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4 SUB Unit 4377, Bulleid 2 HAP upgrade - plus all matters third rail.


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Drivers could and would change light bulbs on SUBS, otherwise they may have had a very dark cab or no route indicator light. the only way to "isolate" lights or heaters was to either switch them off (guard's job) or remove the fuse for said circuits in the driver's cab (driver's job). ISTR the cab and light fuses in the cabs were only on the control side; the switches in the guard's van would then operate a circuit breaker in each coach which actually switched lights and heat on.

 

Remember all the fuses were line volts; as drivers we were trained to change those, following certain safety procedures.

 

Having said that, it "could" be that fitters removed the heater fuses under each coach in summer, but I doubt it. It would have been easier to remove the heater control fuses.

 

BTW, I once saw an 8SUB at Woking heading "down" with headcode 66, EXETER!! Yes, the "up" loco hauled working was late, terminated at Woking; the only unit at Waterloo to cover the down working was an 8SUB which worked as code 66 Waterloo to Woking, change for Exeter! Circa 1979/1980. So there is a prototype for everything. 

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R

 

Really pleased to hear that you are feeling better Colin. Your frequent updates have been missed and I for one I am looking forward to seeing the Sub on Newhaven

 

I am sure you still have a long way to go before you beat this but beat it you can and we are all rooting for you. My wife had breast cancer so I know it turns your life upside down.

 

Please keep the updates coming

 

Paul R

Hi Paul,

 

Yes, I'm back and in full 'waffling-on' mode! The medication has made me just a tiny bit clumsy. It is situation which I hope will subside (no pun intended there - honest!). Until that side-effect has gone away, I dare not touch the SUB. I'd really like to get down to my workshop which is elsewhere in the village and get the parts for the handles. That would be a start.

 

I did see an occupational therapist in the hospital. She said that due to me not working and ply my trade, it would be good to find something to do while I was unable to work. She suggested that for my mental wellbeing I should take up some kind of craft-based hobby - little did she know.......

 

All the best,

 

Colin

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Drivers could and would change light bulbs on SUBS, otherwise they may have had a very dark cab or no route indicator light. the only way to "isolate" lights or heaters was to either switch them off (guard's job) or remove the fuse for said circuits in the driver's cab (driver's job). ISTR the cab and light fuses in the cabs were only on the control side; the switches in the guard's van would then operate a circuit breaker in each coach which actually switched lights and heat on.

 

Remember all the fuses were line volts; as drivers we were trained to change those, following certain safety procedures.

 

Having said that, it "could" be that fitters removed the heater fuses under each coach in summer, but I doubt it. It would have been easier to remove the heater control fuses.

 

BTW, I once saw an 8SUB at Woking heading "down" with headcode 66, EXETER!! Yes, the "up" loco hauled working was late, terminated at Woking; the only unit at Waterloo to cover the down working was an 8SUB which worked as code 66 Waterloo to Woking, change for Exeter! Circa 1979/1980. So there is a prototype for everything.

Hi Roy,

 

I was only quoting from a book, so if you say drivers could and would do it, your account supersedes the book. Re. the 8 SUB to Exeter, there seem to have been numerous occasions where SUBs were pressed into service. One such sighting of an 8 SUB was at Newhaven. Just the once, but it gives me an excuse to run one unit.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

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Hi Paul,

 

Yes, I'm back and in full 'waffling-on' mode! The medication has made me just a tiny bit clumsy. It is situation which I hope will subside (no pun intended there - honest!). Until that side-effect has gone away, I dare not touch the SUB. I'd really like to get down to my workshop which is elsewhere in the village and get the parts for the handles. That would be a start.

 

I did see an occupational therapist in the hospital. She said that due to me not working and ply my trade, it would be good to find something to do while I was unable to work. She suggested that for my mental wellbeing I should take up some kind of craft-based hobby - little did she know.......

 

All the best,

 

Colin

Well this is good news, i am looking forward to the P4 adventure.

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I did see an occupational therapist in the hospital. She said that due to me not working and ply my trade, it would be good to find something to do while I was unable to work. She suggested that for my mental wellbeing I should take up some kind of craft-based hobby - little did she know.......

 

All the best,

 

Colin

 

Well, sounds like the health service could do with more like her.

 

if you are struggling for ideas, I'm sure your mates here could help.... :jester:

 

Very Best Wishes,

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The 66 headcode 8 SUB only worked to Woking. We wondered how fast the driver would have to go at Worting to reach Salisbury....

 

It seems you have good advice from the NHS! :sungum:

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Well, sounds like the health service could do with more like her.

 

if you are struggling for ideas, I'm sure your mates here could help.... :jester:

 

Very Best Wishes,

Well Howard,

 

As far as ideas go, just few that I will run past therapist include: finish the 4 SUB's handles & move the 'Guard' transfers, build some P4 track, convert at least one loco to test it(class 73), re-body the two Bulleid 2 HAPs with windows cut using your scribing jig, build P4 layout and convert enough selected stock to run on it (given that I win the lottery to get the cash to pay for all the wheels).

