Brecknell Willis Pantographs

[RBE]

Ok, my latest project is to be a class 90. It will bearly be the same loco when I've finished, will do a full blog on as I go. There doesn't seem to be much done with electrics, I have a fondness for em. I've moved house recently and have a nice big loft now to stick a WCML layout in!!

 

Anyway, I intend to do a scale pantograph on this and all me electrics and initially thought of the hurst models kit. However they only have class 91 versions in stock. What is the difference in the base? I always thought that the 86, 87, 89, 90, 91 all shared the same BR/Brecknell Willis pantograph. I've looked at a few photos and the base looks the same from the angles that I have seen. Can anyone shed light on the matter. My other option is to scratch build one. Would be cheaper in the long run, and although fiddly isn't too bad if you jig it well. Below is a pic of a class 91 pantograph. Looks pretty much like a 90's one to me!!

 

What do you peeps know?

[Guest jim s-w]

Hiya

 

Never really paid any attention to class 91s but my initial reaction is that the pan base is much, much narrower than the earlier classes.

 

HTH

 

Jim

[RBE]

Hmm yeah you could be right actually. I forgot about the 91's sloping sides. That would put the roof well narrower than a normal loco and thus need a narrower base. Well spotted, I was paying far too much attention to detail and not overall look!! I may well have to go down the scratch build route then. I didn't fancy spending £12 per panto anyway!!

 

Or do I get a 91 job and scratch build or mod the base??

[NickL2008]

Depends on what work is required, if its £12, although not much do you think y ourself confident enough to potentially ruin that model, but at least if you did go that route, it'd save having to build the panto arm, and Head

 

NL

[RBE]

Well I scratch built a brecknell Willis pantograph for a test coach back about 1993 and that worked really well. I've come on a lot since then and reckon I could do a pretty good job. It would be much cheaper than £12 in the long run too as I will be able to make lots of pantographs from the brass that I buy to do it.

 

 

[Gordon H]

Well I scratch built a brecknell Willis pantograph for a test coach back about 1993 and that worked really well. I've come on a lot since then and reckon I could do a pretty good job. It would be much cheaper than £12 in the long run too as I will be able to make lots of pantographs from the brass that I buy to do it.

Go for it!

 

If anything, Brecknell Willis pans are rather simpler to construct than the AEI Cross-Arm version originally used on the 87's and certain 86's, but both are certainly possible...

 

One (partly complete) I constructed for a Dapol Pendolino a few years back:

 

A pair of 87's with AEI Cross-Arms on High Gill, taken in the mid 80's (B/W because that's what the magazine wanted then).

[RBE]

Very nice, I saw that online the other day when I was researching!!. Did you scratch build that? It looks pretty good to me. The AEI ones look good too from what I can see on the photo!!

 

I agree that the BW HS is pretty straight forward. I would assume much easier than the cross arm or even the Stone Faiverly types!! Might give them (SF) a whirl once this projects done. I won't need cross arms for the period that I model.

 

I'm also interested in making it raise and lower remotely via DCC but I'll look into that later.

[Galtee More]

Very nice, I saw that online the other day when I was researching!!. Did you scratch build that? It looks pretty good to me. The AEI ones look good too from what I can see on the photo!!

 

I agree that the BW HS is pretty straight forward. I would assume much easier than the cross arm or even the Stone Faiverly types!! Might give them (SF) a whirl once this projects done. I won't need cross arms for the period that I model.

 

I'm also interested in making it raise and lower remotely via DCC but I'll look into that later.

 

"Gordon H" and "298" , both on RM Web, are the very people to tell you how to do all of this !

[Dagworth]

I'm also interested in making it raise and lower remotely via DCC but I'll look into that later.

 

I've had 'dancing' pantographs in operation on Dagworth for several years now, using memory wire to operate them. I will eventually write up the way these work....

 

andi

[RBE]

Yes the memory wire was the route that I was thinking of taking. I'm not all that versed with the dcc stuff at the mo so need to play with it but it all seems pretty straightforward. I'm sure that Gordon and 298 will prove invaluable as well as yourself andi.

 

Cheers

Cav

[298]

Thanks for Galtee More for the heads up on this topic, I probably wouldn't have found it otherwise.

 

Regarding the prototype pans, the class 91 does have spindlier legs but the difference is hardly noticeable. The photo also shows the larger horns used on the ECML, as fitted to this class, a few 90's, 86101, and single arm pans used on Deepcar to try to reduce dewirement incidents.

 

I can't claim to do anything other than build the Hurst kits, but did once buy a bulk batch of castings at a reduced price, you could get in touch with them to see if they are thinking of doing another run as there is definitely a need for an aftermarket highspeed pan kit. I'm not saying the kits are easy to build, but quite satisfying once you get one working properly. I have used stronger thread and fine chain for the arm action, as recommended by Gordon H.

 

Shawplan did discuss another option at the Nottingham show last year, using laminated etches to build the pan arms rather than cast brass, and I think this method would produce a better product. I'm not sure how far this project has developed, tho....

[RBE]

Cheers for the info 298. I'm definately gonna scratch build. I fancy the challenge now. I intend to use brass section in the construction with chain for the action. I live only minutes from barrow hill roundhouse so hopefully I can get to measure up and photograph 89001s pan. I will then CAD up what I get and build from there!!