What have you done with your Keyser kit

[Graham456]

On 20/09/2022 at 18:17, hayfield said:

 

The chances are that the K's 14xx will still be going long after the Airfix, certainly far easier to repair

Well you never saw the Keyser one at the toy fair, it was in two bits,chassis-body, unpainted (a plus point)  needing a awfull lot of T L C and as for lasting longer than a Airfix ?

mines done fourty two years easliy, I did buy a branchlines brass gear to replace the plastic one years ago but haven't needed it yet, plenty of life left in the motor brushes yet only half worn down,  it's just the plunger pick ups that need care to check they don't stick

whilst the K's one probable is older it hasn't been finished yet to wear out, and I don't rate it's chances of ever being finished from the look of it

i might be mad but not that nutty

Edited September 22, 2022 by Graham456

[Graham456]

3 hours ago, hayfield said:

 

Its always worth looking a bit closer at any loco kit/kit built loco. Many no mater how bad they look may be hiding expensive gems

I know ! At Minehead toy fair  Fourty five quid bought me a Kemilway 3mt tank loco nicely built apart from the Gloss Finnish, soon let down  with a spray of satin on the green and Matt on the smoke box, powered by a keen portescap,

3 hours ago, hayfield said:

 

A set of Markit wheels will set you back £45 ish for an 0-6-0 loco, etched chassis start at £20 but can go up to £40 or more

. I bought an inexpensive etched chassis from Crispy Bacon and just need a decent gearbox and motor

 All right I found Cris p bacon as a member on here but where does he sell or advertise his chassis ?

[hayfield]

12 minutes ago, Graham456 said:

I know ! At Minehead toy fair  Fourty five quid bought me a Kemilway 3mt tank loco nicely built apart from the Gloss Finnish, soon let down  with a spray of satin on the green and Matt on the smoke box, powered by a keen portescap,

 All right I found Cris p bacon as a member on here but where does he sell or advertise his chassis ?

 

The Portescape is worth £45 on its own, I have 3 odd Kemilway chassis, they are stunning but need a skilled builder to build them

 

J50 chassis

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134066951545?hash=item1f37035579:g:4gYAAOSwmvpcKJB-&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoMcibULksepjMO32Lpuf1KUQ9kcIqXprFswpIk8QXLVZ1LzTe87%2BOxjPXYIB0Fvb1ZCs6CwSM7p%2ByVVUgR2EPSoCMi%2B%2B7J9fRtJVaWgzv7OGykSXK33og6B0PcfLdOG7uXh%2FutqocBYSqnWWF2TgoxNQ%2FFPRLFw5TN9LVibM%2B13UMUbWQwWdjLHdMWKJCBG4nAo8lIxL%2FGJNW86L83OhHzM%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4b4yP3rYA

 

 

Simple fold up for 00 gauge, For EM gauge you need to separate the frames from the spacers, or do a dodge I sometimes do in that I add1 mm plasticard to one side frame, then drill out the axle holes, then do the same to the other side. An easy EM conversion

 

[Graham456]

Just aside to. The pannier I bought the other day, I also came away for the grand sum of a pound a K's kits catalogue 

which I read in bed last night,in the blurb about the pannier saying super detailed  cast brake gear,(rarely fitted)  with dummy inside motion ??? Well I can't find it on ether of the two pannier loco's I have acquired this month !

did it exist ? Or was it like the brake shoes left off as a fiddle thing ?

 My catalogue has added separate  price list dated Nov 1969  and the original owner has under lined his dream list which about a quarter of them haveing little ticks which I presume mean he bought them, that is for the wagons  doesn't look like he had as many locos.

 At the back on page 36, Driving wheels are advertised now available separately, ready assembled on the axle for nine shillings and four pence a pair ! What good would they be unless your chassis had the key hole slots to take them ? Don't think any other kits came with key hole slots did they ? Non Keysers that is.

 In the hints and tips section soldering is recommended by being very quick wipe soldering useing a normal iron and solder no mention of low melt ! No wonder if you damage parts you could exchange them is mentioned just above whilst I have used a normal iron on big bits in the past never with full fat solder.

Edited September 21, 2022 by Graham456

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, Graham456 said:

Just aside to. The pannier I bought the other day, I also came away for the grand sum of a pound a K's kits catalogue 

which I read in bad last night,in the blurb about the pannier saying super detailed  cast brake gear,(rarely fitted)  with dummy inside motion ??? Well I can't find it on ether of the two pannier loco's I have acquired this month !

did it exist ? Or was it like the brake shoes left off as a fiddle thing ?

 My catalogue has added separate  price list dated Nov 1969  and the original owner has under lined his dream list which about a quarter of them haveing little ticks which I presume mean he bought them, that is for the wagons  doesn't look like he had as many locos.

 At the back on page 36, Driving wheels are advertised now available separately, ready assembled on the axle for nine shillings and four pence a pair ! What good would they be unless your chassis had the key hole slots to take them ? Don't think any other kits came with key hole slots did they ? Non Keysers that is.

