What have you done with your Keyser kit

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is a link to my K's Atlantic that has just been sorted out for running after 35 years of waiting.  More information is on the You Tube clip.

 

[Prometheus]

I think I'll call it a day after this one: three are quite enough...

 

The roof treatment is quite incorrect for the livery I know. I just wanted a little variety. It'll be toned down in due course.

 

Although pretty and quite interesting, it'll always be what it is, a 40 year-old Keyser white metal kit with all of the concomitant shortcomings that follow: coarse, simple castings, poor fit and colossal weight. However, with just a few simple additions it has turned out quite nicely and has, I think, some real period charm.     

 

 

 

 

Tony

Edited January 19, 2016 by Prometheus

[Prometheus]

Restored and detailed Siphon F.

 

 

or link to build 

 

http://srmg.org.uk/restoring-a-40-year-old-keyser-siphon-f-kit/

 

Tony

[N15class]

Restored and detailed Siphon F.

 

 

or link to build 

 

http://srmg.org.uk/restoring-a-40-year-old-keyser-siphon-f-kit/

 

Tony

I did a few of these I like them with the large G and W. Doing some work on the underframes improved them no end.

[Prometheus]

I also like the larger GW Peter, but it didn't suit the timeframe for this one.

 

Tony

[ocarolan]

I've really enjoyed reading through this thread, which I came upon by accident in a Google search for something else. Very nostalgic.

 

In the late 1960s-late 1970s I built K's kits for 14xx, 57xx, Dukedog, Dean Goods, and I think it was a 44xx - all straight out of the box. They were my first attempts at loco kitbuilding, some whilst living in some pretty grotty student accommodation, but later in more salubrious surroundings.  All went together with little fuss using only a very basic toolkit and ended up running reasonably well on my tiny folding 00 layout and mty later spare bedroom permanent layout. I really enjoyed building them and was quite pleased with the results, especially the 14xx and Dean Goods. I also made their 40ft PBV, the GWR bogie siphon and 6-wheeler, and an abomination of an autotrailer. 4mm modelling now a long distant memory!

 

Have to say I had a greater fondness for my Gem Cambrian 2-4-0 though.

 

Keith

[Prometheus]

After months of bending, fettling, substituting, filling, binning and contrapting, and no little swearing, a Keyser 57XX Pannier. This came with castings [i'll use that word loosely] to build a tank in the 97XX series, but I have backdated it to 5701 by adding parts of a surgically-adapted Mainline cab. Faults abound, but all things considered...

 

In case you ask, Gibson wheels. The originals were shocking and bent onto the axles. Nothing fitted anywhere of course and the pick-up arrangements, as supplied, were completely unbuildable. It runs, but not too well yet [noisy]. That will be sorted in due course.

 

 

 

Tony

[brian777999]

That is an excellent result.

 

Whatever happened to the moulds for these kits ? Do they still exist ?

Edited April 29, 2016 by brian777999

[jwealleans]

They went to NuCast and have most recently been acquired by South Eastern Finecast, who are making part of the range available again gradually.

 

Some of the kits have been overtaken by more modern equivalents or RTR and some (the LNER B2, for example) need new patterns making and may not be viable.

Edited April 29, 2016 by jwealleans

[brian777999]

So we might see a Dean Single or a Midland Spinner in the range soon ?

[Prometheus]

I would imagine that the original moulds would need substantial attention if they are to be reused for re-releases. Even though this tank must have been 40+ years old, a lot of the castings were already mis-shapen and showed a very poor fit with gaps and seams abounding. But maybe they were all like that anyway ? Whatever the case, building these now is a real labour of love! That said, there must be hundreds of boxes of these kits lying around, unmade, if eBay is anything to go by.

 

Thanks for the appreciation.

 

Tony

[stevejjjexcov]

K's kits were ok if you were prepared to put some work in on detailing I.e.chucking out the plastic handrail knobs and the bl##dy awful hm2p motor wheels were ok sort of.I have only got 2 k's models left now the bulldog is using k's tender, bogie, and boiler fittings the rest is scratch built. The syphon is a cut down k's 6 wheel kit

[Edthefolkie]

The name K's certainly brought back a few memories, mainly of swearwords. 

 

My first kit apart from Aifix or Kitmaster was the double frame Midland 0-6-0. When I assembled the business bits I found the axles and bearings bound in the frames, causing the motor gear to slip on the axle! I had the temerity to pack the chassis up and send it to Keysers, I think then based in Willesden, with a modest note of complaint - I didn't know any better.

 

Anyway I got the box back with a dismissive note, probably from "Pop" Keyser, on the lines of "Don't know what you mean , it's just a bit of schwarf (that's how he spelt it), have got a file to it". Well, that was me told. But considering the damn thing was about twice the price of a Tri-ang engine....!!

