Simon Moore Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 With a bang at the door this morning it could only mean one thing ( The Postman ), The Class 76 kit has arrived . Having had chance to read the instruction's a few time's & briefly look over the etch's i must say this is a very nice kit which is going to be a real joy to build. The whole thing looks very well etched & the only thing i can find so far which i'm not happy with is the buffer's which are cast whitemetal rather than brass but thats no biggy. I think on a whole the only problamatic area of this kit is going to be the lourves which are finely etched & it says in the instructions that this is going to be the hardest part. I've still to source the motor's for this kit which MSL do in the form of a twin motor bogie a bit like a bullant so once finished this should have a very good haulage capacity. The kit can be fitted with 3mm LED'S which need sourcing seperately can anyone shed light on where i buy those from???. At the moment i'm like a zombie because i've just started the new job on a night shift which has been hard to get used to so for now the kit will stay sat on the bench waiting for saturday night. The wife's out & i'll have the to house to myself so i think a few nice cold cans of Becks & a class 76 kit will see the night away When i get time i'll upload a few images of the etchs for you to have a look over & depending on how i feel i might make a small start tomorrow because i really cant wait to dive into this one. Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcazar Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 3mm LEDs can be had from various places from e-bay, to modelling supply shops, to specialist suppliers like Rapid Electronics and RS Components Don't forget suitable resistors to use the LEDs on 12v, small suppliers may be able advise on resisitor value, and even supply some. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Today has seen me offically start the kit & although the instructions are a pig of thing i have managed to get the model going & the etchs are some of the best i've worked with evrything falls into place without the need of fettling which is great The biggest problam i face really is a fight with the instructions i feel that they need re writting with more detail regaurding the lourves. It says in the instructions that the lourves are all done a certain way but with one set being different to the rest ( lourve 4 ) the problam i face is their is no reference to which lourve 4 is & also it doesnt state in what sequence the lourves go on the body once ready. I don't think it will be a real problam though because MSL are brilliant at helping you out i have found so far so i think a email will clear up this issue. I was worried about the lourves because they looked fiddly to say the least & they are very small details but i must admit the first one has started & their has been no real problams with the kit its been superbly designed. I'm still working nights & today has been the first day i have felt i could squeeze a little bit of concentration into starting the kit but i shall persist with the first lourve get it finished before i head off for a 10 hour slog All being well i should have this one finished today i have taken a photo of the progress which i shall post tomorrow once i have finished the first lourve. The body although is pre folded needs to be just finished a little to get a slight curve in the bodywork as the prototype, i can't do this until my piece of stainless 8mm round bar arrive's because i am going to get this one right & have a perfectly finished class 76. More to follow. Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted March 4, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 4, 2010 Good luck, Simon. Both with the kit and the new job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon V Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I can do your 3mm LED's and I am probably cheaper than everyone else! See Here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted March 5, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 5, 2010 Today has seen me offically start the kit & although the instructions are a pig of thing i have managed to get the model going & the etchs are some of the best i've worked with evrything falls into place without the need of fettling which is great The biggest problam i face really is a fight with the instructions i feel that they need re writting with more detail regaurding the lourves. It says in the instructions that the lourves are all done a certain way but with one set being different to the rest ( lourve 4 ) the problam i face is their is no reference to which lourve 4 is & also it doesnt state in what sequence the lourves go on the body once ready. I don't think it will be a real problam though because MSL are brilliant at helping you out i have found so far so i think a email will clear up this issue. I was worried about the lourves because they looked fiddly to say the least & they are very small details but i must admit the first one has started & their has been no real problams with the kit its been superbly designed. I'm still working nights & today has been the first day i have felt i could squeeze a little bit of concentration into starting the kit but i shall persist with the first lourve get it finished before i head off for a 10 hour slog All being well i should have this one finished today i have taken a photo of the progress which i shall post tomorrow once i have finished the first lourve. The body although is pre folded needs to be just finished a little to get a slight curve in the bodywork as the prototype, i can't do this until my piece of stainless 8mm round bar arrive's because i am going to get this one right & have a perfectly finished class 76. More to follow. Simon. Hi I would be interested to see the results as the MSL kits I have seen made up don't look quite right around the rear of the cab and the join to the bodywork. They seem too flat. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galtee More Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 It may be of use and interest to know that there will be special Demonstration on modelling the 1500V dc Woodhead system at this year's NOTTINGHAM East Midlands EXHIBITION. This will cover building EM1s (Class 76s) and the OHLE. This will be a taster for one of the themes at next year's show, where there will be Woodhead layouts in 0 Gauge, 00 Gauge and N Gauge ! For anyone with even just a passing interest in the Woodhead line, this will be the place to be. Come along to see us ! In addition, there will be at least two Trade Exhibitors selling LEDs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted March 6, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2010 It may be of use and interest to know that there will be special Demonstration on modelling the 1500V dc Woodhead system at this year's NOTTINGHAM East Midlands EXHIBITION. This will cover building EM1s (Class 76s) and the OHLE. This will be a taster for one of the themes at next year's show, where there will be Woodhead layouts in 0 Gauge, 00 Gauge and N Gauge ! For anyone with even just a passing interest in the Woodhead line, this will be the place to be. Come along to see us ! In addition, there will be at least two Trade Exhibitors selling LEDs Hi Would have like to have come to that but unfortunately it is my sons eighteen that week end so I am not available. I have however made a note for the exhibition next year. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 Well it's been a while since i started this thread i have been working on the class 76 & its a pig of a thing to actually build their are alote of parts in this kit that are imperfect. I have found the instructions a real pain they are very sketchy as to how certain parts fit & some of the diagrams are confusing. I've got to the point now where i have more or less bagged the instructions off. The roof sections where very hard to get correct i rolled the roof using a 8mm bar & got it somewhere near. The roof sections have a large tab which folds back on each side to fix the roof to the body & they dont match up to the bulkheads so you have a gap because the roof is bigger than the curve of the bulkhead. I have swore & swore some more at this & learnt a whole new multi swear combo vocabulary as a result of this kit. The one thing what i found was that the fold up cabs were designed wrongly & you end up with a 2mm or 3mm gap between the sides & the roof which i have had to botch up with some huge fillets of solder & filed back to give me a surface. The cab roofs on each end of the loco are cast whitemetal & their different sizes so you have a great gap between the bulkhead & the front of the cab as you can see in the photos below. Sorry for the pictures being bad but my lovely other half has hidden the cable somewhere in the house & cant remember where it is. The thing with this kit is its a nice model nearly their it does build up into a great model no doubt but the instructions let it down in my view for starters & the cabs are designed badly. The lourves on the kit are a good design but one of them is set at a different angle but their is no reference to which lourve it is. Their are certain parts in the instructions that say fix this part but has no number for the part written on the instructions & it doesnt say where the part goes so your left wondering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Today has seen me offically start the kit & although the instructions are a pig of thing i have managed to get the model going & the etchs are some of the best i've worked with evrything falls into place without the need of fettling which is great ...... Well it's been a while since i started this thread i have been working on the class 76 & its a pig of a thing to actually build their are alote of parts in this kit that are imperfect. I have found the instructions a real pain they are very sketchy as to how certain parts fit & some of the diagrams are confusing. I've got to the point now where i have more or less bagged the instructions off...... Well that has been an interesting turnaround in view within the week! Reminds me someone once said that "you should never meet your heroes; you'll only be disappointed". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Your right that Ivan you should never meet you heros its strange this kit some of the parts go together without hassle the lourves are great they drop into place with no hassle but some parts as said are a pig of a thing. The etchs are well etched but their are mistakes here & their. I hope the finished result is worth the swearing i think it will be it is actually coming together now & i think the hard parts are now behind me ( we'll see ) Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I've never seen one of these 'in the metal' but several people I know have and were non too impressed. I must admit that when I first saw pictures of built up models on first release I didn't think they looked that good, there seemed to be issues of fit around the cab area and the whole loco looked a bit 'flat'. I know that etched kits sre often seen as the 'bees knees' but having seen several Silver Fox kits recently they look the part and are relatively simple, although the ones I saw (and are illustrated on silver Fox's website) lacked any further deatiling. which I think is a shame. If you can make it to Nottingam show the weekend after next, one of our members will be demonstating his own models of 7mm EM1s, complete with DDC controlled pantographs, unfortunately they won't be available for general sale, but definitely show what can be acheived. Next year we will have 'Woodhead' based layouts in O, OO and N gauge. :icon_drool: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 13, 2010 Author Share Posted March 13, 2010 I have persisted with the kit & i am finally beginning to enjoy the kit now its not perfect by any means & as great central has mentioned above their are certain parts of the kit which are bad. I have spent a few hours each day this week building up the remains of the body, & its starting to really look the part. I have been looking into the kit a little mroe & their is no cab detail at all & nothing to cover up the bulkhead behind the cab