Converting the Turbostar 170.(3-car) into an Electrostar.375/3 in 4.mm

[James Makin]

Can anyone help me.

I want to convert a class 170 into an Electrostar but cannot find the resin cabs to start this project.

Does anyone know where I can get at least 2 sets of these cabs?

Many thanks

 

I put a link on the Loftus road thread earlier today to a shapeways store showing the cab.

 

Keith

 

Hi guys,

 

Thanks for the posts & flagging this - I've sent a PM over - cheers

 

As for the Shapeways store - that's actually not mine, they look very good though. Crazy how you can just 3D print a whole train in a flash these days - wish I'd known about this new hi-tech world when I was doing the original scratch building of the masters all those years ago! 

 

Cheers,

James

[tjf4375]

I saw the Electrostar cab on Shapeways as well - it does look quite good but I don't think it captures the look of the units as well as James's if I'm honest. When seen from above, the front of the Electrostar has a pronounced curvature which James has captured in his cabs, but which his missing from the shapeways model. The sides of the prototype also curve inwards much more gradually towards the leading edge, whereas the shapeways model seems to have much more geometric and sharp curvature. Comparison here showing left: Shapeways model, and on the right, plan view  of cab as traced from Bombardier drawing:

 

 

 

I have a couple of James's cabs awaiting fitment and I do think they are more accurate than the Shapeways one overall (just my personal opinion!)

 

[Kelly]

I saw the Electrostar cab on Shapeways as well - it does look quite good but I don't think it captures the look of the units as well as James's if I'm honest. When seen from above, the front of the Electrostar has a pronounced curvature which James has captured in his cabs, but which his missing from the shapeways model. The sides of the prototype also curve inwards much more gradually towards the leading edge, whereas the shapeways model seems to have much more geometric and sharp curvature. Comparison here showing left: Shapeways model, and on the right, plan view  of cab as traced from Bombardier drawing:

 

I have a couple of James's cabs awaiting fitment and I do think they are more accurate than the Shapeways one overall (just my personal opinion!)

 

Is that the actual 3D print you've ordered or the rendering Shapeways provide? their renderings aren't always accurate to decide from, a photo of the real thing often being more useful. Unfortuately ridging is  a problem for 3D printing, but theres ways to make it less of the problem.

[tjf4375]

It is the Shapeways rendering - I know what you mean about the accuracy, but I'm looking at the overall geometry of the cab front and lack of curvature when compared with the prototype - I don't think you can put that down to Shapeways' rendering inaccuracy. And I note the ridging or 'stepping' of the rounded corners, but it was more the geometry of the curve itself, ie where the tangents of the curve are in both examples, that I was referring to. The shapeways model uses a continuous curve or arc on the front edge, whereas in reality it is a variable radius curve which sharpens as it reaches the front edge. I know I'm straying into the realms of rivet counting here but that curvature really does make a lot of difference to the look of the Electrostar cab - to my eye it is often modelled as being a lot squarer and more angular than it actually is (apart from James's cab, which does reflect the curves correctly I think).

 

Happy to be shot down on this - the Shapeways one is still a very good model and don't want to criticise by any means, I just prefer James's version