Out of storage - some of my old UTA and NIR stock

[33lima]

So far I have shied away from hacking the Grafar suburban coaches because the way the seating was moulded with the sides and ends looked to make hacking harder, but it would probably have been easier than 'cut and shut' with the Tri-ang version, having now tried that!

 

I converted a Grafar suburban to run with my UTA green MED set; I just sanded down the raised detail, re-scribed the doors and added plasticard hinge and the door vent detail, plus new roof vents. Another has got the same treatment (tho not roof vents yet) to run with my ribbed MED project; a third, brake version, which I sprayed in grey primer for some reason, may yet get the MPD treatment!

[kirley]

Looking good Lima

[David Jackson]

Lol! I wish I could claim that I knew that, Colin, and had followed prototype practice!

 

Here are a couple of pics of my current project, a suburban MPD set, inspired by the pic of the 'power twin' led by 46 in Colin Boocock's 1968 'Irish Railway Album' (seen in the background; there is also a really superb colour study of these sets in Derek Huntriss's recent 'Irish Traction in Colour'). I decided to re-start this in preference to picking up on the ribbed MED set pictured above.

 

Back in the day, I coveted the old Hornby Dublo suburban EMU which looked very like these units, but never got one; these days, examples are very expensive, and certainly too much so to alter! Anyway, as usual, economy is the watchword with my own project.

 

The basis for this is a pair of 1950s vintage Tri-ang suburban coaches, loosely based on a short BR Mk1 type. The project started back about 1994 as a set swapped from Steve Rafferty, which I'd intended to retain 'as was' - basically windows cut in one end, some side windows filled in the brake compartment area, and a Tri-ang DMU power bogie. However, Steve had stripped the paintwork off the model by the time of the swap, so I had to do something with it. So rather than just re-paint, I decided to rebuild it to a more realistic layout (the Tri-ang coach only has 7 widely-spaced compartments and is a bit short even for a 57-footer).

 

One of Steve's coaches hasn't turned up after a house move so I acquired another on eBay (tho this has modern BR bogies fitted at the moment!). This is pictured in the background for comparison. It has an integral floor pan, sides and end.

 

References are the pics in the above two books and the UTA works drawing, obtianed courtesy of Mark Kennedy at the UFTM and seen under the models.

 

I cut both sides free from the body moulding and then with mitre box and razor saw, chopped each side into sections, removing vertical strips so the compartment portions would fit back together more closely, except for the middle compartments on the composite unit I'm modelling (46, 47 & 48).

 

The re-assembled sides were sanded and had new door lines scribed in place of the original raised lines. I removed the front and rear body panels from the body moulding and glued these onto either end of the roof. The sides were then glued onto this, to form a roof/side/end unit.

 

The roof had already been cut into two, near the cab end, and a spacer in plasticard added underneath, to which the two roof pieces were re-assembled, giving the correct length.

 

Brake compartment sides, solebars, outer roof 'filler' panel and laminated cab end were added to this assemply from plasticard. Sides were scribed for the sliding door each side and windows were cut; the front ones need enlarging a bit still, I slowly work up to the right size.

 

The brake compartment is a little short as the 'cut & shut' sides ended up a little bit long but it's not especially noticeable. Pictures show that as built the sliding doors were flush when closed, but ended up recessed by NIR days (these doors are wide open in both cars in the Boocock picture). My model will be finished in UTA Dark Brunswick Green with wasp stripes, as per Colin Boocock's pic, which dates from 1963; tho it's a bit 'muddy' (typical for Ian Allan books of that era?) it shows a fair bit of detail like the position of the air horns under the buffer.

 

Door hinges, handles, roof ribbing and other details will be from plastic card or strip, except that torpedo-style roof ventilators will be cottage industry parts.The second car will not be another compo as 2 of those is a 2-car set might be a bit much. Underframe detail will have to be scratchbuilt as the original, plug-in Mk1-type components are not suitable. I haven't decided yet which car will be powered but it's likely to get a Tri-ang DMU bogie.

 

I'll post some more pics as work proceeds.

 

 

Just dug out my old MPD pair 46 and 49, also inspired by the picture in Irish Railway Album, and built around 1972 using the Hornby Dublo EMU, but not up to the standard I would produce today. It is powered by a Kitmaster motor bogie in the second vehicle. The third vehicle is MPD 36, also built in the 1970s using a Triang coach, but very much not up to the standard I would turn out these days.

