hayfield Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Darius Are you in competition with Coachman on who can build coaches fastest !! Great thread and a super bit of modelling I use Green Squadron filler, which I guess is much the same. I find if I thin it a bit with Humbrol Liquid Poly it sticks a bit better. I do leave it 24 hours to harden off completely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E3109 Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 That's an absolute belter of a job sir. I had a 3-car version years back, the original MTK job with ally bodies. I went down a similar route as you for the bogies, i.e. got a (pretty awful) Dapol Sprinter and chopped the brake blocks off. Mine was going to be a 507 which are identical apart from the door push buttons, gave up on it in the end as it was too damned frustrating. The push buttons were plated over for Merseyrail use. Incidentally as I understand it the 508s were originally intended for Merseyrail in the first place (hence the LM '5xx' Class rather than 4xx for the SR... but they were poached by the SR before delivery! That was good for me, because as a kid I loved the 502s and 503s. One would assume, if the above is factual, that the 508s, as 4-car units, were originally intended for the Northern Line (Southport/Ormskirk/Kirkby) and the 3-car 507s should've been replacements for the 3-car 503 sets on the Wirral Line. As it panned out, the 507s replaced 502s: brilliant as they were, these old LMS units were rather large/heavy and struggled with the new gradient from Moorfields up to Sandhills. In fact when this came to light, there was a Local Instruction issued that they were to be given green aspects out of Moorfields when possible. The 508s of course replaced the 503s upon transfer north, sans one car, some time later. I recall seeing the first ones on the system late 1983, although the 503s didn't retire until 1985. But I digress... very much looking forward to seeing the end result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted May 31, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 31, 2017 (edited) Trailer coach painted Cheers Darius Edited May 31, 2017 by Darius43 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdanny Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 (edited) I know what you mean about the MTK kits as I bought the 455/8 back when there were no other options. For those of us wanting to model the Southern back in the 80s & 90s, there were no other alternatives and MTK & Southern Pride were pretty much the only option. Fortunately, such kits have now come a long way and we even have RTR offerings but i still appreciate my MTK models which run alongside my Bratchell, Hornby, Bachmann and MJT builds. Great work on your 508, it's a fantastic build and i love all the detail and improvements you made. The interior is fantastic and i love what you did with the doors etc. Seriously awesome Edited May 31, 2017 by pdanny 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc d Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Fantastic job mate well done. I had a go at building the aj models 508 and it's a bit rough looking. Painted mine in the yellow regional railways livery. Looking forward to seeing yours with the decals applied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 4, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2017 Hey darius43 How is your unit coming along, any progress on the 4th coach. Hi Mersey507003, Progress stalled for a few days while I was helping my friend clear out his railway shed (where most of my stock resides) in preparation for a new shed and a proper scenic layout . Hope to start building and complete the fourth coach this coming week, followed by decals, lining, glazing and detailing of all four cars. Cheers Darius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Bel Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Hi Darius, I am very jealous of your 508, its a stunning model. It's a prototype that I have always wanted to model as I travelled on them extensively in my youth, I also must have copped every one of them. It goes to show that with a lot of effort and a great amount of skill MTK kits can be a viable proposition. Looking forward to seeing it complete. Cheers for now, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 5, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2017 Hi Darius, I am very jealous of your 508, its a stunning model. It's a prototype that I have always wanted to model as I travelled on them extensively in my youth, I also must have copped every one of them. It goes to show that with a lot of effort and a great amount of skill MTK kits can be a viable proposition. Looking forward to seeing it complete. Cheers for now, Ian Thanks Ian. I have another MTK kit waiting in the wings to follow this one Cheers Darius 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) I want 1 or 2 so I can run them in their original format. I would likely end up fitting working 3rd rail pickups to make them true 3rd rail units if I ever owned any and would also try to fit end couplings so they could be coupled as 8 cars when needed. You could also try making the doors open as the thin brass sides would lend themselves to this rather better than my resin version where the sliding doors had to be kept flat rather than curved at the bottom. Edited June 5, 2017 by Gordon H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc d Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Hey marc How you doing, you did a good job on your unit. Have you any latest pics of the unit please. Hi thanks mate, no haven't got any more pics. Still haven't finished it yet, need to make some cab handrails and sort the lights out. Made a baseboard display for it a couple of months ago with 3rd rail and some trackside detailing, will put some pics up at some point Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 6, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 6, 2017 Work started on the fourth coach Cheers Darius 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted June 6, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 6, 2017 Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, Darius, that looks very good indeed. That sir is not a sows ear, the original MTK may have been, but this build shows how much progress Alistair was making upgrading the range. His untimely death robbed all "modern image" modellers af what would have been an excellent range of rolling stock, some of his unfinished business was mouth watering. Mike. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 LED lights added to motor coach. The LED installation that I used is from Express Models for the Lima Class 156 DMU. I added a white LED to one of the light clusters. I now need to make a cab interior to the driving end that keeps the LED wires out of sight Cheers Darius 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 ....some of his unfinished business was mouth watering. Never to see the light of day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted June 7, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Never to see the light of day. Indeed, but we'll not go there (yet) again!! Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Looking at the pictures, it seems you haven't glazed the unit yet. Just wondering what your approach to that will be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Looking at the pictures, it seems you haven't glazed the unit yet. Just wondering what your approach to that will be? I plan to use thin clear plastic sheet. The main body side windows will be cut in oversize sections and fixed to the inside surface of the body sides. The cab windows will be cut and trimmed to fit flush, secured with Klear. Glazing will be done after lining and decal application. Cheers Darius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Printed some decals for the cab and the body side door buttons on the laser-jet. Cheers Darius 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Other cab done Cheers Darius 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted June 7, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Definitely got to say that I am seriously impressed with the work you have done on your unit. Given that the old mtk kits could be difficult to build I will certainly say that you found best way in my opinion to build and complete these kits. Well done sir. I think the input and improvement from Alistair also helped considerably, not to detract from the skilful build of course. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 7, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2017 Lining and body side decals added Cheers Darius 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Now that looks like a 508, real class! There have been some good ones before and with some effort it is possible, but its a real achievement to get any MTK kit, even with the improvements Alistair managed to make, to look exactly like the prototype it was supposed to represent , well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 10, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2017 Centre coach lined and numbered Cheers Darius 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 That, sir, ain't 'alf bad (Northern term for absolutely spiffingly marvellous) As an aside, and totally unrelated to the skilful build, IMHO the grey band looked a bit awkward when continued around the chamfered ends. Well done Darius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Darius43 Posted June 10, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 10, 2017 That, sir, ain't 'alf bad (Northern term for absolutely spiffingly marvellous) As an aside, and totally unrelated to the skilful build, IMHO the grey band looked a bit awkward when continued around the chamfered ends. Well done Darius Thanks Andy - I tend to agree as the chamfer crosses the grey band at an angle it makes it look a bit askew as it wraps around. Cheers Darius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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