forest2807 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) I've just started a conversion to produce a Class 83 and wondered if anyone else had done anything similar and had any tips/advice or knew of any pitfalls to avoid? I suspect that most Class 81 models currently running on layouts are produced either from the DC kit or by modifying proprietary Trix or Triang products, and with the imminent (fingers crossed) arrival of the Bachmann Class 85, DIY conversions to that particular class will be rarer in the future. Or is there a hidden fleet of models hiding out there somewhere? If I feel brave I might put some photos up here of the work in progress.... Edited August 5, 2012 by forest2807 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I thought about convering a couple of Triang AL1's a while ago. The Triang 81 has class 82 bogie frames. The idea was abandoned when I got my mitts on a Lilliput class 81. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Hi Adrian Ask andy gautry. I think hes done them all. Wait for the Bachmann 85 though A couple of Andy's locos have visited the plank, see http://jsmithwright.demonweb.co.uk/stock/other/visitors.html Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 OK, as promised, here are a few photos of progress on the Class 83. The donor Hornby Class 86 was cut in two, reduced in length with reference to scale drawings and cut-and-shut together to give a bodyshell of the correct length. The cab profile was changed to give more of a raked front by sawing upwards from the tumblehome along the vertical line where the yellow of the nose would meet the BR blue if it were painted, and adding plasticard slivers to increase the angle. I used superglue as filler to smooth over any uneven areas and filed/wet and dreyed it smooth. The sides had large holes drilled in it and filed to produce apertures for the grilles and windows. They are deliberately oversized because as you can see from the later photos I have constructed new sides from thin plasticard and in order for the grilles and windows to sit flush with these new bodysides, a large recess was required on the inside of the bodyshell so they could sit on the insides of the new bodysides (sounds complex, it's not, I'm sure I could have explained it better!). The picures probably make more sense than my explanation. Next I need to blend in the bottom of the new bodysides with the tumblehome - much glue and filing to the correct profile I think, and then reduce the size of the cab handrails as they aren't the full height of the cab door on an 83. Then it's more sanding, new nose handrails and last of all I need to do something about the roof. I'll worry about that later! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thats starting to look really good. i almost wish i could get away with one on outon. Im still trying to justify one of bachmanns new 85s when they come out! Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Hi Adrian To my mind the al1-5 family have much rounder cab fronts than the 86's I would carefully cut off the tail lights (save them for later) and sand the fronts rounder I think HTH Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 That had occurred to me Jim. The tail lights sit too low so will be carefully sliced off and repositioned higher. The headcode box is nothing like the headcode on an 83 (it barely resembles a Class 86 box either!) so will be removed I think, and a recessed panel created. The problem with sanding the nose into a rounder profile is that it will reduce the depth of the shelf at the bottom of the windscreen, and then the windscreen pillars will need to be moved backwards and all the measurements will be out of proportion! I think I'll leave well alone. Any tips or further advice warmly received, particularly about roof detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 I'm back from my glamorous round the world honeymoon and now the modelling can recommence! The Class 83 has had its headcode panels drilled through and filed to shape, and the bodysides have been given a coat of white primer to show up areas that need more attention with the filler and wet and dry paper - mainly the 'shoulder' where the plasticard bodysides join the roof and need more blending in . I'm happy with the way the bodysides appear to blend in to the tumblehome but the bodyside windows/apertures for grilles seem to be sagging inwards a tad. This may be because of the light shining through the thin plasticard and might be less obvious when the body is sprayed blue (I certainly hope so!) The roof still hasn't been touched. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Looking very good Adrian. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 looks like a 83, excelent work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Nice one! When it is finished you can always place in store in my Croxley WR Depot ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Richard_A Posted September 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 3, 2011 that looks really good! are you going to reuse the 86 bogies or will you be scratchbuilding some? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 are you going to reuse the 86 bogies or will you be scratchbuilding some? Thanks for the positive comments. No, the Hornby bogies are incorrect - I have a set of resin Class 83 bogie side frames that I may use on this project. I have a whitemetal set too, I just need to decide which set to use! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 Hi Adrian Are they the old applegreen ones? Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 Hi Jim The resin ones were obtained from a member on another forum (one with which you are familiar!) - he made me a set after I was put onto him by someone else. The whitemetal ones were bought from Ebay a couple of months ago, I'm not sure of their origins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 This conversion looks really good so far. I'm considering a similar project using the Tri-ang class 81/85 but modelling the Polish EU07 class which was a development of the EU06 class, themselves built under licence from English Electric and based on the class 83. Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hi JimThe resin ones were obtained from a member on another forum (one with which you are familiar!) - he made me a set after I was put onto him by someone else. The whitemetal ones were bought from Ebay a couple of months ago, I'm not sure of their origins. They could be early DC kits, I'm sure they did a brass and whitemetal 83. Another alternative is to use Roco DB110 or 140 bogies & chassis, I have one tucked away for an 83 that I've yet to start.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 They could be early DC kits, I'm sure they did a brass and whitemetal 83. Another alternative is to use Roco DB110 or 140 bogies & chassis, I have one tucked away for an 83 that I've yet to start.... Are these bogies correct for the 83?.... Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hi Adrian Ask andy gautry. I think hes done them all. Wait for the Bachmann 85 though A couple of Andy's locos have visited the plank, see http://jsmithwright.demonweb.co.uk/stock/other/visitors.html Cheers Jim I've only just found Jim's comment. I've done an 81, two 85's, and the class 84 loadbank. I've enough bits to fill in the missing gaps but not enough time or inclination to do so. For the record, I'd use: 81- Triang body on Hornby 86 bogies 82- Triang body & bogies 83- Triang body on a Roco DB110 chassis 84- Hornby 86 body on Bachmann Commonwealth coach bogies 85- Hornby 86. Obviously these are from a time when a good diesel was regarded as a pancake powered RTR model with a Craftsman detailing kit, so I'd like to think in the decade since there are more advanced bits to use such as a Heljan Hymek or Bachmann Warship chassis. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 Thanks Sean. Your project sounds interesting - keep us posted on your progress. I spent last night and this afternoon putting a cantrail/rain strip onto my Class 83 using microstrip. It was attached using Humbrol matt varnish and then when dry the surrounding area was sanded smooth again to remove excess varnish. All I seem to be doing on this project is sanding and spraying! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 The moulded Class 86 style kickplates beneath the doors have now been removed - next job is to fabricate some that look more like those on an 83. The length of the cab door handrails has also been reduced since the last photos were taken using offcuts of plasticard. These were then filed/sanded/blended into the profile of the bodyside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Day off today so kickplates have been fabricated and fitted, and more primer applied. The bodyshell (apart from the roof) is now complete and awaiting yellow and blue paint. I won't post more pics as the recent work isn't immediately apparent at first glance, its just a few bits of plastic so there aren't many major differences from the last lot of photos. I'm pleased with the way this has worked out so far, I just need the stamina to finish it now. I have a Heljan Class 26 mechanism which will provide the power so I need to start work on the chassis. Providing I don't get distracted by my Class 89 project.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 A little more progress - the recessed area of the roof has been cut out and replaced by a plasticard insert (if anyone has photos showing the layout of the panels within the recessed area I'd love to see them - none on AC Group site), then a final coat of primer for the whole body. Then the ends were sprayed with Railmatch warning panel yellow. The headcode panels will be black dominoes, but they can wait for now. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Tail lights and headcodes - she's starting to look like a real loco! I think I'll do dominoes at both ends as my modelling period is really 1980 onwards, but I'm going to make the glass plates (acetate sheet cut/filed to size) friction fit, ie not glued, so I can sometimes slip in and later remove 4 character headcodes courtesy of a Heljan Class 47 detailing pack. A few light coats of good ol' banger blue next methinks....... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 That's looking really nice ! First AC electric I ever saw was 83003 - belting through Queen's Park in late 1973 just after emerging from the Bakerloo line (on the way to shed bunk Willesden and Old Oak) - always considered her "my loco" - was sad when she was written off in the 1975 collision. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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