 

[33lima]

Thanks for sharing, David! I'll be entirely happy if my effort at a suburban MPD ends up as good as your ex-Dublo EMU! Nice touches including the prominent 'drainpipes' and that big 'flying saucer' roof vent many seemed to have. Would be keen to see a pic of 36 also if you have one handy. Did you use a Tri-ang scale-length Mk1 or one of the earlier, shorter ones? Would be interesting to see what can be achieved with conversions of readily-available items like those.

 

I'm getting slowly along with cutting and shutting the second Tri-ang suburban coach, bringing compartments closer together and unlike the first, compo unit, equally spacing them (more or less!).

[David Jackson]

So far I have shied away from hacking the Grafar suburban coaches because the way the seating was moulded with the sides and ends looked to make hacking harder, but it would probably have been easier than 'cut and shut' with the Tri-ang version, having now tried that!

 

I converted a Grafar suburban to run with my UTA green MED set; I just sanded down the raised detail, re-scribed the doors and added plasticard hinge and the door vent detail, plus new roof vents. Another has got the same treatment (tho not roof vents yet) to run with my ribbed MED project; a third, brake version, which I sprayed in grey primer for some reason, may yet get the MPD treatment!

 

I have found the old Grafar suburban coaches a great source of material for hacking about. I prefer to use the old kit versions which have an integral solebar, unlike the later ones which are in four seperate pieces. The only down side is that they come with a tinplate roof, which I discard and fit a plastic replacement. The bogies are diecast, and come with scale 14mm metal wheels similar to Jackson wheels. The underframe trusses and battery boxes are also diecast, and are fitted with screws. I also prefer to fit better bogies, and tend to fit the Airfix/Dapol LMS type. The Grafar coaches are readily available on eBay, and can be obtained at quite reasonable prices, particularly the earlier ones.

 

The first picture shows a cut & shut Brake 3rd, which was built by cutting off an end compartment, and splicing on the end of a Grafar Brake 3rd. This was cut to a length to give the coach the correct 57ft.

The second picture is a Composite built by cutting and fitting inserts of suitable lengths to give the correct window spacing, and to end up with the correct coach length of 57ft. The interior of course has to be adjusted to suit the new window spacings.

In both cases, all raised detail was removed from the sides and replaced as appropriate. Replacement buffers were fitted, and the underframe trusses refitted in the correct position for the longer coach.

 

 

[33lima]

Very interesting David. I assume the above are 'Larne steelers', of the sort one ses in photos behind a 'jeep', even after many were converted to MPDs. I see that all I need to do to my spare Grafar brake is cut a few compartment windows (won't worry about the overall length), the seating bays are already there, and I will have a close approximation of your brake 3rd; so I will give that a go.

 

I'd never seen a Grafar kit, must keep an eye out for them. There's a model railway exhibition at Carrickfergus at the end of August so between that and eBay...!

[Hunslet 102]

Some more great modelling Ivor,the MPDs were a right mixed batch of vehicles,typical of the railways of Ulster at the time.but your models capture the feel totally.

 

Nice to see your work also David,your MPDs and coaches really look the part also,well done and thanks for sharing.

[leslie10646]

Ivor, You're alive!! Dank Lieber Gott!

 

You built me an AEC and a BUT set in PROPER colours in 1998/9. When I find how to upload photos, I'll show off your great work.

 

Then there were those GN coaches - the envy of the known civilised world!

 

Just joined this site today, thanks to Colm Flanagan.

 

More later, when I've had time to digest this fascinating string.

 

Leslie

[David Jackson]

Very interesting David. I assume the above are 'Larne steelers', of the sort one ses in photos behind a 'jeep', even after many were converted to MPDs. I see that all I need to do to my spare Grafar brake is cut a few compartment windows (won't worry about the overall length), the seating bays are already there, and I will have a close approximation of your brake 3rd; so I will give that a go.

 

I'd never seen a Grafar kit, must keep an eye out for them. There's a model railway exhibition at Carrickfergus at the end of August so between that and eBay...!