 In the hints and tips section soldering is recommended by being very quick wipe soldering useing a normal iron and solder no mention of low melt ! No wonder if you damage parts you could exchange them is mentioned just above whilst I have used a normal iron on big bits in the past never with full fat solder.

 

 

With the K's 14xx kits I have never seen either brake shoes or inside motion. Perhaps these may have either been available as separate items or been a future development ?

 

What is the year of the book ?

 

As for soldering it was in its infancy in the 60's

[Graham456]

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

 

 

With the K's 14xx kits I have never seen either brake shoes or inside motion. Perhaps these may have either been available as separate items or been a future development ?

Well the blurb and picture for the 14XX don't mention brake gear any more did I  but the pannier does.and shows it 

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

 

What is the year of the book ?

 

As for soldering it was in its infancy in the 60's

 Now I took the date from the price list because I can't find a date of publication on the actual catalogue only a price of one shilling on the cover printed by trefoil printing co uk going by the condition of both catalogue and price list (like new) the two have been together from new so November 1969. Is a best guess

 

their is a miniature 12volt dc electric hand drill for 32/6d inside on the last page which so generosity comes with ONE no 68 drill WOW ! And a full eighteen inchs of electrical cable, so don't have your transformer to far away!

 

As for soldering it was in its infancy in the 60's,

when this catalogue was new I was also in my infancy being seven ! But I doubt if much more than another five years passed before I was soldering, wires together white metal kits not long after I left school 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Graham456

[hayfield]

2 hours ago, Graham456 said:

 

their is a miniature 12volt dc electric hand drill for 32/6d inside on the last page which so generosity comes with ONE no 68 drill WOW ! And a full eighteen inchs of electrical cable, so don't have your transformer to far away!

 

 

 

I bought one, broke it after a few months, 12v not very powerful

[kevinlms]

14 hours ago, Graham456 said:

 And a full eighteen inchs of electrical cable, so don't have your transformer to far away!

 

I purchased a vacuum cleaner once, which claimed it had a long 3 metre cord. Apart from the fact that 3 metres is hardly long - you obviously need to use an extension cord with it, unless you want to keep unplugging/replugging in as you go around the house. But how can it be a 'long' 3 metres? It is either 3 metres, or some other length.

FWIW the vacuum was crap.

[hayfield]

With regard to the Keyser 12 volt drill. The idea was that you clipper the wire to the track for use on the layout.  If it did not reach you just moved the clips neared to the area you were working on. On the work bench you could attach it straight to the controller. As I said it was a small 12v motor with no guts

[kevinlms]

3 hours ago, hayfield said:

With regard to the Keyser 12 volt drill. The idea was that you clipper the wire to the track for use on the layout.  If it did not reach you just moved the clips neared to the area you were working on. On the work bench you could attach it straight to the controller. As I said it was a small 12v motor with no guts

Such a device would be significantly depend on the quality of the power supply, too. If it relied on a Duette or similar, then the power would drop as you increased the load.

It might have done better on a feedback controller, but then perhaps the smoke would escape!

[Graham456]

4 hours ago, kevinlms said:

 

It might have done better on a feedback controller, but then perhaps the smoke would escape!

I know Hayfield said it ran off the rail power  but a Feedback controller ! Next your going to suggest a DCC chip !

  You Can Not Be Serious ! ................O !   you weren't  for this long burnt out drill    grinning 

would funtion F7 release the smoke ? On DCC 

[Graham456]

21 hours ago, hayfield said:

 

 

I bought one, broke it after a few months, 12v not very powerful

A Ha !

So that drill was the prototype which was developed into the HP2M 

your drill was powered by the HP1M ?

 

second K's pannier all ready has new chimney and etched guard rails over the rear cab windows, next to rat around in the junk stash for the forward step that was absent, tut for six quid you thought it would be compleat, !

Edited September 22, 2022 by Graham456

[2750Papyrus]

Graham,

 

I have picked up an unbuilt Ks wagon kit with no identification but it is obviously a shock absorbing open wagon.  Please do your catalogue/price list identify the protopye?

[41516]

56 minutes ago, 2750Papyrus said:

  Please do your catalogue/price list identify the protopye?

 

LMS Diagram D1983, orginally built unfitted, but later retrofitted with vacuum brakes by BR.

 

Can be a nice kit if you remove the internal lugs and bin everything below the solebar... 

 

EDIT -  Here's my current WIP, albeit converted to the much less common (94 vs 699) fitted D2040

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by 41516
Added picture

[2750Papyrus]

Thanks for identifying that wagon.  I had gone through photos on the web and checked Tatlow but didn't think to look at Essery.

 

Apparently, in addition to new build, many examples of D1983 were modified to D2040.

 

 

[41516]

42 minutes ago, 2750Papyrus said:

D1983 were modified to D2040.

