Signaller69's projects

[cheesysmith]

I know the 303 is on the list of body only kits he is intending to re-release. The 504 is already avalible. We just need to keep a eye on his website and some gentle reminders now and then.

[Signaller69]

I know the 303 is on the list of body only kits he is intending to re-release. The 504 is already avalible. We just need to keep a eye on his website and some gentle reminders now and then.

Great news if that is the case; mine was on the basis of "no underframe parts are available" and was a case of when he could get around to getting the rest of the parts together from storage. It would be fantastic if some of the kits get re-released.

[Waveydavey]

Yes Martyn, I just spaced the plastic frame down with plasticard till the buffer height was about right. On the long one I used the Replica frame and added a variety of Heljan and Lima DMU bits. The short one was easier still as I just fettled a Lima 101 underframe to fit.

[Signaller69]

Yes Martyn, I just spaced the plastic frame down with plasticard till the buffer height was about right. On the long one I used the Replica frame and added a variety of Heljan and Lima DMU bits. The short one was easier still as I just fettled a Lima 101 underframe to fit.

Thanks for the info, that's just what I was hoping for!

[Signaller69]

I managed to give the Replica chassis a test run on Crinan last night and all is well, it is a very nice runner.

 

My plan is to only remove the footsteps (from all 3 chassis) where they are not required, by cutting away the surplus sections.

 

However to do this really needs the bodyshells in position to mark up the steps; this in turn means sorting out the cab end windows to unrefurbished condition in particular before they are fixed onto the body, so this has been the focus of my attention.

 

Cab ends as supplied with refurbished windows:

 

 

The inside of the cab is conveniently marked for drilling holes for handrails, air pipes, buffers etc, so pilot holes were drilled, and the cab windows marked for enlarging around the sides before drilling around the offending area, taking care not to remove too much material and to get the angled rear edge looking correct:

 

Just needs a little more cleaning up now:

 

More soon.....

[cheesysmith]

Might be worth looking at Hornby class 50 jumper cables, as spares, for the cab, replacing the original moulding. Also comes with a ETH cable, useful for loco detailing.

[Signaller69]

Might be worth looking at Hornby class 50 jumper cables, as spares, for the cab, replacing the original moulding. Also comes with a ETH cable, useful for loco detailing.

Thanks, good thinking! Replica's set of pipes that I was planning to use is currently unavailable. I have been looking at MJT's set (aimed at Southern type units) as I need to order a few other parts, but might give Peter's Spares a try too for the Hornby parts.

[Signaller69]

The first bodyshell has been assembled. The 3 part sides were assembled first using Plastic Weld and left weighted on a flat surface to harden off for 6 hours. Once the roof had been cut to length the cab front was attached, followed by the sides and then the inner end. Fit onto the Replica underframe is very good, obviously its only loosely in place currently.

Edited August 16, 2018 by Signaller69

[luckymucklebackit]

I know that I am getting waaaay ahead here, but if you were ever going to desecrate what is already looking like an excellent model by weathering it, the AM3s (lets use the correct classification for the era) suffered from an unusual and I think unique weathering, - the body sides would get a covering of a horrible dirty yellow film which used to obscure the windows!  The cause of this was traced to a combination of the chemicals used in the carriage washer at Bridgeton and the dust that was generated from the brake shoes fitted to the units, apparently it was very difficult to remove once it formed but this lasted for a few years around the late 1960s/early 1970s.

 

Jim

[Signaller69]

I know that I am getting waaaay ahead here, but if you were ever going to desecrate what is already looking like an excellent model by weathering it, the AM3s (lets use the correct classification for the era) suffered from an unusual and I think unique weathering, - the body sides would get a covering of a horrible dirty yellow film which used to obscure the windows! The cause of this was traced to a combination of the chemicals used in the carriage washer at Bridgeton and the dust that was generated from the brake shoes fitted to the units, apparently it was very difficult to remove once it formed but this lasted for a few years around the late 1960s/early 1970s.