The coaches are reasonable representations of 'Larne Steelers', without resorting to scratchbuilding. Unfortunately, the Grafar coaches do not lend themselves to producing a cut and shut Full 3rd without ending up being 6mm too long. Splicing on an extra compartment would give a scale length of 61ft 6ins instead of the correct 60ft. I am planning to do a couple anyway on the basis that the Grafar coaches, as they come, are 6mm short anyway, and they look fine, so 6mm too long won't be too noticable.Regarding your spare Grafar brake, the easiest option would be to model the 1951 built K7 Brake 3rd 351. It is almost identical to the Larne Steeler Brake 3rd, with one less compartment, so only six windows to cut, instead of twelve. The main difference however is that the ends of the Larne Steelers are steel like the Grafar coaches, and the K7 is matchboarding.Incidently, all but two of the Larne Steelers were converted to MPDs in the late 1950s, either railcars or trailers. One full 3rd, 278(395) remained loco hauled, and one full 3rd was converted to an MED trailer in 1951. Any pictures of Jeeps with steel non-corridor coaches taken after 1959 could only have been Full 3rd 395, or ex LMS coaches transferred in 1941, some of which remained loco hauled despite being of steel construction.

[33lima]

Ivor, You're alive!! Dank Lieber Gott!

 

You built me an AEC and a BUT set in PROPER colours in 1998/9. When I find how to upload photos, I'll show off your great work.

 

Then there were those GN coaches - the envy of the known civilised world!

 

Just joined this site today, thanks to Colm Flanagan.

 

More later, when I've had time to digest this fascinating string.

 

Leslie

 

 

Hi Leslie and yes, despite some ups and downs fate hasn't quite managed to do for me just yet!

 

If you're over for Carrickfergus I'm planning to return your half-built etched brass K15, remember that one? Never managed to finish it I'm afraid, even after...how many years is it now??? Anyway I hope to relieve you of a couple of your UTA vans then, if you've some left for sale.

 

I think the blue & cream AEC set I pictured above was the one I made for you but I had thought the only BUT sets I built were the NIR and UTA ones for Steve Rafferty. Anyway yes some pics would be great to see, the ones above are all I took and they turned out very dark (pre-digital photography days of course!) and I'd love to see some pics of the coaches as I neglected to take the obligatory ex-works pics.

 

I must admit I was quite pleased with how those GN coaches turned out, and delighted you liked them. And I confess I enjoyed building them, despite the fact my eyesight was possibly never quite the same again after all those miles of plasticard strip panel beading

 

Anyway good to hear from you again Leslie and delighted to see you've branched out with Provincial Wagons, hope to see some at Carrick next month.

[33lima]

The coaches are reasonable representations of 'Larne Steelers', without resorting to scratchbuilding. Unfortunately, the Grafar coaches do not lend themselves to producing a cut and shut Full 3rd without ending up being 6mm too long. Splicing on an extra compartment would give a scale length of 61ft 6ins instead of the correct 60ft. I am planning to do a couple anyway on the basis that the Grafar coaches, as they come, are 6mm short anyway, and they look fine, so 6mm too long won't be too noticable.Regarding your spare Grafar brake, the easiest option would be to model the 1951 built K7 Brake 3rd 351. It is almost identical to the Larne Steeler Brake 3rd, with one less compartment, so only six windows to cut, instead of twelve. The main difference however is that the ends of the Larne Steelers are steel like the Grafar coaches, and the K7 is matchboarding.Incidently, all but two of the Larne Steelers were converted to MPDs in the late 1950s, either railcars or trailers. One full 3rd, 278(395) remained loco hauled, and one full 3rd was converted to an MED trailer in 1951. Any pictures of Jeeps with steel non-corridor coaches taken after 1959 could only have been Full 3rd 395, or ex LMS coaches transferred in 1941, some of which remained loco hauled despite being of steel construction.

 

Must check my drawings for that K7, or perhaps I can find a pic somewhere, thanks for the tip! So many potential projects, so little time!

[David Jackson]

UTA locos on shed. These locos have quite literally been dusted off, as they have been in storage for many years, but not under cover. They are all that is left of my loco stud of the 1970s, which included another NCC Class W, GNR Class V, VS & PP, and a BCDR Baltic tank, all of which have been consigned to the scrapyard.

The locos are, from front to rear, Class V1 No 13, Class W No 101, Class Y No 18, Class A1 No 69, Class U2 No 74 and Class U2 No 85.

