Will's 1990ish Projects

[dj_crisp]

As hinted in a previous post this year I've been mostly messing with Super BGs for my early 2000 period. Plan is to have a 4 car set for use with my 67.... which could be classed as a full length train that fits the layout 😀

 

A long time ago I bought 4 Super BGs off ebay and didn't really pay much attention to them and parked them on the "to sort later" shelf. Anyhow they're a bit nicer than i first thought as all 4 are different and the previous owner had put some effort into them!

 

 

 

One of my pet hates is having gangway gaps where no gaps should be. While not being the most refined I prefer having a keen floating plate than having nothing at all. It's a quick fix by chopping the plate off the end of the Bachmann gangway then drilling a centre hole and fixing the coupling plate with a spring. While the coach is in bits I also fitted hunt magnetic couplings to the inners at buffer beam height so along with the spring in the corridor connector means then move more as a complete set then with a loose coupling effect!

 

 

The ends are just left alone with a kadee. One of the slightly cool features is the outer coaches have red LEDs set up so I'm going to program these as a set to allow the ends to illuminate depending on direction of travel... and have a park mode for both ends to be illuminated if sat alone in a loop.

 

 

While the body was off and seeing as there aren't many windows I've replaced the glazing. It's a case of spot the differences between the four of them 😀

 

Also replaced are the side handrails which were a complete pain to get looking half ok. I admit I've given up now and am going with as is.... just need to paint them! The originals were brass etches and looked square. Most had fallen off by themselves but a few were really stuck on and removing them caused paint to lift so I've had to patch paint quite a bit. Some extra weathering will help hide my mess ups!

 

 

The original weathering wasn't to my tastes so these have been T-cut to remove quite a bit. It also removes the matt flatness applied and while at it i removed so paint runs.

 

 

Overall I think I'm quite pleased with the overall look;

 

 

 

 

The all important lack of a gap looks better to me now;

 

 

I'm going to re-visit the underframe weathering of all of them as some look a bit splattery and also blend in the corridor connectors to the ends. I'm not sure about those buffers and I'm also in two minds over adding in extra details to the ends and perhaps the underframes as they were meant to be a quick project just to get layout ready! What do you think?  Would extra effort be worth it

 

Happy Modelling

Will

 

 

[The Fatadder]

They have the grubby look of the period down to a tee, unusual to see one with the visible plating on the window modelled.  Youve got me thinking about another project to work on now, I think I still have enough of my BG window blanks to do something similar...

[dj_crisp]

3 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

They have the grubby look of the period down to a tee, unusual to see one with the visible plating on the window modelled.  Youve got me thinking about another project to work on now, I think I still have enough of my BG window blanks to do something similar...

 

I like the sound of this!

 

I didn't notice the blanking until I started messing about with them... and then realised the original builder did put quite a bit of effort into them so felt I should perhaps do likewise. It looks quite neat if perhaps a little thick but I can live with that as I like the variety it introduced.

 

I'll probably add a few detail bits to the ends tbh. The one thing I can't seem to source though is steps.

[dj_crisp]

I've had a few hours of a rare past time for me these days.... modelling time! Which has all been spent on my Iris 2 project.

 

 

I feel like I've made a bit of progress as a few bits of Hurst etches have been stuck on! However rather than sticking them on like the instructions suggested I've tried to match the prototype and inset them into the body. 

 

This involved cutting a few holes!

 

 

And then filling the holes (rather crudely tbh)! I've also discovered Bachmanns white plastic is really soft Vs the blue plastic with the expected result that I managed to split the shell here while cutting out the hole. Plastic weld and filler to the rescue!

 

 

So now the etch remains flat and hopefully looks ok!

 

 

Sometime has also been spent on the roof... and I'm trying to replicating a circle thing on top of the cabs.

 

 

My hi tech solution is a M2 washer and a bit of plastic tube inset slightly into the roof. I'll only know if this looks OK when primed. As I don't have any detailed photos of the roof it's all guess work!

 

As per all my projects this one is turning into a longer than expected one! Especially when trying to find decent shots of the roof!

 

 

[The Fatadder]

You are making me more and more tempted to switch up my plans and do Iris 2 rather than the tractor pair with my Lima 101.  It wouldn’t take too long to draw up a suitable 3d print for the grills (which I’d recess into the body similar to how you’ve tackled it.   

