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'Q' kits Met-Vic Co-bo


Andrew F

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I don't think that SE glazing would fit. Even after fettling the fronts, the window apertures are different sizes. I like the punishment of making each pane to size; makes for a pleasant evening in front of the telly; sad man that I am.

 

Ok, the Co-Bo is nearly ready for paint: detail done and now I just need a trip to Frizinghall models to get some 0.010 micro strip for the rainstrips over the cab sides.

 

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I've added shock absorbers, lower spring mounting bolts, lifters and a crude brass rod rendition of the upper brake bars to the bogies. It's not that proto but takes away the plain appearance of the bogies. 'Spiders legs' need scratting off still it seems.

 

Here's the centre detail copied from a mixture of diagrams  from C.Marsden's book and web pictures of Heljan's loco. It got quite complicated as to which bits will be attached to the chassis or this block.

 

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Here's the finished roof 7 skims of filler later with a little extra detail. I'm not shy about using strips of paper on models

 

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As it's working with my Dave Alexander Co-bo it has to be similar but the separate grille surround etches are way too heavy. Maybe I should do away with them altogether. I'm losing the point of this build though. I'll probably just paint it blue so it looks totally different.

 

roof panel hinges are made from micro strip with 0.010 micro rod for the hinges

 

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It's looking more promising with the detail on:

 

post-910-0-22029900-1432389870.jpg

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

  So, I finally got this loco finished. It was painted a couple of weeks ago before my holiday so I had it to look forward to.

 

 

post-910-0-49819700-1434479049.jpg

 

I knocked up some basic cab interiors from Bachmann bits and bobs. The discs are old Shawplan and look too small to me; not helped by the black rim. Does anyone know why pre-tops blue loco's had the black rim around the discs?

 

post-910-0-92029500-1434479125.jpg

 

The wipers are from a Heljan 26/27 bag and the bufferbar details are chopped about Bachy 25. windscreen seals were done with a 'Sharpie'.

 

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I really enjoyed this kit. Like others that have built them, I agree, it's a lot of filing/filling and sanding. I don't mind that kind of modelling but I can imagine it's not or some. Who needs to bother these days anyway?

 

How does it run? as you'd expect. Actually it's better than I thought. Here's a clip under H&M Clipper power; firstly with resistance switched and then without

 

 

https://youtu.be/sln9vDm6eug

 

Thanks for following. Now you go and build that MTK horror; I've done my time

 

 

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  So, I finally got this loco finished. It was painted a couple of weeks ago before my holiday so I had it to look forward to.

 

 

attachicon.gifP1010415_zpse7ffgttj.JPG

 

I knocked up some basic cab interiors from Bachmann bits and bobs. The discs are old Shawplan and look too small to me; not helped by the black rim. Does anyone know why pre-tops blue loco's had the black rim around the discs?

 

attachicon.gifP1010412_zpsumbyrmzi.JPG

 

The wipers are from a Heljan 26/27 bag and the bufferbar details are chopped about Bachy 25. windscreen seals were done with a 'Sharpie'.

 

attachicon.gifP1010410_zpsrc9gzbzb.JPG

 

I really enjoyed this kit. Like others that have built them, I agree, it's a lot of filing/filling and sanding. I don't mind that kind of modelling but I can imagine it's not or some. Who needs to bother these days anyway?

 

How does it run? as you'd expect. Actually it's better than I thought. Here's a clip under H&M Clipper power; firstly with resistance switched and then without

 

 

https://youtu.be/sln9vDm6eug

 

Thanks for following. Now you go and build that MTK horror; I've done my time

When your video first started I was expecting clouds of blue smoke at any second. Then you switched out the slow running resistance and away it went. I hope it continues to run.

Without wishing to say anything detrimental about Colin, I have built three of his products. The first was a Bulleid diesel, 10201. I reasoned the actual locos under frames went on to go under the the Peaks and that was where I looked. A Lima chassis was acquired and shorted. It ran the same as all Lima motors did, on or off, nothing else.

The real build problem was the steel strengthening strips could be seen at the bottom of the engine room widows and were very difficult to file without damaging the window frame.  My second attempt was a Bulleid electric loco, 20002 and history says they actually provided the power bogies for the diesels. As there was still nothing else available, it too had a Lima chassis, shorted and with a vast number of sand boxes fitted and shoe beams. It ran just as the diesel did.

Number three was another diesel, 10201 also with a Lima chassis, I never did seem to learn from my mistakes.

The electric was sold and the diesels went into storage for several years until Bachmann produced their 1Co-Co1 chassis and I had to have one. Here's where the trouble started. The chassis is wonderful, runs like a dream but it suffers the same fault as the Lima ones did, it's too long! The Lima one where cut just behind the power bogie and after losing a short section, glued back together with the removed piece acting as a strengthener. The Bachmann one has a central motor driving both ends. I had to cut the chassis either side of centre, underneath the motor housing and then grind out that area to refit the motor. The prop shafts were also shorted and the chassis offered up. The ballast weight was next and the fitting of a DCC chip caused more trouble. Result, a fine running loco, controllable across a large speed range.

Diesel 10201 is still in storage, I have learnt something from my mistakes after all!

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http://vid1322.photobucket.com/albums/u580/MeophamEast/Videos/P1030280_zps3nzbgpiq.mp4

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Lovely result Andrew.

 

Really interesting reading about your build of this old kit.

 

It certainly has turned out well.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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The first job has been to clean the flash off the bogie assemblies and open out the bearings to accept the axles. The axles need converting from pin-points and I did this with a razor saw as the power-disc would melt the plastic insulators. Some work was needed to ensure the bogies sat flat. This is upside-down with the base plate sat on top. This bogie will also pick-up.

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The motors fitted with worms and sat on their mounting plates on the 'Co' bogie:

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The base plate on the 'Co' needed opening out very much for the axle gears and motor worms to freely clear. I cobbled together the pick-up assembly from a bit of circuit board and brass rod and screwed the motor brackets down with self tappers. The gears meshed right straight off and the bogie ran fairly sweet. It's very fast though.

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  After 4 rounds with the heavy files the 5 cast body parts are coming together.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

Anyone getting to this stage, needs to make sure the motors are wired correctly. If not, you won't get far!

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  • 3 months later...

Just found this thread, interesting reading, and brings back memories. I too was a member of Leeds MRC in late 1970s early 1980s. Like Mike Edge I am not 70 either.

Regarding Mike Cole and Co-Bos, I was wanting a good chassis. Mike supplied me with a Bo-Bo chassis and a Co-Co chassis (Methano I think) with flexible drives to central motors, and a Sagami 1833 motor with fly-wheels.  The idea was to chop both in half and splice together with the Sagami motor in the middle. We would have one Co-Bo each.  Unfortunately the gear chains were the opposite ways and the bogies pushed together or tried to pull apart - tested the strength of the middle joint.  I dropped the gears out of one bogie so the motor only drove one bogie, and put it under a much modified Hornby body. It was lovely and smooth and slow running. I ran it at a Warley exhibition in the old Harry Mitchel Centre.  I don't know what Mike did with his other halves!

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