the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Hi everyone. I started this topic in the Q+A section, then transferred to my blog, but don't seem to be able to add any more pictures, so thought I'd start a thread running. Basically, I found an old Airfix ex LMS coach in the loft, (well, two actually), that were both in a bit of a state. With a spare set of Bachmann LMS coach bogies and some odd bits of glazing, I thought I'd see if I could upgrade the coach to somewhere near the standard of the new Hornby Staniers, to complement the ones I have at the moment. I model 1965 to 1967, NE region, so the Airfix model as it was, didn't appear to last so long, so I plumped for the Diag 2117. Only problem was, the coridoor sides had two extra doors and a slightly different window pattern to the Airfix coach, so some hacking was needed! I know I could use Comet sides for the conversion but had all the parts to hopefully cut the costs right down. I know it may not be 101% accurate, but I'm not a rivet counter, so will be happy if it has the general appearance of the prototype and if not, there's always the Comet sides, so everyones a winner. I intend to modernise the underframes too, as the current one seems a bit "chunky", so I've ordered up some bits from MJT and Southern Pride, (sprung buffers, roof vents etc) and so it will hopefully make a nice quick conversion to run alongside some of the other projects I'm currently on with. Photo's to follow. 1st new door added in corridoor side and adjacent window moved 2mm to the left of its original position. Second new door marked out for cutting. Second new door added. Full side view with both new doors added. Interior view showing plasticard added to strengthen the cuts. After filling and sanding the joints, the coach has been primed and is awaiting the arrival of the detailing parts. Full side view of the coridoor side. Thats all for now, I'll post some more, once the shiney bits arrive. Thanks for looking in. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted March 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2010 Nice chopping. I really admire this kind of work... ... and as modellers we perhaps should be doing it more often rather than sitting back and moaning that Bachby haven't produced the items we would like. Keep it up and I look forward to the results :icon_thumbsup2: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Nice chopping. I really admire this kind of work... ... and as modellers we perhaps should be doing it more often rather than sitting back and moaning that Bachby haven't produced the items we would like. Keep it up and I look forward to the results Thanks for your thoughts Griff. Mind, if my previous experience is owt to go by, Hornby will be producing this coach imminently! I'm thinking Lima class 101 and Hornby class L1 there!!!! Work will progress regardless though..... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted March 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2010 Thanks for your thoughts Griff. Mind, if my previous experience is owt to go by, Hornby will be producing this coach imminently! I'm thinking Lima class 101 and Hornby class L1 there!!!! Work will progress regardless though..... Cheers. Sean. Your welcome... ...I know what you mean about the manufacturers being killjoys. I remember getting my Branchlines 4MT chassis to work the week before Bachmann announced their model and today I read that they are to release an FNA - the paint is barely dry on mine! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Your welcome... ...I know what you mean about the manufacturers being killjoys. I remember getting my Branchlines 4MT chassis to work the week before Bachmann announced their model and today I read that they are to release an FNA - the paint is barely dry on mine! Uh oh.... You'll have to enlighten me what an FNA is though? Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted March 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2010 Uh oh.... You'll have to enlighten me what an FNA is though? Sean. ... it's a Nuclear Flask container carrier... from another place and another time... I have several railway modelling interests Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 ... it's a Nuclear Flask container carrier... from another place and another time... I have several railway modelling interests Ah. The penny drops. Always interested in scratch building/kit bashing, so if there's a link, feel free to post. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb900f Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Hi Sean Nice bit of handiwork and quick as well. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted March 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2010 Ah. The penny drops. Always interested in scratch building/kit bashing, so if there's a link, feel free to post. Cheers. Sean. No problem http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/5991-griffs-workbench/page__p__49273__fromsearch__1entry49273 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 No problem http://www.rmweb.co....__1entry49273 Just had a look in on there Griff. Although I don't know the wagons, the work you've done looks to be of a high standard. I'll be looking in again to watch progress. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted March 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2010 Thanks very much... ... as I say The paints just dried and it's got all the wheels and catches (around the white flask cover) fitted - I will get some pics done to show the finished article. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Hi Sean Nice bit of handiwork and quick as well. Pete Hi Pete. Thanks for looking in. If it wasn't for your picture, I'd have been a bit lost with this conversion. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
m mcdermott Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 hi frozen thingys ,looking good should come in handy for summer saturdays in bridlingtonshire ,what era is this to be ? im thinking black 5 or jubilee on front.see you wednesday if you can make it .mali Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 hi frozen thingys ,looking good should come in handy for summer saturdays in bridlingtonshire ,what era is this to be ? im thinking black 5 or jubilee on front.see you wednesday if you can make it .mali Its going to be Maroon Mali, with the Yellow 1st class band. 1965ish, so yeah, needs a filthy black 5 in front with and excursion from Manchester. I'll be there on Wednesday hopefully and should have a certain L1 to cast your eyes over..... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
