this is the answer to that "how do you know you've made it as a railway modeller?" topic

 

Jim

[MJI]

Maybe this is the answer to that "how do you know you've made it as a railway modeller?" topic

 

Jim

Searched for one particular carriage, had to use E1883 model bar to remove prototype and people, almost all mine.

 

DMUs, mine are well hidden

[Clive Mortimore]

I have realised that I am posting all my modelling on my Sheffield Exchange thread not Rough Engineering Made Easy or here. As I have basically stopped using these two threads I will concentrate my butchering of RTR stock and deforming plastic card efforts on Sheffield Exchange thread. 

[Riseburn Simon]

I've been following this with great interest for a couple months now.

You've inspired me - today I started my own DMU conversion projects, which I'm going to post in my own thread.

 

You've also shown that DMUs, far from being the poor relation when compared with loco-hauled trains, are fascinating in their own right.