New B/G Mk3a batch

[Bomag]

I had ordered the new Blue Gray Mk3a releases without checking the numbers and have found that both the first class coaches are Mk3bs (11077/11081) which were never in B/G livery, at least the first one (11064) has been painted B/G in the last few years! They will be useful for respraying to Scotrail livery.

 

The 2nd class interiors still line up with the windows (something we wish the the prototypes did); has anybody tried replacing the interiors of Dapol Mk3s with the BR Lines seat strips for the Farish MK3? The Dapol looks a pain to open so I don't want to risk damaging the paintwork just to find there is no way it will fit.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[Edwin_m]

The Dapols are quite easy to open as they are designed for fitting a lighting bar - I have done so but it was a few months back and I don't remember exactly how. Both the roof and the underframe can be separated from the main piece that comprises the sides and ends.

 

I'm happy with Mk3bs as I'm modelling the Cargo-D rake, so the door indicator lights and (I think) the roof ventilators are correct for me!

[Gummy-Joe]

I was very impressed with the blue/grey HST cars that I received and at first thought that the body sides and roof were one moulding, as there is no glaringly obvious mould line between the two sections. However, if you wish to open up the Dapol Mk3s to access the interior, you just have to gently prise the roof section from the body. I don't recall if you can remove the seats from the top, though... :-s

 

On a related note, does anybody know how the spiffy etched brake discs supplied with the Mk3s are supposed to be fitted...? No fitting instructions were with the coaches, and so far I haven't been able to find anything useful online... I'm not sure that the discs would be all that visible, but it'd be nice to know how to do it.

 

One visual improvement that I think has made a big difference was (carefully) removing the bogies and painting the sides of the metal strip that carries the current for the lights matt black – the appearance of the coaches is much better now that there are no shiny areas between the coaches and the bogies!

[Dr Al]

 

On a related note, does anybody know how the spiffy etched brake discs supplied with the Mk3s are supposed to be fitted...? No fitting instructions were with the coaches, and so far I haven't been able to find anything useful online... I'm not sure that the discs would be all that visible, but it'd be nice to know how to do it.

 

 

The only way to fit them is to remove the wheelsets from the bogies so the disc can be fitted over the pinpoint end. If you unclip the bogies from the coach this make it easier, though the wheelsets are still difficult to get out of the bogies - you need care not to bend the copper pickup/pinpoint bearing strips too much and make the wheelset loose when re-inserted.

 

They do look better with the discs fitted though!

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Gummy-Joe]

Thanks for that Alan, that is so much simpler than I thought it'd be. I thought that the discs would go on the axles, not the wheels themselves, and couldn't figure out for the life of me how I could get them on!

 

I thought they'd be like this:

 

[Edwin_m]

Some stock including Mk4s (as pictured) and 158s have discs on the axles. As the Mk3 DVT uses the 158 bogie I wonder if that does too?

[Steadfast]

Some stock including Mk4s (as pictured) and 158s have discs on the axles. As the Mk3 DVT uses the 158 bogie I wonder if that does too?

Indeed they do, despite Dapol supplying them for the wheel faces. Oh well, it means those intended for the DVT can be used for other models!

cheers

 

jo

[nackerty]

I had ordered the new Blue Gray Mk3a releases without checking the numbers and have found that both the first class coaches are Mk3bs (11077/11081) which were never in B/G livery, at least the first one (11064) has been painted B/G in the last few years! They will be useful for respraying to Scotrail livery.

 

The 2nd class interiors still line up with the windows (something we wish the the prototypes did); has anybody tried replacing the interiors of Dapol Mk3s with the BR Lines seat strips for the Farish MK3? The Dapol looks a pain to open so I don't want to risk damaging the paintwork just to find there is no way it will fit.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Actually they come apart quite easily. Which is just as well as the close coupling mechanism keeps popping out of place on mine. pity Bachmann did not make them as they would be more robust

[richierich]

I did ask Dapol if they would sell the DVT bogies (BREL Series 4), so could fit them onto the Farish Class 158., but they declined :-(

 

May Dapol could oblige with a Class 158 / 159 instead :-)

[Adam1701D]

Going slightly OT, I asked a similar question about supplying Gresley bogies separately, as they would be great for some of my EMU kits. Again, no luck

[Etched Pixels]

8ft Gresley bogies are available from the NGS in plastic, etched Gresley light/heavy bogies are in the Ultima range (disclaimer: I'm half of Ultima), and also for 12.25mm axles in the 2mm SA range if you are a member. The 2mm SA also does 12.25mm axle N gauge wheels, but you need to be a member to purchase the relevant bits.

 

TPM do BREL series 3 but I'm not aware of a source of series 4.

[Edwin_m]

The list of "original Farish" spares on the BR Lines website shows something called "Class 158/9/170 coach bogie sideframes" which from the pic are actually T4s and presumably the ones found under the 158. Not sure whether the mention of the 170 is a mistake or if it means a T3 is also available.

 

The same page also shows the bogie frames for the powered 158 bogies, and on the "Farish by Bachmann Loco Bogies" pages they have a complete 158/9 bogie tower, also wrongly described as suitable for a 170.