 

Or I could do some basket weaving I suppose...

 

 

All the best.

 

Colin

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You could always start on a track plan! Keep your brain active without too much physical effort!

 

I am sure plenty of us will offer advice useful or otherwise! Have you any layout parameters or have I missed an earlier post?

 

Paul R

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Colin,

 

Great to see the SUB finished and looking splendid "at home" at NH. 

 

Even better to see so much green nostalgia - a pointer to the future perhaps?

 

Very best wishes,

 

Howard

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Colin,

 

Great to see the SUB finished and looking splendid "at home" at NH. 

 

Even better to see so much green nostalgia - a pointer to the future perhaps?

 

Very best wishes,

 

Howard

Hi Howard,

 

Yes, finally the 4 SUB has arrived at the station!  It's unlikely that the layout will be exhibited again, so the 4 SUB is only complete in its 00 form temporarily.  I shall be converting the SUB to P4 at some point once funds allow and there is a layout to run it on! 

 

As for 'green nostalgia', yes it is rather alluring, but I shall continue to plough the late sixties furrow, where on the Southern Region green blue/grey and plain BR blue liveried stock could be seen. (That's my excuse anyway!)

 

All the best,

 

Colin  

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Last shots of the 4 SUB for now.

 

These were taken when giving the unit a trial run two days ago. On reflection, it seemed more appropriate to post here rather than on the layout topic.

 

More nostalgia from back in the day with the SUB passing the signal box.

 

post-8139-0-70870600-1393494490_thumb.jpg

 

 

The SUB arriving at the platform.  As yet it had proved impossible to take a decent photo of the whole unit. The number of windows is the first thing that strikes me when looking at it. The second thing is that I wish I has two of them!

 

post-8139-0-29278100-1393494575_thumb.jpg

 

Comparative photos of the 4 SUB buffering up to its close cousin the Tin HAL.  The prototypes units were  made on the same jigs at Eastleigh, so the models should look similar. The larger luggage van of the Tin Hal is plain to see here (as is the fact that the Tin HAL does not have the very subtle water strip detail above the doors).  I am now left with the two Bulleid HAPs, the windows of which should look like these two unit but don't.  So the next job will be to change their sides for new ones. 

 

post-8139-0-80635900-1393494513_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-8139-0-39866500-1393494627_thumb.jpg

 

 

The SUB and pre-war 2 HAL in profile. No, I won't be buying the new Hornby one when it comes out!  One thing that pleases me about this (less than perfect) shot is that you can see through the van doors with no obstruction. This is the motorised end and it took some trail and error work to get the decoder wires to go up and over the windows, with the decoder itself resting on top of the partition to the left.

 

post-8139-0-38383000-1393494682_thumb.jpg

 

Colin

Edited by Colin parks
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......and what if Hornby do a good job with the new HAL, no temptation ?

Well Tigermoth, not wishing to  get into another contentious debate, but:

 

If the Hornby production 2 HAL is  as the pre-production model represents, it still has all the issues which irked me with the 2 BIL (minus the 'stupid' faults such as the toilet window, and periscope position). 

 

The roof detailing is still a mixture of moulded-on features and separately applied nonsense.  Mind you, if I hadn't built a model already, conversion of the Hornby offering would be better than scratch-building.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

Edited by Colin parks
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At the end of the day when you consider all the money invested into a project like the Hornby BIL or HAL surely it's just as easy to do a good job than a bad one. In anycase i'm looking forward to your venture into P4 and it may even convert me back from NG. Cheers

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At the end of the day when you consider all the money invested into a project like the Hornby BIL or HAL surely it's just as easy to do a good job than a bad one. In anycase i'm looking forward to your venture into P4 and it may even convert me back from NG. Cheers

Hi Tigermoth,

 

I'll say no more on the 2 HAL or else it will end up as the 2 BIL topic did!

 

Re. conversions: you just might stray back from narrow gauge, but starting off with this P4 malarkey is going to be expensive, so please do not expect to see much news on my venture for quite a while.

 

All the best,

 

Colin

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Hi Colin

 

If you want a second 4 Sub what's stopping you knocking out another one, it should be a quicker build than the first. Go on you know you want to.

 

Cheers SS

Trouble is SS that a layout could be built in the time it would take me to build another SUB and  a new layout is more pressing!  (But you never know, I did build a second 2 HAP.)

 

All the best,

 

Colin

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Hi Colin,

 

The 4Sub looks the business in your latest batch of photos. I especially like the one next to the Signal Box. Good luck with the move to P4, at least you don't have any steamers to convert. Changing gauge is a big decision, at the moment I am giving serious consideration in moving up to 7mm and disposing of my 4mm models. Good luck again.

 

Cheers for now, Ian.

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