What have you done with your Keyser kit

[Skaran]

Andy

 

Only one K's kit !!!! Go out and buy another to keep it company. Thought everyone who models GWR has one of their Auto tanks?

 

 

Edit

 

Great model by the way

I don't have an autotank, I do have 2 of the Dean Goods, though one has lost its tender and steps (anyone do the steps?) Every now and then I think of putting them on a new chassis too.

[Skaran]

The K's Dean Single was advertised in the Constructor in April 1980; it had etched coal rails for the tender and etched plates for Lord of the Isles (3046) and Lorna Doone (3047). The kit was withdrawn in 1986.

 

Hope this helps!

Was this rereleased as an M&L kit. I have one of these to do and it came with etched plates for those two locos, just one name plate for each though!

[Coach bogie]

Was this rereleased as an M&L kit. I have one of these to do and it came with etched plates for those two locos, just one name plate for each though!

 

I do have 2 of the Dean Goods, though one has lost its tender and steps (anyone do the steps?) Every now and then I think of putting them on a new chassis too.

 

They were separate kits. The K's was a Milestone range with a milled frame for the single driving wheel only. The M&L has an etched chassis that includes the trailing wheel and an ECM motor mount.

 

Comet produce replacement tender loco/tender steps in brass

 

http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/modules/viewcatpic.php/3/822

 

Mike Wiltshire

[hayfield]

I don't have an autotank, I do have 2 of the Dean Goods, though one has lost its tender and steps (anyone do the steps?) Every now and then I think of putting them on a new chassis too.

 

 

Make a silicone mould and cast some in resin

[brian777999]

Does anybody else do a kit of a GWR Dean Single either in white metal or etched brass ?

[brossard]

Does anybody else do a kit of a GWR Dean Single either in white metal or etched brass ?

 

I bought a Gibson model from, of all places, one of those junk dealers that you find at some shows here in Montreal.  This was many, many....years ago.  Body was white metal, frames were brass.  Also some nice etched detail.  I actually made decent progress on it before passing it on to someone else.

 

John

[brian777999]

I bought a Gibson model from, of all places, one of those junk dealers that you find at some shows here in Montreal.  This was many, many....years ago.  Body was white metal, frames were brass.  Also some nice etched detail.  I actually made decent progress on it before passing it on to someone else.

 

John

 

Yes, but I have just checked the latest Gibson listings and it does not appear to be on there any more. Quite strange that nobody does this loco kit.

[Horsetan]

Yes, but I have just checked the latest Gibson listings and it does not appear to be on there any more......

I don't think Colin Seymour will be resurrecting it. Same goes for some of the other ex-M&L GW kits and conversion packs, e.g. the "Manor", or the body kit for the "Star", that Alan had previously taken over.

[hayfield]

I don't think Colin Seymour will be resurrecting it. Same goes for some of the other ex-M&L GW kits and conversion packs, e.g. the "Manor", or the body kit for the "Star", that Alan had previously taken over.

 

Is that because the moulds/masters are shot or other reasons?

[Arthur]

I built an M&L Grange body line kit, designed to fit on a Mainline Manor chassis, a good while back. The casting of the footplate was shocking, huge amounts of flash integral with the rivet detail and big moulding pips on the valences. I was both surprised and disappointed as they otherwise had a good reputation. I ditched the cast footplate and made my own from nickel silver sheet and just used the cab and boiler castings.

 

If that was anything to go by I can well see why nobody would consider reintroducing them, maybe the moulds were/are just life expired.

[5050]

I built an M&L Grange body line kit, designed to fit on a Mainline Manor chassis, a good while back. The casting of the footplate was shocking, huge amounts of flash integral with the rivet detail and big moulding pips on the valences. I was both surprised and disappointed as they otherwise had a good reputation. I ditched the cast footplate and made my own from nickel silver sheet and just used the cab and boiler castings.

 

If that was anything to go by I can well see why nobody would consider reintroducing them, maybe the moulds were/are just life expired.

They were very good BITD (when Pete still had a say in the business?) but they are a bit long in the tooth now.  Tools/moulds don't last forever.  For example, I've recently been trying to build a Cooper Craft Bedford lorry.  The fit of the parts, the moulding lines and associated flash are awful.

[Worsdell forever]

Cooper Craft Bedfords were like that when they first came out...

[The Stationmaster]

I built an M&L Grange body line kit, designed to fit on a Mainline Manor chassis, a good while back. The casting of the footplate was shocking, huge amounts of flash integral with the rivet detail and big moulding pips on the valences. I was both surprised and disappointed as they otherwise had a good reputation. I ditched the cast footplate and made my own from nickel silver sheet and just used the cab and boiler castings.

 

If that was anything to go by I can well see why nobody would consider reintroducing them, maybe the moulds were/are just life expired.

 

Sounds like an ageing mould problem Arthur - when the kits were first about the quality of M&L castings was usually very good.

[Horsetan]

Sounds like an ageing mould problem Arthur - when the kits were first about the quality of M&L castings was usually very good.

If the original masters are no longer around, it probably wouldn't be worth making another mould. An etched footplate would be a better way to go - after all, that's platework.

[N15class]

I do believe some of the masters on M&L kits where plasticard. Not meant for long production runs. I remember my uncle making masters from plastic. Whether for the kit or for the add on kits I dont remember.

[aaron14xx]

My first K's kit was a 1361, bought for around $110, it wasn't a massive failure, although the "mint" chassis was far from that. My second K's kit is currently being built, the famous GWR 14xx Auto Tank. 

 

If anyone here is interested, my thread is here:http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79878-ks-gwr-14xx-auto-tank/. 

 

 

Any help is massively appreciated, espicially help concerning mounting the motor, and setting up the pony truck. 

 

Thanks!

