mike knowles Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The following shows some detailing I recently carried out the bogie side frames on a Bachmann Class 37 number 37410. This I believe was one of the first revised models with things like the cantrail grilles sorted out compared to the initial models. The main area that bugged me was the brake cylinders which looked to be in need of a good feed!, but Pete Harvey’s etched footsteps also appealed. First some prototype pictures taken at the Class 37 birthday bash at the NRM last year, the light was just at the right angle to show up the detail. Next up, a couple of pictures of the etched footsteps. There’s no getting away from it – they are fiddly - seven separate parts to solder together to make one step, but they do look superb. My hold and fold tool proved extremely useful both during the bending of the components and also to hold them whilst being soldered. I did give up on the two etched strips provided to join the top step to the lower ones, I found them to be just too flimsy and substituted them for 0.33mm wire, after all this loco has to earn its keep on our exhibition layout. Next the brake cylinders, following a suggestion from others on here I purchased some of the Detail Associates ones from M G Sharp. Although an American item they do match up quite well with the Class 37 ones (compare with the prototype photos above) and above all have some real meat on them! A few pictures showing the steps and brake cylinder installed and comparison with the original. One problem soon became apparent was that the steps and brake cylinders were now well proud of the body side (see pictures below), confirming suggestions by others that the Bachmann bogies are too wide. As a result I cut the bogie side frames away from the central unit, trimmed the cross pieces and glued the side frames back on again reducing the overall width by 2mm (1mm each side). Doing one side at a time meant I could use one side as a reference to position the other. Sorry I forgot to take any photos of this stage. Fortunately the plastic used on the bogies responds well to being glued with Zap but I also reinforced the joints by adding some further overlays of thin plasticard. The final photos show the finished job, the footsteps and brake cylinders now sitting comfortably under the body. Repeated removal of the bogie sideframe moulding eventually caused the plastic securing clip at the end to break, this was cured by inserting a small bolt and nut, see photo below (it was trimmed down later). Nothing to do with the bogies, but the other thing that bugged me on the model were the windscreens. A set of Shawplan etches and laser cut glazing (what a wonderful idea) soon sorted this out. So there you are, not exactly ground breaking modelling, but it was enjoyable to do and I at least think it’s made a difference. There are still other things to do (e.g. brake levers & chains - so more to follow). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Hi Mike Have you assembled the steps correctly? The middle step is far too low compared to your prototype pictures? Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike knowles Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 Hi Mike Have you assembled the steps correctly? The middle step is far too low compared to your prototype pictures? Cheers Jim Good point - with my chronic eyesight I must admit I hadn't noticed (shows how close up photo enlargements can help). However if you look at the photo below taken from Pete Harvey's advert/thread on here you can see the same arrangement. So I think I've assembled them correctly - Pete where are you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Mike I have seen your pictures what Jim means. I think that it's a combination of things: 1, you have the bottom set of steps a little low, maybe because you have replaced the side supports with wire. 2, you have the bottom steps on the wrong way around if you look at the picture with the penny and yours (look at where the nose grills are). 3, your top step is not under the foot hold in the body. I will take some more pictures of the model tomorrow for you. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike knowles Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 Cheers Pete. I'll have another look at my steps in the flesh. Although I've only just posted the thread I actualy built the steps a few months ago so I can't remember exactly how I did them. I have some more to do so will see how I get on with them. With regard to not lining up with the foot hold in the body I remember I did have problems fitting the step around the fatter Detail Associates brake cylinder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Mike, A nice report. It's good to see the detail associates parts being used... although I went a different route for those of my Class 55 bogies (cast rather than fabricated but similar in most other respects)... I thought the da ones were a little large, so used the cylinders off a Hornby class 50 bogie (not a cheap way to do it though)... and these look about right - plus fitting thme is quite easy... or easier than removing the Bachmann moulded ones anyway (I hated working with that soft plastic). Noting the difficulty you had with the position of the steps.... I recall that when James Hilton did the same to his, he only modified the outer ones, leaving the inner as was as it's mostly hidden by the steps. I'll admit that having the inner cylinder to the same dimensions is better - but maybe that needs a little hacking to allow correct fitment of the steps. Now that this is done... are you going to: a. lower the bogie ride height; b. fit brake lever and chain These are the easy (ish) things to do, to improve the overall look (and sit) of the loco - although there may be a penalty to pay on navigable radii... but this can be assessed as you go. Interestign to see that you bolted the bogie back togther - it was the flexibility (or lack of) of the materials that made me decide not to reduce the width of the class 55 bogies... and given that I've left the fuel tanks at the full width too, the effect isn't too noticeable (no I know that 2 wrongs don't make a right, but you can get away with it if you don't look too closely ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike knowles Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Thanks Jon020, glad it was of interest. Picking up on the points you raised; • The Detail Associates