Guest 40-something Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Hi Folks Im building up a small stud of tank loco's and I've came across the Hornby J83 loco. Having compared a number of photos with the model I can see that the model seems not too far off the prototype. Are the main dimensions accurate, including the wheel diameter and wheelbase? Further how good is the motor for slow speed control (I use DCC). I know details like handrails, lamp irons etc all need to be added, that work doesnt bother me too much. Thanks in advance! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 The good news is what you have already observed, looks fairly well, can be improved. The bad news is the chassis which is Hornby's all purpose one size fits all 0-6-0 mechanism. Based on the Derby chassis but underlength, it is almost short enough for the J83. The motor is more suited to Scalextric, pick up dodgy if it has traction tyres fitted; although something I read indicated that Hornby have deleted the traction tyre from this chassis in most recent productions. Personally, I would think about getting just the body and either putting it on an etched chassis (if available) ; or using the very sweet running chassis under Bachmann's Pannier tank, which while not completely accurate at least matches the 15'6" overall wheelbase and can have the GWR features removed to better match the appearance of the J83. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 The good news is what you have already observed, looks fairly well, can be improved. The bad news is the chassis which is Hornby's all purpose one size fits all 0-6-0 mechanism. Based on the Derby chassis but underlength, it is almost short enough for the J83. The motor is more suited to Scalextric, pick up dodgy if it has traction tyres fitted; although something I read indicated that Hornby have deleted the traction tyre from this chassis in most recent productions. Personally, I would think about getting just the body and either putting it on an etched chassis (if available) ; or using the very sweet running chassis under Bachmann's Pannier tank, which while not completely accurate at least matches the 15'6" overall wheelbase and can have the GWR features removed to better match the appearance of the J83. Hi, Thanks for your reply, I've just redone a Lima J50 using the Bachmann 57XX chassis (I'll be putting a topic in the right section soon with photo's), so thats good news if I can use that chassis again! One thing I noticed was the cab front windows these appear to be inverted "U"s on the model but I think they should be round as per the prototype. Time for a post in the wanted section me thinks... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 One thing I noticed was the cab front windows these appear to be inverted "U"s on the model but I think they should be round as per the prototype. Correct. The inverted 'U's are a throwback to this particular model's Stone Age tooling - it's the only way you can make the body in one piece and still be able to get it off the moulding tool. Nowadays it would either be moulded in several pieces or use moving widgets in the mould. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan-Leeds Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 i have a Body for the J83 and have often wonderd what to do with it the only thing i can think of using it for is a cameo industrial loco as it looks nothing like the prototype It is one of Hornbys older models and as such lacks the finesse of the newer items emanating from within M Margates walls. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 ... I've just redone a Lima J50 using the Bachmann 57XX chassis (I'll be putting a topic in the right section soon with photo's), so thats good news if I can use that chassis again!... Alternatively, you could really re-use that chassis. Although the Pannier chassis does surprisingly well under a J50, it is too short and it does show if you know where the rear wheel should be. Now, there isn't a good Doncaster standard 7'3"+ 9' chassis available RTR, but there is something close, the K3 at 7'6"+ 8'9". Don't know if Bachmann have a loco with 18mm drivers, but if they do then take the Pannier chassis out of the J50 body and donate it to the J83 rewheeled with the 18mm wheels, and then rewheel the K3 chassis with near 19mm drivers from the Pannier to go under the J50. Probably a bit much, now you have your J50 sorted out and running... The lengths those of us interested in the East Coast route have to go to get small locos out of what's available RTR... One 'native' 0-6-0T and 0-6-0 of decent appearance, and both split chassis, so the mechanisms are little use for hacking about. To this day not a single Doncaster six coupled loco powered chassis of the standard 7'3"+ 9' layout which is generally adaptable; as the old N2 while OK on the outside has a floppy plastic chassis construction that makes it pretty much useless for modification... Endless big engines, extremely limited choice for shunting, working light/medium goods or operating a branchline. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
medion694 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Although the model is fairly old, it does scrub up to a decent model with a bit of work. I took a leaf out of Kingfisher's book and put a Bachmann 'jinty' chassis under a second hand J83 since the ancient Hornby chassis demonstrated eratic pick-up (probably on acount of the traction tyre!) With separate handrails, lamp irons, window infills etc. I would say it was worth the effort Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Thanks for the replies folks Looks like I'll be sourcing a shell and 57xx chassis! Im not bothered by the chassis dimensions being out by a mil or 2, as long as it looks right to me, then it is right! I admire folk who get things 100% accurate but I dont have the time or patience (and probably not the skills) to do that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CullingworthGNR Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I did the same thing - see photos below. Runs like a dream! http://www.flickr.com/photos/25194923@N04/3711924531/in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/25194923@N04/3712737066/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/25194923@N04/3711923975/in/photostream/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Very nice folks! Thanks for sharing the photos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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