so you can see right thru the loco. I ordered the power bogies yesterday for the kit & once they arrive i will see how they will affect the fitting of some covers at the rear of the cab to give the model a little more detail on the model. Tonight i have fitted the handrails which wrap around the front of the loco i am taking a few photos which i will post later once the model is finished for the day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 The saga continues..... I've have been busy past few days spending a bit of tiem each day building the 76 up. now i am past the tear your hair out & check into the local mental ward now & into a more stress free zone. The thing with this kit is their is no prototype notes with it so it says fit this here fit that there but it doesnt tell you how it fits etc etc. Anyway here is where i am at now, the overlays are a pain in the khyber & i binned the door rivit detail because i really made a mess of one. I am starting to place all the rivit detail on though now & i found a great glue. I was trying to find something & came accross my wifes nail varnish what a multi purpose tool that is ( shes going to go mental when she notices it missing but i am saying nothing its now nestled in the depths of my tools. Thats how the kit looks at the minute. The cab overlays which were fitted a while ago became a pain again last night, the footplate which wraps around the cab front again didnt fit it was too narrow for the body & it took some work to get it to sit properly. I have ordered the motor bogies which should arrive within the next couple of days & i hope they are trouble free. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 .... pain in the khyber.... Now there's a phrase I haven't heard since the days of the Carry On films. It could be said that this project is revisiting history in more ways than one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Now there's a phrase I haven't heard since the days of the Carry On films. It could be said that this project is revisiting history in more ways than one. Tiz no easier in 7mm, here's double trouble!! see below. I used a different chassis on all three Cheers CC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted March 17, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 17, 2010 Tiz no easier in 7mm, here's double trouble!! see below. I used a different chassis on all three Cheers CC Hi The problems mentioned in this thread are a few of the reasons I avoided these when I built my N gauge ones. Mine are by no means perfect but are a lot easier to build as the body is a one piece resin casting. Not a lot of use though if you want 4mm or 7mm versions. I have noticed that JLTRT have a 7mm 76 on their list is this any better than the MSL one or did JLTRT buy the MSL kit rights? I ask as I quite like the idea of having a pair of 76s in 7mm scale just to sit on the shelf. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Pete Waterman bought the MSL one. I assume when he gets round to doing them they will be resin like the diesels. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotherwood EM1 Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 Hi all, As you can tell from my username this thread is of great interest to me Simon, thanks for letting me know about the forum, i'm looking forward to seeing this progress. I hope to be at the Nottingham show on Saturday for a short while so i'll be heading for the 0 gauge EM1 straight away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Hi The problems mentioned in this thread are a few of the reasons I avoided these when I built my N gauge ones. Mine are by no means perfect but are a lot easier to build as the body is a one piece resin casting. Not a lot of use though if you want 4mm or 7mm versions. I have noticed that JLTRT have a 7mm 76 on their list is this any better than the MSL one or did JLTRT buy the MSL kit rights? I ask as I quite like the idea of having a pair of 76s in 7mm scale just to sit on the shelf. Cheers Paul The JLTRT is the MSL kit, and someone did comment at Nottingham that it doesn't go together quite right. Anyone who saw the homebuilt 7mm 76's at Nottingham will probably agree it's the best looking version to date. I understand the builder will be writing an article for Railway Modeller soon... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 The JLTRT is the MSL kit, and someone did comment at Nottingham that it doesn't go together quite right. Anyone who saw the homebuilt 7mm 76's at Nottingham will probably agree it's the best looking version to date. I understand the builder will be writing an article for Railway Modeller soon... I saw the 0 gauge ones at Nottingham and can confirm they were looking superb. Had a word with the builder who told me all about the etching process and showed me the pantographs raising and lowering. Some may say thats a gimmick, but I thought it was cool! Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 .... Some may say thats a gimmick... ...all we know is, he's called The Stig Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I saw the 0 gauge ones at Nottingham and can confirm they were looking superb. Had a word with the builder who told me all about the etching process and showed me the pantographs raising and lowering. Some may say thats a gimmick, but I thought it was cool! Cheers. Sean. It is because the builder's home layout is in his loft, and there isn't clearance for wires all the way round so one obvious answer is for locos to drop their pans. It's possible in 7mm and 4mm through the use of DCC controlled servos or memory wire, and manufacturers are including this feature on some RTR models, such as the MTH Milwaukee Little Joe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Wonders will never cease!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 It seems stange to me that so many kitmakers go into minute detail about the smallset things, (which interest me), but then seem to stop just BEFORE completion. Do the kits get completed? And if so, why does the commentary stop? If not, why not? Must start another thread to ask...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now