Bulleid 2HAP EMU

[Colin parks]

I have decided on a 4mm scale 00 gauge 2 HAP unit for my layout, Newhaven Harbour c.1974. This particular type of unit was designed by Bulleid but came into service in 1958. All 36 units were transferred to the Brighton depot in 1972 and could be seen running on 'Coastway' services (including those to Newhaven) from about 1972-76.

 

Tracking down photos of the sides of these units has been hard, but a new book, 'A Pictorial Record of Southern Electric Units' by Brian Golding has a good picture and plans as well. I had already made a start on the motor coach sides before obtaining the book, unfortunately(!). I can now see that the windows should be more rounded in the corners, but I think that some remedial work with paint to fill in the corners will help (I could not bear the thought of starting again). The side are cut from 20 thou plastic card. these will be strengthened with 40 thou once the curve has been made in the sides. I have to mark out and drill for handles and door-bangs first.

The roofs are formed from 40 thou plastic card, I'm not sure if I should admit exactly how- health and safety you know! You can probably guess the method from one picture anyway.

There is still some work to be done on the windows as I can see from the digital images - they never lie!

 

I am going to order the chassis parts from NN Kits if they are willing to sell me what amounts to a 2 EPB kit without the body- sides. If they don't I'm in real trouble!

 

 

 

[rail_blue]

I get the feeling you've done this before. Those sides look brilliant, I see why you don't want to start again! Did you buy or make that former for the roof? (And who from/how?)

[Colin parks]

I get the feeling you've done this before. Those sides look brilliant, I see why you don't want to start again! Did you buy or make that former for the roof? (And who from/how?)

 

Hi rail_blue,

 

Thanks for the comment. The roof former is made of two pieces of hardwood, the inner being slightly undersize for the desired roof profile to allow for the thickness of the plastic. The outer part of the former could have been sanded a little smoother but produced a reasonable finish on the plastic. The over-size piece of plastic sheet for the roof was firmly clamped between the two pieces of wood and baked in a Rayburn oven for 5 mins - the former being pre-heated. After removal from the oven, I pressed the edges of the roof against the inner former as it cooled to maintain the profile. If you don't do this the plastic tends to try and sraighten as it cools. I did make the wooden parts long enough to allow for shrinkage and so on.

 

There was an element of luck involved in the process and I certainly could not recommend putting plastic and wood in an oven to anyone. This was done at my own risk, so please don't try this at home - as the saying goes.

 

I used the sides of the former as a guide when trimming the excess off the sides of the roof. These roofs are now sanded, trimmed and ready for the addition of the guttering which will be in the form of plasticard strips fitted under the bottom edge of the roof. The reinforced sides will then be attached permanently to the roof. I am pondering about the ends - making them from plastic will make a stronger and neater body in the long run, but getting the correct 'face' on the driving ends will require very careful cutting out.

 

Colin

[eastwestdivide]

You can find a fair few pics online - some of these show the corridor side with the distinctive handrail as well as the inner compartments visible through the windows - presumably you'll be adding an interior with those big windows?

 

http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class414_03.html

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Pages%20EMU/Recognition%20EMU/IllusEMU_414.html

http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/sales/foxley0078_5636.jpg

(above from http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/sales/segsalesslides.html)

[Colin parks]

You can find a fair few pics online - some of these show the corridor side with the distinctive handrail as well as the inner compartments visible through the windows - presumably you'll be adding an interior with those big windows?

 

http://www.semgonlin...lass414_03.html

http://www.therailwa...lusEMU_414.html

http://www.southerne...ey0078_5636.jpg

(above from http://www.southerne...lesslides.html)

Many thanks eastwestdivide,

 

I hadn't seen the Foxley slide picture (in your third link). The other photos I had seen before, most of the intersting and useful ones are of the standard BR 2 HAP where the toilet is positioned at the end of the trailer coach (and of course the windows are squarer - and the BR version is longer etc. etc.).

I shall be putting an interior in each coach, those online pictures are, I think, of the BR version. There are many potential mistakes for the unwary when modelling Southern EMUs.

 

Colin

[Colin parks]

Further to my last post, I have just looked again at that semgonline.com link and there is a photo of the corridor side of a Bulleid type 2 HAP! I'm sure it wasn't there before! Thanks again eastwestdivide, the shot gives a good idea of the internal compartment windows on the corridor side.

Well, enough of this, I'm off to form the tumblehomes (if that is what the curve in the sides should be called). If the method I have in mind doesn't work it's the end of this topic!

 

Colin

[eastwestdivide]

... the standard BR 2 HAP where the toilet is positioned at the end of the trailer coach...

