Improving a Triang-Hornby Mk1

[SteveyDee68]

Thanks @Darius43 for pointing me to the other thread (sadly devoid of photos) which explains a lot about bullion flats and their usage.

 

Nice short train - class 31, 2 x FXAs and a bullion van for the armed police - to pass by at speed on any through station*!

 

Steve S 
 

* Using Rule #1, of course!

[jessy1692]

On 30/12/2023 at 12:01, SteveyDee68 said:

Recently re-invigorated my best mate’s interest in modelling; he has half built a “watching the trains go by” layout in the loft for American outline stock, but has had a change of heart and is resurrecting his BR Western Region stock.

 

As a surprise, I have picked up a Warship class 42/43 in green from eBay, to be renumbered and named “Benbow” (three guesses why!) together with a selection of Triang Mk1s in chocolate and cream finish (2 x BSKs, 3 x composites and a restaurant car) so he can have a six coach “passing through” train to supplement the branch line formations he has planned.

 

This thread was the first that appeared when searching how to improve Triang Mk1s and is inspiring (would be even better if all the contributors reposted their missing images - curse the RMWeb outage!) and informative - straight away I can see roofs should be grey (I have a mixture of grey, white and black!)

 

It is mentioned about altering the bogie ride height to get the buffers to the right height, but nobody says how - any advice? (I plan to upgrade the coaches before presenting them to him - also an excuse to finally make use of the airbrush I bought about four years ago!)

 

Steve S

Evening Steve, just gone back through some of the pics still on my phone ref the bogie pivots. What we do is usually bend up the rivets on the inside so the bogies can be swapped if needed but also re used.

 

With the bogies out, we then cut the pivot stretcher out and then re mount at the correct centres and glue back on the inside of the frames, very simple way of bringing the ride height closer to protype. Hopefully the pics below help illustrate what I'm trying to explain:

 

As they come, start by getting rivet out.

Then chop out the pivot section to be re set at correct centres. (Cant remember what they are! I'm away for new year but I'm sure it's on this thread) if you glue them flush to the top it makes the ride height better if re using bogies.

Hopefully this shows how the rivet can be re used inverted and using a bit of sprue to keep a good friction fit. Handy if you plan to change bogies at some point. Also easy upgrades such as new buffers and corridor end plates help to bring things to life. Dummy buckeye couplers also for brake ends look good. All available from Comet or Dart Castings etc

Also, depending on era, removing end steps too. Another thing missed from these pics is adding a blanking piece of plasticard into the gangway door to hide that unsightly hole.

 

We have had quite the production line over the years bashing coaches about mainly Tri Ang's but also a couple of Hachettes. When I'm back I'll try get pics of each for this thread.

Not the best pic but heres one we did as per above and chopped into a brake 1st mounted on replica commonwealths

hope this helps

james

Edited December 31, 2023 by jessy1692

[TRAILRAGE]

On 30/12/2023 at 17:54, SteveyDee68 said:

Okay, time for a really stupid question (or three) for @Darius43

 

(1) Is a Bullion Flat wagon for the transportation of gold bullion?

 

(2) Are the containers shown on said flat wagon effectively “portable vaults” for said gold bullion?

 

(3) Is it me, or wouldn’t the use of said containers on such wagons be as conspicuous as, say, a nuclear flask wagon? In which case (a) where are the photos and (b) doesn’t that make them obvious targets for the criminally inclined?

 

I mean, absolutely fascinating and totally perplexing at the same time!

 

Steve S

Heres some shots from Flickr. At some point the Containers were repainted Blue.

 

 

Edited January 1 by TRAILRAGE

[SteveyDee68]

Thanks for the instructions/hints about correcting the ride height/spacing of Triang mk1 coach bogies.

 

Just purchased three more off eBay for my own use, although a book I picked up on Diesel Hydraulics in the West Country seem to show Warships with a minimum of 8 coaches behind, so I may end up adding them to the 6 coaches I’ve got for my mate already. As these are maroon livery, I really will have to master repainting into chocolate and cream!

 

Having taken my first Triang mk1 apart, I now see why the separate sides make them ideal “chop shop” fodder! As a matter of interest, how do you go about cutting them up? Razor saw or many passes with a modelling knife? Is masking tape a good idea?

 

Middle of Lidl the other week had “Japanese Saws”, which apparently cut in both directions (?) and I did wonder if they were fine enough for modelling work (as the packaging said they had more teeth than a normal saw) although I couldn’t tell how thick the blades were due to the packaging.

 

Delighted to find in my late dad’s library of reference books Keith Parkin’s “British Railways Mark 1 Coaches” and the “Supplementary Volume” - being stuck in bed has given me plenty of time to read it cover to cover. It’s fascinating how many variations of mk1 carriage were produced, and yet all using standard ‘panels’ had such a unity of design.

 

HOURS OF FUN!

Edited February 12 by SteveyDee68
Corrected stupid predictive text error that I didn’t spot earlier!

[41516]

9 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Having taken my first Triang mk1 apart, I now see why the separate sides make them ideal “chop shop” fodder! As a matter of interest, how do you go about cutting them up? Razor saw or many passes with a modelling knife? Is masking tape a good idea?

 

Here's video featuring master Mk1 chopper @Clive Mortimore showing his technique

 

 

[jessy1692]

On 08/02/2024 at 21:40, SteveyDee68 said:

Thanks for the instructions/hints about correcting the ride height/spacing of Triang mk1 coach bogies.

 

Just purchased three more off eBay for my own use, although a book I picked up on Diesel Hydraulics in the West Country seem to show Warships with a minimum of 8 coaches behind, so I may end up adding them to the 6 coaches I’ve got for my mate already. As these are maroon livery, I really will have to master repairing into chocolate and cream!

 

Having taken my first Triang mk1 apart, I now see why the separate sides make them ideal “chop shop” fodder! As a matter of interest, how do you go about cutting them up? Razor saw or many passes with a modelling knife? Is masking tape a good idea?

 

Middle of Lidl the other week had “Japanese Saws”, which apparently cut in both directions (?) and I did wonder if they were fine enough for modelling work (as the packaging said they had more teeth than a normal saw) although I couldn’t tell how thick the blades were due to the packaging.

 

Delighted to find in my late dad’s library of reference books Keith Parkin’s “British Railways Mark 1 Coaches” and the “Supplementary Volume” - being stuck in bed has given me plenty of time to read it cover to cover. It’s fascinating how many variations of mk1 carriage were produced, and yet all using standard ‘panels’ had such a unity of design.

 

HOURS OF FUN!

Hours of fun indeed! Parkin is the go to for things MK1, if you have a bit of spare cash the Longworth book is worth it too to add a bit of extra info, lots of lists etc.

 

Razor saws and sharp knives are ideal tools, my Dad made up a wooden former too to help keep things square and to length, I'll try get a pic when I'm up in the week.

 

Cheers

James

[MJI]

I am building BGs mix of NEA and NA/DV and GWR150 TSOs from Triang BSKs