Possible new LT model from Bachmann

[Legend]

Thanks for the update Julian.

 

Not everyone would be disappointed with 'only' a 4 car set - something is better than nothing at all. It seems to me that the RTR manufacturers are rather short sighted with regards to a lot of modern image 'sets'. The classic example being the 350 in SWT livery which a lot of people have been asking for and, for a while, Model Rail were considering releasing but it appears that they have now gone cold too.

 

Still, at least one can get some decent LU stock from the specialist retailers out there.

 

Regards

 

Probably down to costs. Remember Bachmann had a massive price increase last year to they extent they themselves said we are unlikely to see the likes of a 6 car blue Pullman again. I think Modelrail proposed a 5 car SWT model before these price increases were known. Probably uneconomic now. I always think one of the downsides in mu models is the new need to have through electrical coupling so that one DCC chip can be fitted. This level of complexity certainly doesn't help mu production ,and I would rather see reversion to normal couplings if it meant we would get an mu model at all

[TravisM]

I think it's all down to costs and I think a lot of manufacturers now are carefully looking into options.  I think maybe the way to go is to "subscribe" to a model being produced and if there is enough interest, the project can move forward.  Food for thought?

 

Julian Sprott

[paul_dby]

Tase, I'm new to looking at LU models.  Could you please let me know some names of specialist retailers, be they RTR or kit?

Thanks

[Xerces Fobe2]

Tase, I'm new to looking at LU models.  Could you please let me know some names of specialist retailers, be they RTR or kit?

Thanks

Metromodels and Radley Models are a good starting point!

 

XF

[paul_dby]

Thanks XF. 

[SRman]

I second XF's recommendations: both traders are excellent gentlemen to deal with, and both will offer sound advice and help if asked.

[LULFAN]

I second XF's recommendations: both traders are excellent gentlemen to deal with, and both will offer sound advice and help if asked.

 

I used Metromodels to supply 2x 4 car EFE sets for my layout, all fitted with Metromodels bogies and each set has 2 motors

 

I did have a Radley supplied EFE 4 car set and was told by phill the EFE axles would be ok if I took the springs out I found them rough runners and so sold the radley set on

 

The Metromodels EFE sets run just as well as any RtR stuff

 

I have the 2 motors in one car and I wired them together for power pick up and fitted a single Lenz DCC silver chip to control both motors - works very well, as the pickups are joined there is no power loss going over point work

 

Now if only someone would do a DCC sound file for 1938 and 1959 stock we really would be cooking with gas !!

[Xerces Fobe2]

I used Metromodels to supply 2x 4 car EFE sets for my layout, all fitted with Metromodels bogies and each set has 2 motors

 

I did have a Radley supplied EFE 4 car set and was told by phill the EFE axles would be ok if I took the springs out I found them rough runners and so sold the radley set on

 

The Metromodels EFE sets run just as well as any RtR stuff

 

I have the 2 motors in one car and I wired them together for power pick up and fitted a single Lenz DCC silver chip to control both motors - works very well, as the pickups are joined there is no power loss going over point work

 

Now if only someone would do a DCC sound file for 1938 and 1959 stock we really would be cooking with gas !!

I made the mistake of putting power bogies at each end with separate DCC Chips and this caused issues. I will not go down that path again!

[GoingUnderground]

Tase, I'm new to looking at LU models.  Could you please let me know some names of specialist retailers, be they RTR or kit?

Thanks

Have a look at this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/38910-lt-resources/

[Lord of Narnia]

I've not tried the metromodels bogies but they are very expensive at £7 each plus p&p so it will be £42 for a four car train assuming two motors are used. I got a friend to make me up some 3D printed bogies to fit under the 38/59 stock and they seen to run well.

[paul_dby]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help.  Am I right in thinking that the bogies need replacing because the static models don't have proper track wheels?  I also assume therefore that it's not simply a case of replacing the wheels on the bogies. 

 

I'm not up to speed with 3D printing so that's an area I will need to investigate further if I want to pursue that solution. 

 

Also, looking at the thread that "Going Underground" posted above, I see some members have used the card kits which are advertised on ebay.  While clearly not as acceptable as moulded models, the price difference when compared with the £350 tag of moulded sets is huge.  Anyone else had experience of the card sets please?  Are they just too unrealistic to be considered seriously? 

[Lord of Narnia]

The card models look great but personally for me they don't do it.

 

The metromodels conversion uses parts of the existing bogies which get chopped up and for around a plastic modelled bogie with 10.5mm wheels.

 

There are other options which include a brass assembly (see other threads here)

 

The other option is to drill the outside of the bogie place a brass flush bearing in and insert new wheel sets in. I'm looking to this method currently.

 

Just replacing the wheels is not recommended due to the large area of friction provided by the existing bogies.

[GoingUnderground]

There is a way to reduce the large area of friction, which was told to be by Mike Radford of MARC Models. Remove the bottom from the EFE bogie, lift out the wheels and the friction spring. Insert a U shaped piece of wire in to the bogie so that the two arms are paralel to the backs of the wheels but still within the bogie frame, and when you put the wheelset back in the axle rests on the wire arms giving you a much lower bearing surface and reducing the friction. The addition of some lubrication also helps but make sure that the lubricant you use does not attack polystyrene. Put the bottom back on the bogie and you'll find that the coach runs more smoothly. I have adapted that technique to take power from the axles so that every axle now collects current. No more dead frog worries, not when the pickup is 4 cars long.

[GoingUnderground]

The card models can look good. Hamblings used to do some for O/P/Q stock in 4mm, and I have seen these used, enlarged to 7mm,  glued to a block of wood carved to the outlike of the carriage. It all depends on how well you can sort out the curves and the edges.

