Railtrack Bubble Car video survey unit

[nightstar.train]

I was in Hobbycraft and saw a brand new Hornby 121 in NSE livery for 30% off. So i thought, great, conversion material. I have been wanting one for a while to convert to the Railtrack Video Survey unit. If you don't know it see here: http://www.departmentals.com/photo/977859c. One of the main features it has is two huge floodlights at each end to illuminate the rails for filming. I've just started a new layout (my first 'solo' project) and it is DCC so this is perfect for the video unit. The plan is to use a 6 function decoder to give it directional lighting, interior lights and the big floodlights. The flood lights are 5mm plastic tube with a 1.8mm LED inside them. The LED had to have the corners filed down to fit.

 

 

These are then stuck through the chassis of the and the LED legs bent to position them. The Lights are then glued to the buffer beam. These will be painted black eventually, or maybe silver it is hard to tell from the photos. Inside the lights are wired to AUX3 and AUX4 of the decoder. I'm using a Lokpilot V3.0, with a special 21pin mounting board that provides two extra outputs (making it 6 functions). I've hard wired the board into the train. I've replaced the wies Hornby used on the bogies and motor to use the correct NMRA colour code, makes it easier in the long run.

 

 

The dangling wires are the other functions for directional lights and the interior.

I've now tested it, took a bit of a fiddle in the CVs to get AUX3 and AUX4 to work, but the lights are good.

 

 

The lights are very bright, just like the real thing. Think the interior lights will need bigger resistors. Hopefully a good coat of black enamel will stop the light shining through the plastic. The lights aren't glazed yet, that will be done after the painting.

Next job is to do the body. This is basically the same as a standard 121, needs an extra window on each side and some doors filling in. I will be painting it in Railtrack blue and green (which i happen to like as a livery ).

[Cornish_Rail]

very good i will be keeping my eye on the progress if only we had a hobbycraft in deepest SWAG id be picking up a bubble car lol

[pitbull1845]

Nice work, an interesting model, I shall be watching the progress. I like the livery too by the way!

[nightstar.train]

Work has been a bit slow (i have too many projects on the go at once, i never learn) but the body shell is finished and primed. Not too much to do on this, mostly filling doors and a window. The most tricky task was adding an extra small window on on side at the guards end, and enlarging the small window on the opposite side to a big window.

These have been quite successful i think, you can't really tell them apart. It is now being painted before i add the lights.