 

It's a strange case of changing the diagram when later fitted and I strongly suspect all the converted D1893s will be with 4-shoe brakes rather than having the full LMS 8-shoe clasp brakes as the D2040s had from the start, as with the example in LMS Wagons Vol1 and this one from Mr Bartlett's website:

 

https://zenfolio.page.link/Y2wDZ

 

It seems the diagram change related to 'vac fitted or not' and not the type of brakes used, which is unusual for the LMS, often having fitted, piped and unfitted wagons in the same Diagram - Edit - and has to be a Post 1955 BR change?

Edited September 23, 2022 by 41516

[Graham456]

Thankfully 41515 has been more helpful than K's are to you  on page 19 is revealed.......

L M S shock Absorbing Wagon  7s 6d plus 1s 3D purchase tax !

livery. Light gray, black underframe,and black roof ?????? White lettering,.

was that worth the wait ?

graham

 

the picture shows a gray inside to the wagon, and you will be surprised at no black roof! On a open with a running number 81103 but I wouldn't rely on that.

 

41515 build of the wagon shows that very nice wagon can be made from the kit, showing with a bit of care Keyser kit are more than alright.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Graham456

[41516]

8 minutes ago, Graham456 said:

Light gray

 

Sadly not! Prototypes were 1938-1949 builds, so they should be either LMS Bauxite or the later austerity unpainted wood finishes.

Edited September 23, 2022 by 41516

[Graham456]

59 minutes ago, 41516 said:

 

Sadly not! Prototypes were 1938-1949 builds, so they should be either LMS Bauxite or the later austerity unpainted wood finishes.

So not only do you not paint the non existent roof black you don't paint the sides light gray, good job I haven't got one! So I won't worry yet..........bet I see one at a swap meet now!........did any one ever swap something at a swap meet ?

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by Graham456
Auto correct, ! I must read it before pressing send

[Chas Levin]

22 hours ago, 41516 said:

 

LMS Diagram D1983, orginally built unfitted, but later retrofitted with vacuum brakes by BR.

 

Can be a nice kit if you remove the internal lugs and bin everything below the solebar... 

 

EDIT -  Here's my current WIP, albeit converted to the much less common (94 vs 699) fitted D2040

 

Very nice looking build - loving the detail!

[cctransuk]

On 23/09/2022 at 12:11, 41516 said:

 

LMS Diagram D1983, orginally built unfitted, but later retrofitted with vacuum brakes by BR.

 

Can be a nice kit if you remove the internal lugs and bin everything below the solebar... 

 

EDIT -  Here's my current WIP, albeit converted to the much less common (94 vs 699) fitted D2040

 

 

Now THAT is the answer to those who insist that K's kits were / are cr*p.

 

When they were on general sale, we expected to have to do a little modelling in order to get the best results - and we enjoyed doing so!

 

CJI.

Edited September 24, 2022 by cctransuk

[Steamport Southport]

On 21/09/2022 at 15:58, Graham456 said:

Just aside to. The pannier I bought the other day, I also came away for the grand sum of a pound a K's kits catalogue 

which I read in bed last night,in the blurb about the pannier saying super detailed  cast brake gear,(rarely fitted)  with dummy inside motion ??? Well I can't find it on ether of the two pannier loco's I have acquired this month !

did it exist ? Or was it like the brake shoes left off as a fiddle thing ?

 My catalogue has added separate  price list dated Nov 1969  and the original owner has under lined his dream list which about a quarter of them haveing little ticks which I presume mean he bought them, that is for the wagons  doesn't look like he had as many locos.

 At the back on page 36, Driving wheels are advertised now available separately, ready assembled on the axle for nine shillings and four pence a pair ! What good would they be unless your chassis had the key hole slots to take them ? Don't think any other kits came with key hole slots did they ? Non Keysers that is.

 In the hints and tips section soldering is recommended by being very quick wipe soldering useing a normal iron and solder no mention of low melt ! No wonder if you damage parts you could exchange them is mentioned just above whilst I have used a normal iron on big bits in the past never with full fat solder.

 

Yes. There is a small rectangle of white metal with a representation of the inside motion to fit between the frames in the 57XX Pannier. I spent ages trying to work out what it was as there was no instructions!

 

Mine is in one of the loco sized orange boxes if that dates it. It's one with the wheels, motor and chassis rather than one designed to fit on a RTR chassis. I'll replace those anyway.

 

`

Jason

Edited September 24, 2022 by Steamport Southport

[kevinlms]

22 hours ago, Graham456 said:

.....did any one ever swap something at a swap meet ?

 

Owners?

[Graham456]

On 24/09/2022 at 14:03, kevinlms said:

Owners?

Thank you kevinlms i asked for that I suppose !

it is true though the bits swap owners but I never seam to swap anything other than money. for Either, junk, sad cases needing rescuing, more work, but it's all better than watching T V

Edited September 25, 2022 by Graham456

[kevinlms]

18 hours ago, Graham456 said:

Thank you kevinlms i asked for that I suppose !

it is true though the bits swap owners but I never seam to swap anything other than money. for Either, junk, sad cases needing rescuing, more work, but it's all better than watching T V

I agree, I come away with more items than I went with. Plus of course the items I have for sale, seem to commonly be priced for less than others do for the same item, yet theirs sell and mine doesn't!