7mm mk3 coaches and class 442 build

[pwr]

Really good piece of work there Vin - I am looking forward to seeing the finished article

[njee20]

Awesome, very nice work!

[Vin]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the praise. As for the finished article that maybe a while yet as I'm away from home a lot at the moment. I have finished the interior and sides of the MBLS so I hope to post some photos later on this week. The interior posed several problems because of lack of photos pre- Southwest Trains. So if anybody has any photos or details that would be fantastic?

 

Regards

Vin

[njee20]

I remember the open seating areas at the ends of the DTFs were 2+2, ie not first class seating arrangements despite being first class, as they were originally going to be standard class seats, with only the compartments first class. All the first class seats were predominently grey/black with red stripes. That's about as far as my memory stretches!

Edited June 4, 2014 by njee20

[PaulRhB]

Superb build Vin, as to the sound chip will you get Legoman to include a winter button?, massive wheel slip followed by a bang from the juice zzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZ POP!

It always was a feature of riding them on slippery rails if you were in the centre coach especially around Parkstone bank and the forest, probably still is.

Can't help with the Pond 442 paintings but we discovered a load of the loco hauled coach ones in the cellar at Salisbury and auctioned them for charity a few years ago. There's a couple on the walls in the subway and the Salisbury one's in the panel.

[Vin]

Hi all,

 

It feels like a life time since my last post on this subject after a couple of hectic months doing other things, so I will get back to everybodys PM's as well! I have been making small inroads to the build of the class 442 by making modules (while away in Hotel rooms) which fit on the coaches and then making final checks when I've been home at the weekend, casting resin parts has been out of the question until I've got home.  So to start with.....

 

 

These are the starting resistances (lefthand side) and auxiliary equipment case (etched panel). The resistances are made from 3.2mm diameter evergreen tubing with a piece of 40 thou plasticard rammed down the centre and I do mean rammed! As the hole size in the middle varies from piece to piece.

These are then glued into a box of 30thou plasticard.

 

The etchings on the right hand side for the auxiliary equipment case were wrong from the start so I had to stick some plastic strapping on them to make them prototypical.

 

The finished article which has been loaded with liquid lead and then sealed with resin to give a respectable 137g in weight, as this is to be fitted to the MBLS powered coach.  

 

MBLS with some of the equipment fitted and the all important interior. The open framed air conditioning equipment case is waiting for the side etch grilles and will house one of the speakers. The interior was made from plasticard to the NSE spec. diagram, detail photos are below. As this a original Network Southeast version it bears no relation to either the SWT conversion or the Gatwick Express rebuild.

 

 

Seat casting. 1 down 125 to go!!!!

This is the MBLS inverted underframe with the air tanks fitted. I had to make the inner edge flat so that the coupling bar has some movement. The brass box section in the background is for the cable runs as each bogie has 4 cables and each speaker has 2, so a total of 12 cables to feed the decoder in the luggage compartment.

MBLS corridor side panel. 

MBLS the other side. Both of these castings have had there problems, the first one was filling in all the holes where the windows would be and then drilling the new windows out. The eagle eyed will notice that I haven't marked out the double luggage van doors yet, but that's an easy job. Getting the sides smooth with small layers of P38 easysand was the challenge!!

 

A few of the finished sides, just the windows to put in. NSE livery is a joy when it goes right but is a nightmare when the unexpected happens, hence why there aren't 4 sides in this picture. What happened? Well. Whilst airbrushing on the red stripes there must have been moisture condensed in the air line after the filter which then splattered all over the bodyside and mixed with wet acrylic paint. This in turn bled under the masking tape. So painting came to an abrupt end and the paint removed from the bodyside along with all the masking tape. Unfortunately this paint removal stained the white paintwork and turned it pink!!!!

 

This is 71825 TSO bodyside.

 

This is TV gel which tints the windows. Lee Filters L209 if anyone wants to know, this is stuck behind glazing. The difference can be seen in the photo of 71825.

 

I think that this is enough for this post.

Cheers

Vin

 

 

[tomstaf]

It's looking great Vin, the Eddie P murals are bringing back fond memories.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[Vin]

Hi Tom,

 

But are the Pond murals in the right place?

 

Vin

[bobster]

Nice work Vin - Always looking forward to more.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[Vin]

Hi All,

 

This weekend has see more progress with some of the sides finished off with the glazing completed. I used yacht varnish to fix the windows instead of ClearFix as it is thinner and capillary action draws the varnish around the frame. The tape holding in the glazing while it dries.

 

Also received the order for some more white lining to go between the lower red and grey stripes as I only had enough to do 4 sides. The NSE logos are 4mm ones but fit perfectly on the white band, strangely these units only had two logos per set. 

 

These three photos show the fixing of the bodyside to the chassis using epoxy glue and siting of the seat castings. I haven't got round to making the tables yet which happen to be exactly the same as those used on class 158 DMU's. Casting of the seats may take some time as I've only enough moulds for 8 seats at any one time.

 

Cheers

Vin

 

 

[tomstaf]

Hi Tom,

 

But are the Pond murals in the right place?

 

Vin

Hazy memory of the lounge area other than it always seemed to be dirty in the way a nightclub gets; bit sticky and all. What I do remember well were the chunky grey arm rests between the seats being too low to properly rest your arms on but good for marking out your own space.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[Vin]

Hi Tom,

 

I don't remember the armrests in the snug but there was two round tables. I do remember the armrests in the first class compartments as they felt really cheap for first class.

