Sources of Networker cabs

[sub39h]

Hi all,

 

I’m interested in converting a pair of Bachmann Class 168/1s into a Class 168/0 and a Class 172. In the past you could get Hornby 466 cabs as spares but not anymore and the units themselves seem to command strong money on eBay.

 

Apparently MTK used to make a kit of the 466 but I can’t even seem to find a photo of the kit and it’s not listed on Phoenix’s website.

 

Are there any other easily available sources of Networker cabs please?

 

Thanks all, happy modelling.

[dasatcopthorne]

Hi all,

 

I’m interested in converting a pair of Bachmann Class 168/1s into a Class 168/0 and a Class 172. In the past you could get Hornby 466 cabs as spares but not anymore and the units themselves seem to command strong money on eBay.

 

Apparently MTK used to make a kit of the 466 but I can’t even seem to find a photo of the kit and it’s not listed on Phoenix’s website.

 

Are there any other easily available sources of Networker cabs please?

 

Thanks all, happy modelling.

 

How many and is it just the cab portion you want?

 

Dave

[sub39h]

Thanks for your reply Dave. I’ve PM’ed you.

['CHARD]

I know Rule 1 applies, but Networker cabs are possibly a worse, much worse starting point to wrangle something looking like a 168/1 and definitely a 172 from another 168.  They are dimensionally larger especially width wise, and the windscreen is dissimilar, cab roof curvature different and so on.

 

Are you certain this is the route of least resistance?

[sub39h]

I know Rule 1 applies, but Networker cabs are possibly a worse, much worse starting point to wrangle something looking like a 168/1 and definitely a 172 from another 168. They are dimensionally larger especially width wise, and the windscreen is dissimilar, cab roof curvature different and so on.

 

Are you certain this is the route of least resistance?

I’m trying to convert a pair of 168/1s into a 168/0 and a 172/1. The Networker cabs will be grafted onto one pair of the driving ends to give me 168/0 ends which fits with the prototype. One of the central cars will have its motor removed to boost it to a 4 car unit, and the two spare driving ends will be converted into the 172.

 

It has been done before:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/36894-Bachmann-170-to-1721-conversion/

Edited November 7, 2018 by sub39h

['CHARD]

I’m trying to convert a pair of 168/1s into a 168/0 and a 172/1. The Networker cabs will be grafted onto one pair of the driving ends to give me 168/0 ends which fits with the prototype. One of the central cars will have its motor removed to boost it to a 4 car unit, and the two spare driving ends will be converted into the 172.

 

It has been done before:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/36894-Bachmann-170-to-1721-conversion/

 

 

Aha - marvellous - I wasn't aware of the provenance - excellent plan in which case!!!

[davidprentice]

Are there any other easily available sources of Networker cabs please?

 

Would Bachmann 166 cabs work? Almost identical to 466? Or not?

[Kelly]

Hornby Networker cabs were never available seperately. The body moulding is a single piece cab, roof, sides and end. Only way to get just the cabs would be to ask someone doing a 465 conversion if they've some spare after cutting the needed bodies up to form the centre cars.

 

Further, the Hornby Networker bodies represent the Met-Camm 466s (a follow on order to the 465/2s), thus are only useable for 465/2s or 465/9s. The others were made by BREL and had different body details/window sizes and the cabs are subtly different.

 

The 165/166 and hence the 168 are based upon the BREL design of Networker. So it is likely that the Hornby Networker cabs are not quite correct for the 168/0 as a result.

 

Comparing the two to me makes them look different enough not to be the right starting point.

 

http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/49/168003_London_Marylebone.jpg

 

http://www.kentrail.org.uk/466041_Yalding.jpg

Edited November 8, 2018 by Kelly

[sub39h]

Hornby Networker cabs were never available seperately. The body moulding is a single piece cab, roof, sides and end. Only way to get just the cabs would be to ask someone doing a 465 conversion if they've some spare after cutting the needed bodies up to form the centre cars.

 

Further, the Hornby Networker bodies represent the Met-Camm 466s (a follow on order to the 465/2s), thus are only useable for 465/2s or 465/9s. The others were made by BREL and had different body details/window sizes and the cabs are subtly different.

 

The 165/166 and hence the 168 are based upon the BREL design of Networker. So it is likely that the Hornby Networker cabs are not quite correct for the 168/0 as a result.

 

Comparing the two to me makes them look different enough not to be the right starting point.

 

http://en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/49/168003_London_Marylebone.jpg

 

http://www.kentrail.org.uk/466041_Yalding.jpg

Thanks I didn’t appreciate that the networkers were built by different manufacturers. In 4mm/ft tho I feel the Hornby version is close enough and I don’t fancy selling body parts on the black market to get hold of Bachmann 166s to chop up! Edited November 8, 2018 by sub39h