flexible_coupling Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 I've been eyeing off the cut-price RTR wagons on Tower's website this week as candidates for modification and upgrading to build up some rolling stock - a few kits are planned progressively, but it's kinda motivating to have a few wagons to simply place around to help in layout design tweaking, the process of which I've been steadily working on (at present - quite literally revision 43 in my development process!! - an alteration to the famous Bury, Thorn & Sons, with a split and a 90-degree arc in the middle, and squeezing within an outer of a little-under 8'x8'...). Being on the wrong continent, and only having a few basic photos online to judge from - is the potential of wheel/buffer/coupling/brake gear upgrades worth the cost/effort, or is it simply better to get a decent Parkside kit or three? I don't mind a bit of work - hence the suggestion/consideration - but if the compromise in detail and quality negates the gain, it's probably not going to be worth my trouble! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 OK, hands up, I don't own any so difficult. I am also unsure if the GoG gazette, which is all online, is available to non members. If it is then there have been a number of articles on upgrading them. http://www.gauge0guild.com/gazette_archive/search_archive.aspx - I think will take you to the page, simply search the supplier as Sk, Skytrex comes up and the articles are viewable - if it works for non members. Quite honestly, when sets of wheels are £8-9.25 at £15 they do look good value as a starter. On the otherhand, they are a bit crude - very suitable for large garden railways where scene setting is wanted, but less useful if you want a very detailed small layout (why I haven't got any). The unpainted Lionheart mineral wagons are also well worth a look, they are £36 each - £72 for a pair. Paul Bartlett Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Quite honestly, when sets of wheels are £8-9.25 at £15 they do look good value as a starter... Just to pick up on this point, their wheels have had a lot of criticism for being 'wonky' at times so I'd not pitch them at a premium price point with Slaters, Haywood, etc. There's a good thread here covering upgrades and improvements: http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/index.php?threads/skytrex-vans.2477/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 I've inspected Skytrex wagons and vans at various shows over the years, but have yet to be tempted to make a purchase even at discounted prices. I like Slaters and Parkside kits, both of which build well and are, IHMO, good value. I have also bought some of Richard Webster's Lionheart private owner wagons and they are magnificent models. I would go for the kits and/or the Lionhearts. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
switcher 1 Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 If you play trains, they'll do; if on the other hand you aspire to fine detail, maybe not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Where can I get skytrex wagons at 15 quid? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flexible_coupling Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Where can I get skytrex wagons at 15 quid? Tower Models - the coal wagons, listed as "seconds" with the probability of dodgy wheels - which was where my consideration for the idea started. Having now seen a few more photos and details, I think I'll take a pass and focus my interest elsewhere. Connoisseur BR brake van is high up on the list... itching to work with some etching! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 You can't go wrong with Connoisseur kits. I have a couple in the pile and they look very well designed and thought out - much easier than the kit's I'm currently working on, for example. As ever, start a thread with plenty of progress pics! Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I recently purchased a pair of skytrex wagons off ebay for 30 quid. When they arrive in the post I'll take a closer look at them. I have slaters wheels in stock, so if the wheels are the main problem, it isn't much of a problem to fix that. I suppose the other main area would be brake gear? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gismorail Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I purchased a Skytrex Br standard van a couple of years ago as at the time I was running an 0 gauge layout in the garden of my previous house. I think I paid around £25 for it at the time and to be honest at first glance it was not a bad model until it was put alongside a parkside model of the same van type. The running quality was ok and on the whole I was happy until after about six months I found the the whole body was distorting and it started the derail on a regular basis. Now it could have be due to warm sunlight when running on the garden railway but I was surprised that the distortion was so pronounced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted February 6, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 6, 2014 Where can I get skytrex wagons at 15 quid? Now available direct from the manufacturer at 4 for £50 so even cheaper at £12.50 each if bought in bulk. Looks like they are getting established again after the liquidation of the old company. Had a stand at Bristol and Stafford shows where these wagons were for sale at £15 each. You can register on their website to receive emails of special offers http://www.ogauge.co.uk/special-offer-sets_c6485.aspx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I don't think that I would buy any more of them. I'm getting interested in the Dapol offerings, but that will wait until later in the year. I have only a few weeks to get the O gauge layout finished! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P58586 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 How about buying their complete chasses? I've bought six vac-fitted chasses, and am in the process of putting PALKBRICK A and B bodies on them. The advantage is speed. They'll do for me, but as suggested, if you want fine detail, then buy the products mentioned earlier. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I wasn't aware Skytrex just sold chassis only, where on their website are they? That may help me with my idea of a rake of Dace wagons... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P58586 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Cromptonnut, you're correct; they were never on the website. Angela/John at Skytrex were approached at a show. The picture shows the intiial stage of one of the PALBRICK Bs. There's a fair bit of filling before worrying about the body. Incidentally, the planking runs the wrong way. An article is being prepared for the Gauge 0 Gazette. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Many thanks, I'll have a word with them at some point Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 A couple of R-T-R chassis would be good for scratch/bash projects. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
auld_boot Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I wasn't aware Skytrex just sold chassis only, where on their website are they? That may help me with my idea of a rake of Dace wagons... It might also be an idea to talk to Parkside about their Grampus chassis, that comes with option of roller bearing axleboxes which would be ideal for Dace. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 If you get given one or pick them up cheap, they are worth upgrading if you just want models to fill out your trains. The major areas of work are: 1.) Brake rigging. The sold V-hanger should be changed. 2.) Assembly of body. I would remove the tabs and screws and glue the body together. 3.) Wheels. I would replace them with slaters wheels. 4.) Axleboxes. The axle holes are not in the centre of the box. These would need to be filled and then new holes drilled. I only noticed point 4 a little too late to do anything about it for one wagon which I was doing up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muswellmetro1 Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 If you get given one or pick them up cheap, they are worth upgrading if you just want models to fill out your trains. The major areas of work are: 1.) Brake rigging. The sold V-hanger should be changed. 2.) Assembly of body. I would remove the tabs and screws and glue the body together. 3.) Wheels. I would replace them with slaters wheels. 4.) Axleboxes. The axle holes are not in the centre of the box. These would need to be filled and then new holes drilled. I only noticed point 4 a little too late to do anything about it for one wagon which I was doing up. Having just recived a bequest from my late friend who died this spring i now have 16 mixed skytrex pristine Coal wagons ( a few have the early wheels) ok did any wagons of this short 15ft type survive to BR days ( I model BR(M) 1948 to 1956 in the garden), it is just it looks far to short @15ft compared to my RCH slaters and Dapol what RCH variant would the skrytrex coal wagon be? or would they have to be pre RCH standards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d600 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Hi ive got some clayhoods I know there not correct but they look ok to me all I did was change the wheels for slaters ones the way I see it is anythink cheap rtr in o gauge got to be worth a look unless your rich of course Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I bowed to temptation and bought a couple of vans when they were being sold off cheap but I rather wish I hadn't bothered. By the time I've hacked around the underframes, changed the wheels (they had spoked wheels when they both should have had 3-hole discs) and changed the buffers on one I would have been better off buying a Parkside Dundas or Slaters kit! The overall cost would have been similar and I would have far more accurate wagons. Of course, for anyone who doesn't care too much about accuracy they are a cheap option but I wouldn't buy any more and I certainly wouldn't use the chassis to build something on as this is the crudest part! (It's a pity that Parkside don't offer their underframes separately as they do in 00) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (It's a pity that Parkside don't offer their underframes separately as they do in 00) I bet if you ask them you'll get a response along the lines of "there's no demand, you're the tenth person this week to ask that question" as with many manufacturers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 (It's a pity that Parkside don't offer their underframes separately as they do in 00) In 7mm Parkside make any of their sprues available, the last time I paid for some it was £1 per sprue - a cheap way of getting some grounded vans! roof, floor, and a pair of end/side sprues - £4. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrushType4 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I bet if you ask them you'll get a response along the lines of "there's no demand, you're the tenth person this week to ask that question" as with many manufacturers. I'll have that bet with you as Parkside do sell O gauge bits separately. In fact I would say there service and helpfulness is among the best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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