 

Jim

Hi Jim,

thanks for the info, I will be adding some weathering, mainly around the underframes & bogies. Hopefully I will pluck up the courage to try my airbrush soon, in which case I will try to find some period specific shots (there don't seem to be too many around online) to see if I can find the effects you describe. I was looking at Bridgeton on the Railscot site the other day as it happens, mainly for modelling inspiration. Can't be many termini where the whole station was closed and then used as a stabling point-come-depot.

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

Coming back to the assembled Trailer car with fresh eyes this morning, it is apparent that the body sits too high on the chassis (by about 1.5mm), due to the depth of the Replica chassis. Although the bottom edge of the body overlaps it, the doors do not, sitting on the top edge, so may need to be trimmed slightly to do so.

 

The photo Jim (Luckymucklebackit) uploaded on the 303 thread v the model show this: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96363-dc-kits-class-303am3-emu/page-2

 

 

Edit for link. Not sure why my photos appear small all of a sudden but clicking on them should bring up full size image.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

The sliding doors have been modified so that the body now sits at the correct height, by cutting away the lower inset portion. The remaining cars will have this done BEFORE assembly, hence why I had only done 1 car to test the fit.

 

Luckily, in service this lower door area and the footsteps appear to be silver (anti kick treadplate presumably - although in Jim's photo above after withdrawal/departmental use they are blue) so this will be fairly straightforward to replicate by painting the appropriate chassis area before final assembly.

 

The body now sits at the correct height and I can think about removing the unwanted stepboard portions.

 

Edit: you may have noticed I have not gone down the route of cutting away the window frames to fit Replica flush glazing. There are 3 reasons for this: firstly, the windows are recessed inside to give "almost flush glaze", comparable to using etched sides; Secondly having tried to paint the window frames blue on such a piece of flush glaze it is difficult to avoid them being semi-transparent and also for me do a neat enough job; and thirdly, to my eyes the windows appear a little deep compared to the real thing (subjective maybe-see photo above), which is the case with some other units like the 126 I did, so the Replica windows would probably still be incorrect. So I decided to live with them as is.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Signaller69

[luckymucklebackit]

Martyn - Have a look at this page from "Hidden Glasgow" - http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2761  towards the bottom of the page there are screen grabs from a BTF film, some good detail of AM3s

 

Jim

[Signaller69]

Martyn - Have a look at this page from "Hidden Glasgow" - http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2761 towards the bottom of the page there are screen grabs from a BTF film, some good detail of AM3s

 

Jim

 

Good find Jim, nice colour shots there, shows the silver area at the bottom of the doors nicely too. Think I will go with BR blue on mine, but that lined Caley Blue is VERY tempting....it shows the lining to be yellow/black/silver which I hadn't appreciated before either.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

Darrel of this parish has kindly been in touch with a new link to his incredible series of Class 303 photos, including many great detail shots:

https://darrels.smugmug.com/Trains/Class-303/i-5dSNmMn

and also the (similar) preserved Class 311 Facebook group:

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1104094942947869&ref=content_filter

Edited August 17, 2018 by Signaller69

[Ian Smeeton]

Cracking shots of the 303's.

 

I knew them in blue, and blue grey, but only photo'd them in B/G.

 

Unfortunately, I moved away before the Carmine & Cream, and the later Strathclyde Orange/black.

 

Some shots attached, no good for detail, just atmosphere

 

 

Arkleston Junction

 

 

Queen St Low level ( I think)  Anderston

 

 

Passing the site of Georgetown Station, between PSJ and Bishopton

 

Looking forward to the rest of your build.

 

Regards

 

Ian

Edited August 17, 2018 by Ian Smeeton

[Signaller69]

Cracking shots of the 303's.

 

I knew them in blue, and blue grey, but only photo'd them in B/G.

 

Unfortunately, I moved away before the Carmine & Cream, and the later Strathclyde Orange/black.

 

Some shots attached, no good for detail, just atmosphere

 

2010_0901Workshop0012.JPG

 

Arkleston Junction

 

2010_0901Workshop0016.JPG

 

Queen St Low level ( I think)  Anderston

 

2010_0901Workshop0085.JPG

 

Passing the site of Georgetown Station, between PSJ and Bishopton

 

Looking forward to the rest of your build.