 

Vin

[tomstaf]

Hi Tom,

 

I don't remember the armrests in the snug but there was two round tables. I do remember the armrests in the first class compartments as they felt really cheap for first class.

 

Vin

There weren't any armrests in the snug, they were between all the standard class seats.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[Vin]

Hi Tom,

 

The fold down arm rests in standard class were those horrible grey plastic. The seats changed when SWT refurbished them but the original design along with the tables can still be found on some of Northern Rail's class 158 fleet which is where I go the measurements from. The only different between the originals and the ones currently fitted are the seat pads have got more padding. I tried casting the armrests but it wasn't practical at all as they are 0.75mm x 0.75mm square and have a bend at the end of them as well.

 

Cheers

Vin

[tomstaf]

Out with your plastic strip then Vin

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[Vin]

Yeah, micro strip at the ready....

Next job to do is cast some more seats.

 

Cheers

Vin

[NSE DAZ]

Hi Vin
 
Fantastic mate I have had no IT for a week after the lap-top fell to its death from the back of the sofa!!! but what a treat to see the progress now I am back on line.

 

The attention to detail is totally amazing but did not expect anything else from you, brings back some superb memories!!

 

Keep the updates coming

 

All the best Darren NSE DAZ

[Vin]

Hi everyone,

 

many thanks for all the support and encouragement on this project. As I'm not going to get time to post all this weekend, I'll do it now...

 

This week I've been making the masters for casting the corridor connections for the emu. These differ from the standard mk3 ones because they have a flat surface either side of the gangway.

 

This is the second attempt at the end piece. The first one just didn't look right, even with the dimensions taken from an official drawing. Then I realized that somewhere down the line that the rubber surround had become larger and therefore making the panels either side of the gangway narrower. I have omitted the high level jumpers as these are in different positions on each coach.

 

Here is the rubber gangway surround and the gangway connection.

 

This is how I made the rubber gangway surround. These won't be painted as they are made from 3/32" diameter rubber heatshrink. I then slid the heat shrink over a piece of 2.5mm core from stripped twin and earth power cable which keeps the shape perfectly.

 

The gangway connector. This will move as it'll be mounted on springs which retract it when uncoupled. Then by using small neodymium magnets and tin plate for the buffering plates this will attract the connections together. So no gaps! Well that's the theory (which has worked in the test I've done).

 

These two pieces will be glued together once painted up. The vertical bar in the centre is a pivot for the gangway connector to swing on.

 

The gangway connector with the spring fitted nuts and bolts.

 

The final assembly with a front and rear view.

 

Test fitting to a rolling chassis. I've designed an etch for the doors in the gangway connector which will cover the nuts and also will be on the other mk3 coaches as well.

 

Cheers

Vin

 

 

 

 

[njee20]

Fantastic work this, very impressed at the detail.

[pdanny]

Amazing detail and takes me back to sitting in the snug, belting it up to Waterloo. Love the murals too. Superb!!! Please keep us informed on your progress, can't wait to see the unit up and running. Well done.

[Vin]

Hi all,

 

This build is coming on slowly (working away from home doesn't help) but surely! I have now finished the other bogies and put the Slaters pickups on them as well. The problem I'm having at the moment is that I'm on the fourth roof master. Even with the mk3 roof profile plans it still doesn't look right.

When I get home I'll take some photos for a bit of constructive criticism. I think I'll have to split the roof into 3 sections.

1st section. A panel for no.1 end which is glued to the body and finishes before the roof ribs start. This will give strength to the main body and ends. It also stops light bleed from the DCC lighting.

2nd section. The full length of the roof with ribs and vents which houses an embedded strip of LEDs (easy when casting in white resin with black resin dye to stop the light bleeding through the roof).

3rd section. The same as the 1st.

 

Regards

Vin

[NSE DAZ]

Hi Vin sounds like you are still making good progress even with your full time job!! well done I will be in contact soon.

 

Look forward to the picture updates.

 

All the best

 

Darren NSE DAZ

[Vin]

Hi Daz,

 

Progress is good, I've even got my mate casting seat parts. All I need to do is paint them.

Speaking of seats, does anyone know what colour the second class seats in the DTF where when originally fitted? They are the ones between the driving cab and the corridor first section which are of the IC70 design in a 2+2 formation and first class spacing.

 

Regards

Vin

[Benjamin Brady]

Hello there,

 

I have only just come accross this topic and I must say what excellent work, really enjoyed reading and seeing the 442 progress, it's nice to see some top quality modern image rolling stock on the 0 gauge scene. Has there been any more progress on this since last year and also how are the sleepers coming on.

 

Benjamin

[njee20]

Hi Daz,

 

Progress is good, I've even got my mate casting seat parts. All I need to do is paint them.

Speaking of seats, does anyone know what colour the second class seats in the DTF where when originally fitted? They are the ones between the driving cab and the corridor first section which are of the IC70 design in a 2+2 formation and first class spacing.

 

Regards

Vin

I realise this is a horribly out of date post, but if memory serves they were dark grey with red vertical 'stripes' with a patterned edge - ie more a pattern than a true stripe.

 

Be great to see your progress to date!