The V1, W and A1 bodies and tenders are all scratchbuild from plasticard, except for the W tender. The original tender was built from plasticard, but did not wear as well as the loco, so a Mainline tender was substituted. Someday I will get around to reducing it to the correct length. Two other Moguls were built at the same time as 101, but 91 met with an accident many years ago and was scrapped, while 104 has never been completed.

The Y is a bog standard Bachmann Jinty, U2 74 uses a Triang Hornby 2P as a basis, and U2 85 was converted from a Triang L1.

None of the locos have been lined, and only 101 is fitted with nameplates, but I am working on that.

 

[colmflanagan]

A further selection of "UTA" motive power, taken some years ago on my previous layout: the six engines are: 3 Moguls, built from Mk1 and Mk2 Hornby Fowlers (2 x 97 and 91), 2 WTs 10 and 55, as well as a Hornby Y no 19 converted before the Bachmann model appeared. Sharp eyed enthusiasts may notice something green at behind 19 - this is the bunker of BCDR No 30, one of my first "irish" conversions. I attach a picture of her in action; the model was made from a K's SR Adams radial tank kit with much altered plasticard body. The BCDR signal box is based on Newcastle, the signals Ratio LNER/LNWR amalgams.

 

Please don't look too hard at the spaghetti under the boards.....but it did all work OK, honest.

 

Colm

 

 

 

:

 

[33lima]

Wow! That's an impressive stud you have there Colm! The scratchbuilt plasticard loco bodies really look the part and are really masterful pieces of work; who needs etched brass and burnt fingers?!

[33lima]

Progress on the 'suburban' MPD set has been re-started again, finally! Plus an NCC brown van has been built using the roof and chassis of a Tri-ang-Hornby horsebox, and a Carrickfergus-like signalbox converted from a Hornby one for the layout. Getting there!

 

 

[Nelson Jackson]

Brilliant signal box and brown van,

Do you mind if I post a couple of pics of my UTA rolling stock.

Thanks.

[33lima]

Thanks and please post your pics too Nelson, we can't have too many pics of UTA/NIR kit and it's always inspirational to see other people's work!

Ivor

[Nelson Jackson]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm amazed at the high quality of locos and rolling stock on this thread, so I just hope mine meet the high standard.

Let me tell you a wee bit about myself, a few years ago I was always modelling the LNER, then one day my interest took a turn and focused on the railways, where I live, here in Bangor Co Down. And that is how this all started, I now focus on the LMS NCC, UTA and Early NIR.

All of the Locos, rolling stock etc..., was done by myself, honest.

I wouldn't be modelling any of this if it wasn't for Colm Flanagan, he has helped me loads by answering all my questions about nearly everything. I can't thank him enough. Thank you.

 

Now onto the models, I will do this by starting off with the first model I built, then the second and so on..

First up is everyone's favourite a Y class, this is just a simple re-painted Hornby jinty but looks the part. Must get a Bachmann one some day and do it properly.

I have still yet to fit any number plates.

The yellow lining may be a wee bit thick, but hey it was my first ever go at re-painting a loco.

 

Next up is a NCC U2 "Dunluce Castle" in wartime black. This is also a simple repainted Hornby 2p with the motor in the tender.

I have done some research and the locos did turn out in unlined black during ww2.

 

Then after 2 locos, what do you need? A wagon, this is a NCC brake van, just like the one currently at Downpatrick.

This is a heavily modified Dapol brake van kit.

 

Please bear in mind that I was only 14 at the time, so I am definitely no professional.

More photos to come latter, you will be able to see the standard of my work increase.

Any comments or opinions would be great.

Many thanks

 

Ps: sorry about the quality of the photos they were taken on my Ipad.

[Nelson Jackson]

Hi again,

I said that I would post more pictures, so here they are.

Next up is a Brown van.

 

This is completely scratch built using Dapols RTR chassis.

 

The texture of the roof was made by using masking tape held down with PVA and then adding plasticard straps.

 

Next is a NCC hand crane, similar to the one that the RPSI own. With matching truck.

 

Next is a UTA MR coach made from a ratio kit. These were brought over after the war to replace the coaches damaged by the Blitz.

 

Any questions please feel free to ask.