m mcdermott Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 i was only thinking about the new sound one last night ,apparently it sounds good when turned down and tweeked Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 i was only thinking about the new sound one last night ,apparently it sounds good when turned down and tweeked I hope you're talking about the Black 5 and not the L1.... Remind me on Wednesday, I might have a spare Hornby Black 5, the China one of course.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Hi all. Well, the coach has been sat on the shelf for the past week with not much happening, (the L1 still comes first as it needs finishing before Hornby release theirs), and I'm still waiting for the shiny bits to arrive...... I have been tinkering with the bogies though, and from looking at pictures, I think the Airfix ones look more accurate than the Bachmann spares which, to be honest, I think look more like the BR MK1 bogie, despite the packets being labelled "LMS bogies". I have reamed out the axle boxes and added some bearings and Romford wheels from the spares box. The front tie bar has been removed and using the Bachmann bogies, I have remade the tie bar so a close coupling unit can be fitted. I forget who makes them at the moment, but they're advertised in the modelling press and, having used them before, feel certain they can be adapted to use them with the Hornby NEM couplings. Once the new tie bar was glued in, I covered it in araldite to make it a little stronger. All a bit messy, but will hopefully be disguised once repainted. Photo's below. Cheers for now. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 25, 2010 Author Share Posted March 25, 2010 hi all. Well, its been a busy few weeks with work and the finishing of the L1 body, but after a visit to the Nottingham show, I came home with the shiney bits to add to the coach. I did not realise that Comet did individual parts, but a visit to their stand resulted in the underframe etchings and white metal fittings. I have also bought some sprung buffers but will not fit these till later on. I have fitted the underframe now, as well as the door hinges and the coach is now in undercoat. Some photo's below of the progress so far. All self explanatory, so no captions. I'm away on my hols now, so there won't be much progress over the next few weeks, but stay tuned for the next thrilling installment!........ Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 You were probably thinking of Keen close coupling units. http://www.keen-systems.com/ I like the work you are doing. I've been doing something similar with the old Hornby Colletts to make some of the coaches that were converted from the GWR articulated stock. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 Hi Adrian. You're quite right. I was thinking of the Keen Systems couplings. I'm hoping that with some minor fettling, I will be able to adapt the Keen unit to accept the Hornby close coupling adaptor and, thus, have a full rake close coupled. I have a couple of gangway options too, so along with sprung buffers, it should be ok. I'm out the country at the moment, but I'm hoping to order the coupling units when I return - I also have a rake of Thompsons I'd like to close couple too, so will probably order enough to do them too. I'm not sure about things Great Western as its a bit off my patch, but if there's a thread running, please post a link. I'd certainly be interested to watch progress. Cheers for now, (or should I say czesc). Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Hi Adrian. You're quite right. I was thinking of the Keen Systems couplings. I'm hoping that with some minor fettling, I will be able to adapt the Keen unit to accept the Hornby close coupling adaptor and, thus, have a full rake close coupled. I have a couple of gangway options too, so along with sprung buffers, it should be ok. I drill a hole through the coupling (using the hole in the Keen pocket as a guide) and use a small bolt to hold the coupling in place. I'm out the country at the moment, but I'm hoping to order the coupling units when I return - I also have a rake of Thompsons I'd like to close couple too, so will probably order enough to do them too. I'm not sure about things Great Western as its a bit off my patch, but if there's a thread running, please post a link. I'd certainly be interested to watch progress. Cheers for now, (or should I say czesc). Sean. I haven't started a thread on my conversions. I really should get around to it. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 I drill a hole through the coupling (using the hole in the Keen pocket as a guide) and use a small bolt to hold the coupling in place. I haven't started a thread on my conversions. I really should get around to it. Adrian Nice one Adrian. Could you perhaps post a picture of your coupling bolt method. A picture paints a thousand words and all......... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Nice one Adrian. Could you perhaps post a picture of your coupling bolt method. A picture paints a thousand words and all......... Cheers. Sean. I'll see what I can do about a picture. The nice thing about the Keen system is the pocket is effectively an NEM pocket with the bottom missing. This means that any NEM coupler will fit quite snugly in it, but you need a positive attachment to prevent it from dropping out. I use a bolt because I tend to play around with different couplings, so for me a non-permanent attachment is a good thing. You could just as easily use glue if you don't anticipate a need to replace the coupler. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted March 30, 2010 Author Share Posted March 30, 2010 I'll see what I can do about a picture. The nice thing about the Keen system is the pocket is effectively an NEM pocket with the bottom missing. This means that any NEM coupler will fit quite snugly in it, but you need a positive attachment to prevent it from dropping out. I use a bolt because I tend to play around with different couplings, so for me a non-permanent attachment is a good thing. You could just as easily use glue if you don't anticipate a need to replace the coupler. Adrian Ah yes. Got the idea now. Glue or bolt, either way, thats what I'll be trying. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Pulham Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Another non permanent way that works quite well is to use Deluxe Materials Tacky Wax - you just put a blob in the hole and it holds it in but will pull out if you need to without any damage. I had it originally recommended as a way of sticking people in coaches and platforms with out permanently gluing them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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