Kim Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hi, Maybe a long shot but does anyone have a set of instructions for the old K's Turbomotive or Princess?Just got a kit from Spain for Turbomotive. Apart from missing parts, very poor castings, there are no instructions. Just a couple of exploded diagrams showing just a few of the major parts. Many thanks, Kim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 "Glue or solder most of the bits together. Screw the chassis together. Spend ten years of frustration trying to get it to run." This is only from memory, but pretty much what K's instructions were like. K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 "Glue or solder most of the bits together. Screw the chassis together. Spend ten years of frustration trying to get it to run." This is only from memory, but pretty much what K's instructions were like. K Not quite as bad as that. Whilst not the "best" kits (Nor indeed the most expensive), I have made several in the past and they can be made into quite nice models. True the chassis were not up to much and the wheels and motors were poor but the basic bodies used with something like a Comet chassis were OK. Looks like someone has got hold of the moulds and they are now well past their sell by date. But even the K's instructions were more useful than the sheet enclosed now. Kim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Kim I think in between k's ceasing business and Nucast taking over a company were selling kits of parts which I presume were bought from the liquidators. Branchlines and Southeastern Finecast are now starting to re-introduce some of the kits and certainly Dave Ellis at SEF is always approachable. However the original K's instructions were little more than exploded diagrams. I enjoy building K's kits either as designed or adding more modern parts. As you have said the chassis are their Achilles heal, with the modern wheels and motors normally of extremely poor quality. With the chassis as complicated as this one I would opt for something in the Comet range if their is a suitable one available and build the body around the chassis Good luck with the build, if no instructions are available (or even if they are)a good plan and a couple of photos should be all you need Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertiedog Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 "Glue or solder most of the bits together. Screw the chassis together. Spend ten years of frustration trying to get it to run." This is only from memory, but pretty much what K's instructions were like. K You have just had the K's experience........... The Turbomotive should be OK without too many instructions, the parts are pretty basic around the turbine drive box, and there are only coupling rods to worry about. The rest is standard Princess really, (expect experts to point out ALL the differences.........). Frankly it would be better to work from photographs, the hidden underside will need modding to take a new chassis and mounts, unless you really feel like punishing yourself with K's chassis.(two strips of brass.......) Treat the castings as raw engineering parts, they need work to fit together, then a lot of trimming and fettling to get to the shape, but you can get there in the end. The heavy loco on a new chassis will pull like blazes........ Stephen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 Kim I think in between k's ceasing business and Nucast taking over a company were selling kits of parts which I presume were bought from the liquidators. Branchlines and Southeastern Finecast are now starting to re-introduce some of the kits and certainly Dave Ellis at SEF is always approachable. However the original K's instructions were little more than exploded diagrams. I enjoy building K's kits either as designed or adding more modern parts. As you have said the chassis are their Achilles heal, with the modern wheels and motors normally of extremely poor quality. With the chassis as complicated as this one I would opt for something in the Comet range if their is a suitable one available and build the body around the chassis Good luck with the build, if no instructions are available (or even if they are)a good plan and a couple of photos should be all you need It was bought as a "bodyline" kit anyway. It was always my intention to use a comet chassis. Which for Turbo is quite easy as it will be the same as an inside cylinder chassis build. As to the castings etc. Where they came from I'm not sure. Certainly they are much poorer than any of the older K's kits I have has. There also seems to be parts missing like the smokebox door. The kit was bought on eBay from Spain. It was from Michael Wynn trading as The Kit Connection. Even a half decent exploded diagram would be useful. Though to be honest, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I might be better Using a recent Hornby body shell, modify that with the turbine castings from the kit which are about the only decent castings. Then use a Comet chassis as planned and depending on how that turns out, a 9 ton tender from either Comet or Brassmasters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Before K's became Autocom NuCast, both ranges plus M&L became part of the Chris Crawley Models empire in Firsby, Lincs. The one towering advantage of this arrangement, which lasted about three or four years, was that the individual castings from kits were available as spares. The disadvantage was that the quality of whitemetal was distinctly bendy. The mention of Mike Wynn in Spain is interesting, as some may remember him as the proprietor of TruScale Models, a business which started in Manchester before moving to Rhyl. He produced a sizeable range of etched bogie kits for various BR diesels, plus a BR1B/C tender kit, and some esoteric wagons such as the Testrol. He suffered a nervous breakdown, poor chap, and subsequently became a born-again Christian. This led to him moving to Spain to live in a religious community. I was in contact with him at the time, and was plagued for some years after by unsolicited post from Spain containing religious texts. These eventually petered out, but were then replaced by lottery scam letters. After that, I moved address. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earlswood Nob Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Good morning all I have enjoyed building K's. However, none of mine are now running with K's brass plate chassis, or K's wheels. I particularly like the O4. The original kit doesn't produce the ROD version (O4/3)as advertised as the tender is incorrect. It doesn't produce the O4/1 either as it hasn't a vacuum pipe along the boilers. These errors can be corrected quite easily. The big reason why I like the O4 kit is that it can be converted to several other variants. The O4/4, O4/5, O4/6, O4/7, and O5 can all be produced with boiler modification. Earlswood nob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 It was bought as a "bodyline" kit anyway. It was always my intention to use a comet chassis. Which for Turbo is quite easy as it will be the same as an inside cylinder chassis build. As to the castings etc. Where they came from I'm not sure. Certainly they are much poorer than any of the older K's kits I have has. There also seems to be parts missing like the smokebox door. The kit was bought on eBay from Spain. It was from Michael Wynn trading as The Kit Connection. Even a half decent exploded diagram would be useful. Though to be honest, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I might be better Using a recent Hornby body shell, modify that with the turbine castings from the kit which are about the only decent castings. Then use a Comet chassis as planned and depending on how that turns out, a 9 ton tender from either Comet or Brassmasters. Kim Looks like Horsetan has given the answer. I bought a Terrier body kit off eBay in an original thick stapled plastic bag, without instructions but had a printed slip enclosed. I would still try and build the K's kit as is, simply because of the weight benefit of whitemetal and I like building in whitemetal. Never come across the chap other than he bought a kit from me, I do see the prices he charges for items, which make me smile. I was happy with the price he paid me, which goes someways to why he charges so much. Hopefully you got a good deal for a bodyline kit which was incomplete Horsetan, he must think I am a lost cause, as thankfully had no unwarranted emails. Anyway I would have put the Moonies in touch with him if he had Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted July 2, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2016 We see a lot of these requests for instruction sheets. Would it be a worthwhile idea to create a library on the internet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.hill64 Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 We see a lot of these requests for instruction sheets. Would it be a worthwhile idea to create a library on the internet? The Gauge 0 Guild wants to do it. However, there are problems with intellectual property. Simply posting instructions and diagrams when you are not the author or owner of the rights inherent in the works might lead you open to claims against you. It requires a proper legal opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 We see a lot of these requests for instruction sheets. Would it be a worthwhile idea to create a library on the internet? I am happy to start uploading some to my website. I know there are arguments about intellectual property. However, so far after about 10 years I haven't had a problem with camera manuals and e-copies are often sold on the net such as eBay. I suspect if it is an individual For non profit making reasons there wouldn't be a problem. Books, photos etc that are normally sold, yes but not old instruction sheets. Might be different for an organisation though. Kim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Kim I would have said that providing a data base of instructions from long gone companies would be fine, but then this is my opinion and not based on the law Where I becomes difficult is when another company buys an old range, N C Keyser kits being a prime example, which has been acquired via a third party(s). Will the new owners use the old instructions, I doubt it? do they own the copyright ? probably. Mine field comes to mind Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 Kim I would have said that providing a data base of instructions from long gone companies would be fine, but then this is my opinion and not based on the law Where I becomes difficult is when another company buys an old range, N C Keyser kits being a prime example, which has been acquired via a third party(s). Will the new owners use the old instructions, I doubt it? do they own the copyright ? probably. Mine field comes to mind It is complicated. Very old ones are probably not a problem. I wouldn't post magazine articles because that could detract from the magazine selling archive copies so financial interest. Pentax/Ricoh are well aware of my website and are happy for it. But then Most of the manuals they publish have or are free to download albeit in poorer quality. As to companies that have been taken over, much will depend on what was bought. I suspect in many cases it was just the right to the name to produce the models. Few if any are a "complete" takeover because the new company won't want the liability as well. Anyway, I am happy to try it and if I get asked to remove them, then so be it Kim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I am happy to share any old instructions I may have. Just need to find a way to access my stuff which is all packed away until my railway room is built, which sadly is many months away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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