 

Aaron

Edited December 17, 2013 by aaron14xx

[Skaran]

The boiler assembly for the M&L Dean Single consists of two pieces cut vertically which make up the smokebox, boiler and firebox. Looking at the parts looks like they will need a lot of filler if I use these bits. First whitemetal loco kit I have come across which had all three sections in the casting.

[hayfield]

My first K's kit was a 1361, bought for around $110, it wasn't a massive failure, although the "mint" chassis was far from that. My second K's kit is currently being built, the famous GWR 14xx Auto Tank. 

 

If anyone here is interested, my thread is here:http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79878-ks-gwr-14xx-auto-tank/. 

 

photo.JPG

 

Any help is massively appreciated, espicially help concerning mounting the motor, and setting up the pony truck. 

 

Thanks!

 

Aaron

 Aaron

 

I see you have the later type wheels, check these first to see if they are still true (they had a tendency to wobble if put on to the axles badly). I think looking at the gear on the wheel the kit had the early version of the HMP2 motor. I don't think the kit had a decent motor mount. Also these motors were not all that good.

 

You could try and get an earlier motor Mk2 or much better a new motor (Mashima) and preferably a gearbox rather than a motor mount. If the wheels are out of true get some Romfords or Gibsons

[RosiesBoss]

G'day, Aaron,

I bought my K's 48XX, described above with other K's models, in the UK during my 1975 visit. I assembled it in the late 1970s and it is still running well. Here it is on my terminus-to-fiddleyard layout.

 

When first built, it was tail heavy, so I devised and installed a simple spring system, using a spare 3-link coupling spring, located onto the pony truck with a short 10 BA bolt, screwed through the casting.

 

I agree with Hayfield's comments re the K's wheels. Those on 4833 are still ok, but I have had to replace several sets on other models. The motor and gears on my model are those which came in the kit. They still work well, despite many years of hard work.

 

 

I hope these brief comments help. Good luck with your project.

 

Regards,

Rob

[Barry O]

finally found a Ks Palvan and a 12T van..

 

 

I have two Palvans - both are banned from Cwamfon and Herculaneum as they are 

a)  very heavy

b) can run away on the slightest slope....

 

They could be improved by fitting new brass roofing in place of the correct whitemetal ones..

[Weaselfish]

_{There was a trader at Warley this year who was selling lots of unfinished 00 locomotive kits at various stages of construction and/or disintegration. He must have had about 60 or so on sale. They were mostly LNER or Southern and constituent prototypes with a few BR and LMS. (No GWR oddly enough). I think about 2/3 of the stock was Ks and it all seemed very reasonably priced. The most expensive thing there was a DJH A3 for about £95.00 and most the stock was priced at a lot less - an LBSCR Gladstone for £25.00 anybody? I'm kicking myself now for not getting his details just in case he ever got any GWR stuff in.}

[The Stationmaster]

_{There was a trader at Warley this year who was selling lots of unfinished 00 locomotive kits at various stages of construction and/or disintegration. He must have had about 60 or so on sale. They were mostly LNER or Southern and constituent prototypes with a few BR and LMS. (No GWR oddly enough). I think about 2/3 of the stock was Ks and it all seemed very reasonably priced. The most expensive thing there was a DJH A3 for about £95.00 and most the stock was priced at a lot less - an LBSCR Gladstone for £25.00 anybody? I'm kicking myself now for not getting his details just in case he ever got any GWR stuff in.}

 

A large number of kit built locos have passed through one auction house over the past 12 months to my knowledge although most were complete.  Very few GW examples (I got a Bulldog which is quite nicely made) but a lot of LNER types although most were in a finished state.  In the end they were averaging about £20 each.

[brian777999]

Has anybody got an recent update on what has happened to the current owner of the Keyser kits ? I think it is Autocom ?

Edited December 21, 2013 by brian777999

[hayfield]

Has anybody got an recent update on what has happened to the current owner of the Keyser kits ? I think it is Autocom ?

 

 

As far as I know he has retired, no idea about his remaining stock. Recently bought off Ebay from him a Nu-Cast etched mainframes and coupling rods for the K's Terrier and he very kindly found me a pair of etched mainframes for the LNWR Coal Tank.

 

From various postings I got the idea that the moulds and masters may have come to the end of their ability to produce decent castings.

 

 

Like most modellers who like building locos I have many kits waiting to be built, most obtained off Ebay. Both in built and un-built state. At the moment not many on except for a few traders who want top dollar for them. Best time to buy is after a free listing weekend and if happy to take a chance on a built loco, you can get a real bargain. Sometimes with Romford wheels and up graded motors.

 

Nitromores or a bath in a caustic soda solution both removes the paint and degrades the glue and you are left with a kit of parts at a fraction of the cost of a new kit. On the other hand you can find little gems like a Terrier in full LBSCR livery or a J52 (ok its a BEC) in fully lined out GNR, both good runners and well under £30 each.

 

If using Ebay don't just rely on K's or Keyser searches. Try whitemetal, kit built or other 00 locos. Best buys are always in the wrong catagory (Hornby locos etc)

[Thane of Fife]

It's a shame if the Nucast masters die the death. There were many locos in the range that will probably never surface in RTR form,

I have a vast pile of kits to build.

The BEC J52 mentioned above makes a useful shunter if fitted to a Mainly Trains chassis with a decent motor and gearbox.

I still have a couple of Kays O4's picked up cheaply which will be built into O4 variants.

I enjoy building/converting kits and get a great deal of satisfaction from building a kit and adding extra detail.

The same goes for the old Kirk coach kits, with a little work on the detailing and careful painting they can be made into something to be proud of.

If you look at the WEST END WORKBENCH thread, you can see some l;ovely examples of what you can do with a old kit.

Compliments of the season to all

Thane of Fife