Did you mean the middle? The BR standard 2-HAPs had a trailer with a 2nd class saloon with a door to the toilet, and 1st class compartments with corridor and access to the 1st class toilet. Both toilets were in the centre of the coach (unlike the SR/Bullied pattern).

Will you also be adding the distinctive smell of the green soap bars that were found in those units?

Good luck!

[Colin parks]

Did you mean the middle? The BR standard 2-HAPs had a trailer with a 2nd class saloon with a door to the toilet, and 1st class compartments with corridor and access to the 1st class toilet. Both toilets were in the centre of the coach (unlike the SR/Bullied pattern).

Will you also be adding the distinctive smell of the green soap bars that were found in those units?

Good luck!

Yes eastwestdivide, I meant the middle! My memories of the distinctive smell of the toilets in those units didn't come from the soap.....

 

Colin

[Colin parks]

A few photos of the latest progress.

 

Forming the curve in the body sides has worked! The first picture shows how it was done. I used an old bradawl handle and rubbed the side face down, with the edge of the side against the raised lip of the jig (a left-over from making up the sides for a DC Kits BR 2 HAP). By rubbing firmly (with the handle on its side) lengthways and starting from the bottom and working up, the required curve was made. The plastic is remarkably resilient, I was worried that the door pillars might break, but there were no problems at all.

 

 

I have used photo references for the profile, which is an even curve from top to bottom. You can see the bowing caused by cutting the windows in this shot too. ( second picture).

 

 

This process was done 'cold' and I have reinforced the side with 20 thou. plasticard on the back as shown in the third picture, adding a strip of 40 thou. to the top edge. This leaves recesses for the glazing to locate into and the extra laminations have stiffened and straightened the sides as well.

 

 

The fourth picture shows the side and roof (with gutters added, giving a wider surface for fixing the roof to the sides.

 

 

Next will come fitting the door hinges. From experience with kits previously, I am making these from pieces of 20 thou. plasticardlocated edge-on in the door/side gap. The hinges stand off the body side at different measurements from top to bottom, so the middle ones are almost flush with the top and bottom ones standing off the side ( remember hinges have to be in line or the door wouldn't open). When painted this looks convincing enough.

 

At this stage, the door-bangs are best fitted too. These will be made from pieces plastic rod inserted into the pre-drilled holes and trimmed when set. More pictures of that process to follow, along with deatailing the roof.

This weekend I shall make the inner and outer ends out out plasticard.

 

Colin

[Ark Royal]

I am going to order the chassis parts from NN Kits if they are willing to sell me what amounts to a 2 EPB kit without the body- sides. If they don't I'm in real trouble!

 

 

 

Hi Colin,

 

If NN kits can't supply them you may be able to get the bits you require fromy others such as Southern Pride Models dependant on what you need to buy.

 

Mark

[Colin parks]

Hi Colin,

 

If NN kits can't supply them you may be able to get the bits you require fromy others such as Southern Pride Models dependant on what you need to buy.

 

Mark

 

 

Thanks for the tip about Southern Pride accessories. I'm still planning to get the NN Kits parts as the underframe equipment will be correct for the model, but it's good to have a plan'B'.

 

Colin

[Pugsley]

That's beautifully neat work Colin - have you cut each individual window out by hand?

[Lyddrail]

Colin,

 

I have a 2HAP (SR) kit to build from SRG, I think they sell undregear packs etc from their web site.

 

Your scratched version is looking very good.

 

Cheers.

[Colin parks]

That's beautifully neat work Colin - have you cut each individual window out by hand?

 

Yes Pugsley, each window is created by marking out the position in pencil with the side laid onto the plan ( just under the window-line) and marked with a ruler. The corners were than drilled through with a 1.5mm bit in a pin-vice.

Then, with new Stanley knife blade, used without a handle - just the blade, the window was cut out. I always cut inside the required size and open out with a round needle file, rubbing side-ways mostly, so as not to take too much off.

With this method you can't make a mistake! Each side has taken four hours to cut and fettle. Once it proved to be possible, the method became quite enjoyable.

 

I can't claim any originality for this way of building coaches, it was quite common in the 70's. The best exponent of plasticard coach construction, whose work I saw at Westminster central Hall once, was Mike Peascod. His coaches were of the highest quality - I wonder if he is still at it?

[Colin parks]

Colin,

 

I have a 2HAP (SR) kit to build from SRG, I think they sell undregear packs etc from their web site.

 

Your scratched version is looking very good.

 

Cheers.

 

Hi Lyddrail,

 

Thanks for the comment and info about the SRG. I had never come across them before. The kits are the old Phoenix range I presume. I decided on plasticard because I don't think I'd get on with aluminium body shells. However, the fact that there are many parts sold separately is very interesting.