 

I did assemble it and got it working quite nicely. I found the huge box containing the loco and about 200 other bits and bobs in the loft last week - if I can make the thing photographable I'll put it on the thread. I suspect half of it will be missing after 50 years though.          

[hayfield]

One of the problems with most of these old style whitemetal kits whether they be k's or any other make is not to start with large complicated locos or move ont to difficult ones too quickly.

 

If you start with some thing simple and slowly progress to more difficult ones. I started with a Dean Goods (a tank loco would have been better) but it worked OK even with K's (plastic D type) wheels and those awful HMP motors. I still have a bit of difficulty with K's valve gear. But the newer wheels are changed for Markit/Romfords, the HMP motors thrown away either for older open frame K's ones or newer. The odd loco gets an etched chassis etc. But in the end they can be made into nice working models with a bit of effort and a few changed parts

[Horsetan]

....the bl##dy awful hm2p motor ...

Hahahahaha this was the comedy one with the plastic gear cradle. Sometimes referred to as HP2M or H2M. No proper bearings to speak of - the front-facing spindle revolved in a plastic block(!) and ran very warm even without a load. To think that I tried using one in 1985 to drive a Wrenn-based 8F! This was the motor that caused me to start buying Portescaps.

[hayfield]

When they first came out I bought 3 to re-motor my kits which came with Mk 2's. They were (and still are)awful, though I have the odd loco still running with them. Some are still willing to buy them, as if I get one they go straight back on sale. They could be being bought just to complete an un-built kit for collection purposes

 

Is my mint RG4 worth 3 figures yet? 

[Horsetan]

...Is my mint RG4 worth 3 figures yet? 

 

You may have missed that particular party. I did see one a couple of years ago which was pushed to an almighty £205.

[hayfield]

You may have missed that particular party. I did see one a couple of years ago which was pushed to an almighty £205.

 

I guess you passed on that one!!

[Horsetan]

I guess you passed on that one!!

 

There was definitely a lot of shilling going on in that one.

[hayfield]

Is that the name for a friend bidding up ?

[Horsetan]

Is that the name for a friend bidding up ?

It couldn't be anything else.

[bertiedog]

People ask about the moulds, they are only used for a limited time, the important parts are the master parts used to cast the moulds. If the set has survived complete and undamaged new moulds cab be made at once, but often with older kits the last runs were years ago, and with lower sales the moulds were used far too long. The masters go missing and it takes a lot of time and skill to make new ones, although CNC mills and machine centres help with the replacement needed.

Most older moulds are cured vulcanised rubber, not silicon, which is favoured by modern makers. The standard of detail and fit depends on the master, especially allowing for shrinkage and growth of the metal used for the component parts. K's were good at first, but got worst with time, add in mould used to much, and you get the fit problems.

I tied to pursued them to use a combination of etched metal and cast, but the samples were awful, as the brass was consistent, but their casting wandered alarmingly in dimensions. The masters of casting at the time were M&F from Germany, they combined etched and cast very successfully, but K's had not the resources or skill to do the same.

 

Stephen

[bertiedog]

Is that the name for a friend bidding up ?

And totally illegal in a UK auction, as is Ringing to depress prices, Ebay are not a true hammer auction and stopping Schilling is impossible on there. Ringing can't really be done on ebay, only at a hammer auction. The masters of Schilling are the Hong Kong suppliers who list at a penny plus postage, and the very first bid jumps to the real start price.

 

Stephen.

Edited May 10, 2016 by bertiedog

[Horsetan]

....The masters of casting at the time were M&F from Germany, they combined etched and cast very successfully....

 

The present-day equivalent is Weinert. But by God their HO loco kits are fabulously expensive. Equivalent to about £700 to £800 for a Br.01 Pacific kit.

 

....stopping Schilling is impossible ....

 

Only Kenya still uses the Shilling. Austria used to, but converted to the Euro 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Horsetan

[hayfield]

And totally illegal in a UK auction, as is Ringing to depress prices, Ebay are not a true hammer auction and stopping Schilling is impossible on there. Ringing can't really be done on ebay, only at a hammer auction. The masters of Schilling are the Hong Kong suppliers who list at a penny plus postage, and the very first bid jumps to the real start price.

 

Stephen.

 

 

Stephen

 

Great to see you back posting, I must have been looking at different posts to those you contributed to.

 

As for eBay  sales, I always set a figure for my eBay buys, one which I feel happy paying. In addition I bid at the last moment when I can, which stops me chasing items with increased bids. Also now I just bid amounts which I feel are good buys, so anyone trying to push up the bidding may well go past the modest amounts I bid

 

On the whole I feel most model railway sellers are quite genuine, with only the odd chancer. Thankfully I have mostly encountered nice folk