[Nelson Jackson]

Hi

Don't worry this will be the last. I hope I'm not hijacking your thread, sorry.

 

This is the latest loco I have converted.

It's a UTA U2 no81 "Carrickfergus Castle" from a Hornby tender driven 2p, but I will invest in a loco drive 2p, then just swap the bodys.

 

This isn't just a repaint I have added other detail such as smoke box wheel, tablet catcher and outside steam pipe.

 

 

Another view showing the number plate on the back of the tender.

 

And here is a picture of the tablet snatcher that I made myself using very thin steel metal.

 

And just to finish off, I like to detail the cabs of my locos so here is the inside of no81

 

We are going to be exhibiting our layout at the Ulster MRCs annual exhibition this year in Carrickfergus, so come along and say hi, I will bring my models if anyone likes to see them in the fresh.

I know the pictures aren't the best quality, so I am going to need to get a better camera.

I have just ordered the worsley works NIR class 70 sides, so will make a start on that when it arrives.

Thanks for allowing me to show my locos.

[Hunslet 102]

Good to see you back Ivor,look forward to following your builds again.Nice work with the signal box and brown van.

 

Nice work also with your builds Nelson,like your brake van and brown van.

[33lima]

Wow! those are REALLY great models Nelson. The painting is to a high standard, the lining is very crisp (what did you use?) and the weathering on the brown van and the crane are to a standard any professional modeller I think would be proud of. Looking at your brown van I will try to replicate your subtle weathering effects as well as adding the strapping at the corners, which is a conspicuous omission on mine.

 

Loved the tablet-catcher too! Super little piece of model-making.

 

I have a 1990's-vintage Hornby Jinty bodyshell and chassis which has been 20 years awaiting re-incarnation as 18 or 19 and am about to attempt a GNRI brakevan - seeing your excellent and well-finished model is really an inspiration!

 

Having missed every exhibition in the last year apart from a flying visit to the last one in Carrick I'm determined not to miss the UMRC one there on August 24th-25th so hopefully will see you there!

 

Ivor

[Xerces Fobe2]

Progress on the 'suburban' MPD set has been re-started again, finally! Plus an NCC brown van has been built using the roof and chassis of a Tri-ang-Hornby horsebox, and a Carrickfergus-like signalbox converted from a Hornby one for the layout. Getting there!

Just like building Class 501's and former LMS EMU's - nice work

 

XF

[Nelson Jackson]

Many thanks Hunslet and Ivor, for your kind words.

 

The brown van and brake van were hand painted, and the lining on the loco is actually yellow lining transfer from fox transfers (I haven't got a lining pen) and the size was 0.5mm I think (I can't remember). I cheated a wee bit by using the existing fine red line on the Hornby model to make up the UTA livery.

 

The weathering on the brown van was done by using humbrols smoke weathering powder. If you want more info about how I done this let me know and I will PM you a more detailed description of how I acchived the subtle weathering effects.

One thing I have missed on mine but are on yours are the door Handels, must do that sometime.

Once again thanks for all the likes.

Another wagon using my weathering technique, the UT on the side were also hand painted, it took a while.

[33lima]

Cheers Nelson! Fire away please with a PM on the brown van weathering technique, so I can give that a go, myself! Nice bit of work on the display track too - is that basket liner or a proprietary grass material?

 

'Twas a long time ago but to line my 'Jeep', I think I ended up using LNER white/black/white loco waterslide transfers. But before removing them from the sheet, I inked in the outer white with a yellow marker and the inner white with red. Not too successful, the red seemed to fade a tad at some point; I must go over the red bits again some day.

 

 

I have a Dapol 12t van like the one above in ICI livery and am going to repaint that as a UTA version too. I also have an old Tri-ang Insulfish white van to adapt as an NCC 10 ton van like the one seen at the Ballycarry derailment pictured in 'Irish Railways in Colour' #2 and seen also here:

 

http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/content.php/243-NCC-10-Ton-Van-Drawings

 

I reckon I want at least 3 brown vans, an NCC or UTA van or three, a couple of conflats, a GNRI brake van, and about half-a-dozen 2-, 4- and 5-plank wagons, to make up a short fitted frieght such as might have been seen on the Larne Line, plus a short engineer's train, and have a brown van left over to hang on the end of an MPD set or jeep-hauled rake. Bit of a way to go, there!