 

Regards

 

Ian

Hello Ian,

Thanks for sharing your photos, very nice shots. I need to check through my own photos sometime - don't recall taking any 303's on my occasional forays north of the border, but its possible I guess; it was mostly 304's in the North West at that time and the odd 310/312. Don't recall seeing the 303's transferred to Manchester either unfortunately!

 

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

All 3 basic bodyshells have now been assembled and the Replica powered chassis has had the underframe lowered by inserting 1mm plasticard spacers where required; fortunately the original screws were just long enough to accomodate this after a little extra countersinking. The cosmetic power bogie frames have also been fitted to the mounts on the bogies. Ride height is now spot on across all 3 vehicles.

 

I was going to use another Replica coach underframe on the powered chassis but the screws would need replacing and the screw mounting holes all align with the underframe cross trusses which is a pain, plus some trusses would interfere with underframe gubbins. As the trusses would not really be visible anyway, I decided to give it up as an unnecessary complication.

 

 

The roof ends need trimming in a couple of places and a couple of joints need a little filling and smoothing but so far so good.

 

Roof and underframe detail to be added next. MJT order has gone in for buffers, buffing plates etc but I still need to source a pantograph.

[Kelly]

Coming along nicely Martyn. I really must dig out my EMUs and get at least one of them finished (and some of them restarted!) I've slowly been getting 507/508 parts and 5WES parts from eBay when funds allow as well.

 

It is interesting that DCKits are starting to do some body only kits, it'll be good when the southern ones become available (especailly the Hastings gauge items!).

[Ian Smeeton]

Does Michael Edge do something suitable for the Pan?

 

Regards

 

Ian

[luckymucklebackit]

Looking really good Martyn - the AM3 is a difficult unit to get right I think, I have seen some efforts in the past where it is clearly an Am3, but somehow it just doesn't look quite right.

 

Jim

[Legend]

Looking really good Martyn - the AM3 is a difficult unit to get right I think, I have seen some efforts in the past where it is clearly an Am3, but somehow it just doesn't look quite right.

 

Jim

Yes I’d say your unit looks pretty good to me . I know what Jim means I’ve seen some that just don’t quite do it. It must be very subtle differences. I think cutting out the front curved windscreen certainly helps with this . Really great thread , like the 126 , creating units that I used to ride on every day . Lovely .

[leopardml2341]

 

It is interesting that DCKits are starting to do some body only kits, it'll be good when the southern ones become available (especailly the Hastings gauge items!).

Where are these available please?

[Signaller69]

Thanks for all the replies folks, it is much appreciated.

 

Kelly, we popped over to Liverpool yesterday on a 507/508 (didn't note which); there are a lot of posters up advertising their replacement with new trains; I will be sad to see them go, being a proper "old school BR" unit.

 

Ian: thanks I will look into it. Darrel's photo link (see post #465) has some especially good images of the pantograph, its a surprisingly large piece of kit when you haven't really been paying attention to them previously! ("Heljan Class 86" was my immediate thought,) but I have so far been looking at HO versions (Peter's Spares have several possibilities) which would be robust but possibly a little on the small side, combined with scratchbuilt footings. Several cast metal insulators were helpfully provided with the roof detail for the kit.

 

Jim: thanks, I have noticed a few areas that are not "quite" right, apart from the subjective window size; the cab roof "dome" is possibly a little understated, and on the motor car the roof-to-pantograph-well transition is too plain and not quite in the right place. These are minor details and probably compromises to keep costs down and will be addressed where possible (eg the motor car roof I THINK is designed for a Clacton unit as it has the well at one end and a dome/headcode box at the other and is designed to be cut to length). However, as the alternative is scratchbuilding the whole thing, I am quite happy; the overall shape of the cabs and bodysides is very good.

 

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

Where are these available please?

Hi Andy, I think Kelly may have been referring to post 451 above (top of this page).

 

Edit: I have not heard anything regarding this, but we can hope.... I don't think the DC Kits website has been updated; I strongly suggest anyone wanting to check availability drop Charlie a line to check if the item is available.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Signaller69