 

I thought I had replied to your post, but it seems I hadn't! Do you have any shots of your 2 HAP?

 

Colin

[Colin parks]

Well, the 2 HAP is beginning to look a bit more 3-D now. The body-side detailing is done bar the door and grab handles. The ends and roofs have got as far as they can go at present. There are many details which are not possible to fit without more photographic evidence and a good set of drawings. The roof conduits and just about everything else on the trailer composite remains a mystery to me!

The bodies went together quite well, the rain strips above the doors need extending as the cab ends were fitted to the front edge of the roof rather than underneath. Luckily the body scales in nicely at 250mm - exactly right for the prototype which measured 62' 6" in length over the body.

 

 

The cab end windows were cut oversize, then 20 thou. plastic strips were added to the inside edges to form beading - this was filed to a thinner profile the next day. It was a delicate operation, as was add the small gutters above each window. The cab side windows were done in the same way with a strip of 20 thou. followed by a strip of 10 thou. slightly proud to give to surround shape an 'L' section. The glazing will be lapped to give the effect of sliding windows.

[MikeTrice]

Beautiful work.

[tomstaf]

Colin, the consistency and shapes are so crisp. Absolutely amazing!

 

Regards

 

Thomas

[Turkey]

they look fantastic...

[SRman]

As all the others before me have said, that really does look very good. I assume you are still adding detail as there should be another pair of roof strips (gutters?) parallel o the ones you have done; those would have been the rain strips on earlier builds that had the sides curving continuously over what counts as the cant rail and into the roof.

[Colin parks]

As all the others before me have said, that really does look very good. I assume you are still adding detail as there should be another pair of roof strips (gutters?) parallel o the ones you have done; those would have been the rain strips on earlier builds that had the sides curving continuously over what counts as the cant rail and into the roof.

 

Yes, SRman,

 

The rainstrips are next! It won't be the easiest job to get them fine enough, but I shall use 10 thou plasticard for them, applied (with solvent) over-height a filed down carefully when fully set. There are all the conduits to do as well. As I have said before, the motor coach is easy in terms of knowing their positions but I'm delaying adding the trailer coach until I'm sure where the conduits went.

 

Those earlier builds you mention were the seconed series Bulleid 4 SUBs. Lack of a cantrail gutter on the 4 SUBs caused the tops of the doors to rust due to the ingress of rain water. Why the later 4 EPBs 2 HAPs and 2 EPBs had two rain strips I don't know (I'm sure someone will!).

 

Colin

[Colin parks]

Thanks also to Turkey,Mike Trice and Thomas for your compliments.

 

It's really not that hard to work in styrene sheet, the shaped parts have stayed true - so far! There is a lot of subtle laminating and bracing added to counter any tendency to warping and so on. As in the photo below of the cabs ends.

 

 

This method of construction used to be quite common, though we are so well served by the trade in terms of rolling stock, that it is not as necessary to scratch build as in the past.

 

Colin

[Ark Royal]

Yes, SRman,

 

The rainstrips are next! It won't be the easiest job to get them fine enough, but I shall use 10 thou plasticard for them, applied (with solvent) over-height a filed down carefully when fully set. There are all the conduits to do as well. As I have said before, the motor coach is easy in terms of knowing their positions but I'm delaying adding the trailer coach until I'm sure where the conduits went.

 

Colin

 

Hi Colin,

 

Great work so far. Are you intending on using these for the conduit junction boxes on the roof conduits?

 

 

I think they make a world of difference, best bit of all they are pre-drilled to thread onto 0.30" wire?

 

 

They are listed here under P307.

 

Roof Conduit Boxes

 

What do you think ?

 

Mark

[Colin parks]

Thanks for the photo of those lamp tops Ark Royal,

 

But too late! - I have already added details to the 2 HAP DMBS roof using plastic rod - well, the topic does say: 'The hard way'! A photo is worth a thousand words in describing what it all looks like:

 

 

The trailer coach roof is going to be next. Kevin Walsh has kindly sent me some information which will help with progress on detailing.

 

Question: Does anyone know why the traction power control conduits (if that is what you call them) on the roofs were placed, as they were, off-centre and differently on the trailer coach to the motor coach?

 

I can understand lighting conduits being centred over compartments and so on, but the other cable runs on these 2 HAP roofs seem to be arbitrarily placed. On Bulleid 4 SUBs for example, everything is in line from coach roof to coach roof if not centred - someone out there must know why or what dictated the positions.

 

Colin

[SRman]

Wow. You really are making good progress there, Colin. Insiprational!