[dj_crisp]

8 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

You are making me more and more tempted to switch up my plans and do Iris 2 rather than the tractor pair with my Lima 101.  It wouldn’t take too long to draw up a suitable 3d print for the grills (which I’d recess into the body similar to how you’ve tackled it.   

 

I think that's a great idea! And then we can chat on how to do a few of the extra details ;) !

[dj_crisp]

Quick question..... Does anyone know if the DMBS of Iris2 lost its inner windows by the corridor connectors?

 

I don't have any photos but based on the new cable connectors between vehicles I can't see that it can have maintained them?

 

[NickL2008]

Looking good so far will, my 101 is nearly ready for paint, annoyingly the primer "Orange peeled" for some reason, so smoothing that out. 

 

Finally got my backside in gear and got the exhausts made for one of my bubbles, but I think like yourself, time at the moment isnt in plentiful supply

 

I found for my Serco unit, searching the vehicle numbers yeilded some pictures of the innerards if youre unable to find anything. I think somewhere I may still have my old Model rail mag on the Lima 101s!

 

NL

[dj_crisp]

Good luck with sorting the orange peel! I always find airbrushing a leap of faith and in any case I always sand down primer anyway 😉

 

I've gone with the principle of guess work and so have filled in my end windows. Just waiting for the filler to dry for a sand down then another spot of filling!

[NickL2008]

On 06/02/2024 at 20:38, dj_crisp said:

Good luck with sorting the orange peel! I always find airbrushing a leap of faith and in any case I always sand down primer anyway 😉

 

I've gone with the principle of guess work and so have filled in my end windows. Just waiting for the filler to dry for a sand down then another spot of filling!

Im winning slowly but surely, gentle rub down with fine grade sandpaper is getting rid of it, then going over with a light coat of printer, rinse and repeat until its gone, just the DTS to finish off then I can finally get the yellow on

 

NL

[dj_crisp]

A few Iris 2 progress shots as I've had a few hours today to do some modelling;

 

 

Went slightly crazy and decided to cut out the side grills and insert the etches which I think it's possibly worth the effort rather than just sticking them on.  I'm rather hoping the primer coat hides all this mess!

 

 

And I've decided lifes too short to really worry about getting the roof right so I've just stuck some 0.9mm wire in a few holes and added some MJT Mk1 catering vents. I've also done the DMBS the same way and just filled in the guards rear windows. Next up is making some engine coolant filler caps on the side and there are a few more bits on the Hurst etch to fit to the sides - just debating whether i need to make a few more holes for these or just stick them on!

 

[dj_crisp]

The more I look at Iris 2 the more differences i notice.... and then a biggie that i hadn't spotted before and is pretty obvious . Namely that the DMBS is from a batch where the guards doors are the other way round on one side. To resolve I didn't want to cut up a lima or Bachmann shell but it just so happens i have a beheaded Dapol 122.

 

 

A quick matchup showed promise so I decided to have a go and see if it's possible. 

 

 

 

I guess there's two ways of doing this with one way being just cutting out the doors... or mine which is a bit more dramtic taking out a larger hole as i didn't fancy chopping through the door hinges or adding the door banger. The theory is I think i can make a nice straight edge by the door and a combo of filler and filing will sort out the end. Although Dapol got the positioning of the bottom door hinge wrong on their bubbles so I may or may not visit this! Being from a 122 the profile however is a little flatter than a 101. Also the height of the doors in a little shorter as on the 122 there is a nice moulding of the rivits. So I filed these off and with some shaping of the the top to the 101 profile it allowed me to extend the doors to the top of the shell. You'll probably see a stress line on the bodyshell... this is me cutting a V channel out of the back and force bending the plastic a bit more and sealing it with some glue. Hopefully it looks ok and I'll only really know when the unit has been primed.

 

 

I've just done a trial fit to the intended chassis which has been converted to EM to see how it all looks (the interior will change!) and a small amount of modification was needed where the etches are. I've also added the Hurst bodyside etch along with a partial cut out - no idea what it is though!