[LULFAN]

The card models can look good. Hamblings used to do some for O/P/Q stock in 4mm, and I have seen these used, enlarged to 7mm,  glued to a block of wood carved to the outlike of the carriage. It all depends on how well you can sort out the curves and the edges.

 

Those sheets are still about

 

http://www.freestonemodel.co.uk/page22.htm

 

Last item on the page

[GoingUnderground]

Those sheets are still about

 

http://www.freestonemodel.co.uk/page22.htm

 

Last item on the page

Yes, That's them. I didn't know tha tFreestone had got them.

[paul_dby]

So does that mean that by using the method of the bent wire, with the additional benefit of it acting as a pickup, the only other modification to the static models is to add the motor?

[GoingUnderground]

The wheelsets in the EFE models are rather crude and the back to backs may not be parallel, and the wheels may not be concentric on the axles, but that said, they do run with the U wire mod. How much further you go after adding the motor is is up to you. Mine have extra ballast in the cars fitted with the SPUDs for better adhesion, DCC ontrol with interior lighting, and working headcode lights. The interiors have been repainted, with proper ads and line diagrams pasted over the token efforts provided by EFE, and my own destination boards on the DM cars. 

[Astockfan101]

This actually happened.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/99691-Bachmann-to-produce-s-stock-for-london-transport-museum/

[GoingUnderground]

My copy of Summer 2015 edition (No. 122) of the LT Museum Friends News newsletter arrived this morning, and in it Michael Walton gives the background to the recently announced S Stock model, including what they considered, and what they ruled out and why. S Stock was chosen as the Museum wanted a model of contemporary, i.e. current, stock and felt that Sub-Surface stock allowed non-LT/LU modellers to mix 'n match it better with main line models. He says that there were two possible candidates for the LT Museum commission, S Stock and another, but does not say what the other was. My guess is that they were thinking about A Stock. It would have offered 2 or even 3 livery choices, (unpainted aluminium, refurbished, and also the pre-refurbishment East London Line "blue", plus 2 model variations, as delivered and OPO.

 

A very interesting article.

[PhilJ W]

My copy of Summer 2015 edition (No. 122) of the LT Museum Friends News newsletter arrived this morning, and in it Michael Walton gives the background to the recently announced S Stock model, including what they considered, and what they ruled out and why. S Stock was chosen as the Museum wanted a model of contemporary, i.e. current, stock and felt that Sub-Surface stock allowed non-LT/LU modellers to mix 'n match it better with main line models. He says that there were two possible candidates for the LT Museum commission, S Stock and another, but does not say what the other was. My guess is that they were thinking about A Stock. It would have offered 2 or even 3 livery choices, (unpainted aluminium, refurbished, and also the pre-refurbishment East London Line "blue", plus 2 model variations, as delivered and OPO.

 

A very interesting article.

In fact the A stock had several alterations in livery, the earliest had black roofs instead of grey, two or three East London 'experimental' liveries, at least 6 different versions.

[GoingUnderground]

In fact the A stock had several alterations in livery, the earliest had black roofs instead of grey, two or three East London 'experimental' liveries, at least 6 different versions.

I was thinking of the "core", body side/end liveries. If you're counting roof colour as part of the livery, then you've forgotten the red oxide/bauxite colour that was also used on some of the unpainted stock at one time.

 

The article also stated that the models are expected to be available at the end of September 2015, with the first OTC sales to the public on Sunday 27th Sept at the Acton Depot Open Day, and from Thursday 1st October in the Covent Garden shop. I would imagine that the advance orders will be despatched at around those dates.

[PhilJ W]

I was thinking of the "core", body side/end liveries. If you're counting roof colour as part of the livery, then you've forgotten the red oxide/bauxite colour that was also used on some of the unpainted stock at one time.

 

The article also stated that the models are expected to be available at the end of September 2015, with the first OTC sales to the public on Sunday 27th Sept at the Acton Depot Open Day, and from Thursday 1st October in the Covent Garden shop. I would imagine that the advance orders will be despatched at around those dates.

IIRC one had a roof painted crimson lake, possibly a trial refurbishment.

[Andy Reichert]

The wheelsets in the EFE models are rather crude and the back to backs may not be parallel, and the wheels may not be concentric on the axles, but that said, they do run with the U wire mod. How much further you go after adding the motor is is up to you. Mine have extra ballast in the cars fitted with the SPUDs for better adhesion, DCC ontrol with interior lighting, and working headcode lights. The interiors have been repainted, with proper ads and line diagrams pasted over the token efforts provided by EFE, and my own destination boards on the DM cars. 

 

 

I was able to just drop standard flush axle  P:87 wheelsets into my EFE cars. Most of the friction immediately disappeared because it seems as though the EFE wheel flanges are large enough to actually rub against the body floor.

 

I haven't done equalizers for the trucks yet, nor the powered truck versions. But the appearance difference of the wheels sideways is pretty nice.

 

Technically I'm working to the new 00-P standard, (p4 wheels and P4 flange ways on 16.5 mm gauge), but I've only published the one topic on that here so far. And that has got a handful of the chaps who want to run on 16.2 mm gauge really upset, or scared or something. So I apologize if some of the reply posts are quite off the planet - not my doing!

 

Andy

[Broadway Clive]

There's an interesting contrast between the philosophies of the London Transport Museum and the National Rail Museum. The latter seems to be working with Bachmann to produce models of older and older prototypes, whilst the LTM seems to prefer the present and future to the past! I'd have thought the flare sided OPQR family of surface stock were the most iconic surface stock ever.