 

 

The fronts now have Shawplan frames added which is no easy task and slightly daunting as plenty of plastic needs to be removed! The headlight is a replica effort that I've filed down and drilled out ready for illumination. The DMS is a powered version as I think Iris 2 is a power twin so it's sitting on a motorised chassis from Bachmann spares. However this needs modifying as it's intended to be powered so has had a bogie added (also from Bachmann spares). The combination of the heavy power car and metal trailer makes this one by far the heaviest DMU i own.... not quite a light weight 😉

 

 

I think it has prospects of being an interesting DMU - next steps are to get some primer on when the weather is better and there's plenty to sort and research for the underframe.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

[dj_crisp]

The arrival of Accurascale MK2bs has inspired me to sort out my long term coach projects and actually focus on finishing some rakes.

 

So I've dug out my Bachmann MK2fs and along with some nice MK2bs have spent an age re-wheeling them all to EM (about 18 in total hence me being so quiet on here!). One positive of re-wheeling is I can then try and get them to all to ride at similar heights in a rake. Both Bachman and Accurascale benefit from reducing slop which raises them ever so slightly but based on my dodgy measuring does result in spot on a height for the MK2f and a very close one for the MK2b. There will be some variation but then the real thing also had!

 

The coaching stock review has seen me sell off all my Bachmann MK2a coaches bar one that I've kept for sentimental reasons and one i may raid in a MK2d FK project i have in mind. While the body sides are ok I've never liked the roof which is noticeably higher than the Mk2f or Mk2b.... so I look forward to an Accurascale MK2a announcement!

 

So thoughts have moved to MK1s which again I've always felt Bachmanns effort rides too high.... especially with commonwealth bogies. So I've spent a while trying to get it looking ok amongst the MK2s.

 

 

I'm using Brassmaster bogies and sticking on the sides of the original bogie frames. In fact ive cheated and stuck them on off centre to allow a gap between the bogie and body. Hopefully that bodge is passable. Again Im thinking the bodysides are ok with the roof being a smidge high as seen in the photo below.

Now the Bachmann MK1 body is basically a kit of parts (i really wish it wasnt and was one piece). Ive noticed my RMB is badly fitted so ive taken the RMB apart to investigate any problems.... number 1 being the sides are glued to the ends which resulted in me cracking one end! Grrr. A real nasty fix to add to the project list! I guess that's the fun in modelling.... I wonder if someone will announce a retooled MK1?

[MJI]

I need a lot more Mark 1s but availablity is not great at the moment, so considering Comet ones.

 

As to Mark 2/2a, there is an accurate model you could fit the Bachmann windows and bogies to, scrapping the shells.

 

Triang Hornby, they are spot on with major dimensions, just the glazing, and poor bogies on later ones, they do scrub up well.

 

This is why I asked for one to be put next to a Accurascale 2B, to show how accurate the new model is.

 

You get the feeling the toolmakers got to play with a real Mark 2.

[cravensdmufan]

6 hours ago, dj_crisp said:

I wonder if someone will announce a retooled MK1?

Hopefully with scale window frames.  BR retro fitted frames to most Mk1s due to severe corrosion.  So models in the blue and grey livery and beyond just don't look right without them IMO.

 

Mainline got the frames right on their RMB - as indeed did Triang-Hornby on their early mark 1s; nice fine ones  before they changed the tooling to feature chunky frames along with clip on bogies.

 

 

[dj_crisp]

5 hours ago, MJI said:

I need a lot more Mark 1s but availablity is not great at the moment, so considering Comet ones.

 

As to Mark 2/2a, there is an accurate model you could fit the Bachmann windows and bogies to, scrapping the shells.

 

Triang Hornby, they are spot on with major dimensions, just the glazing, and poor bogies on later ones, they do scrub up well.

 

This is why I asked for one to be put next to a Accurascale 2B, to show how accurate the new model is.

 

You get the feeling the toolmakers got to play with a real Mark 2.

 

Yes... totally agree with you. The major dimensions on some of the older models were great. Then if you can add shawplan frames a very nice model can be made. I've got a few of Brian's etches and plan to add to some mk1s (NSE ones so easy on the respray ;) ) 

[MJI]

Frames easy part flush glazing not so.

 

Has to be hand cut