cylinders may be a little large – does anyone have actual dimensions for them? • The Bachmann cylinders were in fact separate mouldings which I easily removed by pulling/twisting them off with a pair of pliers. However I currently have 37038 sat on my workbench for detailing and initial glance indicates the cylinders on this one are moulded on! • Leaving the middle cylinders alone could be a good move to aid positioning the steps, it would also save some money – I am from t’Yorkshire after all! • I aim to add the brake levers & chains and maybe lower the ride height, I’ll update the thread accordingly. • Reducing the width of the bogies turned out easier than I thought as the plastic was easy to glue back together. I remember some years ago putting a Lima Class 40 body on a Bachmann Class 45 chassis – the one introduced about 15 years ago(?) with the central motor and drive to both bogies, (not the current Class 45). To do this I obviously had to put the Class 40 bogie sideframes on the Class 45 bogies – no type of glue would stick these together at all, in the end I had to make up subframes from brass strip and screw/bolt the respective parts together! • I’ve not reduced to width of the fuel tanks on the Class 37, maybe something to consider. Again does anyone have actual widths over the bogie sidefames and over the tanks to compare with? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon020 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Thanks Jon020, glad it was of interest. Picking up on the points you raised; • The Detail Associates cylinders may be a little large – does anyone have actual dimensions for them? • The Bachmann cylinders were in fact separate mouldings which I easily removed by pulling/twisting them off with a pair of pliers. However I currently have 37038 sat on my workbench for detailing and initial glance indicates the cylinders on this one are moulded on! • Leaving the middle cylinders alone could be a good move to aid positioning the steps, it would also save some money – I am from t’Yorkshire after all! • I aim to add the brake levers & chains and maybe lower the ride height, I’ll update the thread accordingly. • Reducing the width of the bogies turned out easier than I thought as the plastic was easy to glue back together. I remember some years ago putting a Lima Class 40 body on a Bachmann Class 45 chassis – the one introduced about 15 years ago(?) with the central motor and drive to both bogies, (not the current Class 45). To do this I obviously had to put the Class 40 bogie sideframes on the Class 45 bogies – no type of glue would stick these together at all, in the end I had to make up subframes from brass strip and screw/bolt the respective parts together! • I’ve not reduced to width of the fuel tanks on the Class 37, maybe something to consider. Again does anyone have actual widths over the bogie sidefames and over the tanks to compare with? Mike, looks like you need someone to have taken photos with a tape measure in them... hmmm I wonder if Brian (Hanson) has any of those? He might... he made some prototype cast resin bogie frames for 55s a while ago, and they're the same (give or take a few details)...? the brake cylinders on the 55 are moulded... as they are on 37038 (I have one too)... but on the 55 they're a bit beefier than on 37038... but not enough. The mention I made of the fuel tanks was for the 55... not 37. I suspect the 37 ones are ok (unless someone can corect me here)... but I've left these well alone. I've just posted a blog update myself... of my 55... very much a long term project! 40 on a 45 - interesting project... but why not? that's a SulzEEr then is it? Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Hi all Are there different types af steps on 37's? Pete's pictures show a deep front to the lower 2 steps that is clearly missing from the prototype pictures. This to my eye might be the reason why the spacing looks odd on the models Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 looking at the DA brake cylinders, they seem ok to me, ive used them on my mode of 37425. I think they may be a little bit larger than those found on the real class 37 bogie, though they do look better than the weedy ones that were originally moulded onto the bogies by Bachmann. The thing that bugs me about the PHD steps, and as I mentioned in the products thread on this forum when I saw the picture, is the spacing of the bottom two steps doesnt look right to me? Im sure the middle step should be closer to the top of the support brackets that hold the steps up? IMO I think the Bachmann steps look fine, although the top part is fine and would benefit from a peice of thin plastic strip adding NL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted July 22, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2011 looking at the DA brake cylinders, they seem ok to me, ive used them on my mode of 37425. I think they may be a little bit larger than those found on the real class 37 bogie, though they do look better than the weedy ones that were originally moulded onto the bogies by Bachmann. The thing that bugs me about the PHD steps, and as I mentioned in the products thread on this forum when I saw the picture, is the spacing of the bottom two steps doesnt look right to me? Im sure the middle step should be closer to the top of the support brackets that hold the steps up? IMO I think the Bachmann steps look fine, although the top part is fine and would benefit from a peice of thin plastic strip adding NL I thought the same...sort of. Actually if you compare with the proto piccy the bottom step is too high on the model, looks like there should be a little more space between the bottom and middle step.....the bottom step on the proto looks to be inline with the bottom of the cast bogie frame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
big T Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Pete - what is the chance of you making some brake cylinders & arms? Is there any way to get the brass chemically primed as matt black? Confused of Tamworth! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Is there any way to get the brass chemically primed as matt black? Birchwood Casey Brass Black/Gun Blue . Not exactly matt black depending on the quality of the brass and how clean it is but useful against shiny chips in the primer after its painted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Great thread thanks for sharing, I have some steps on order to do my 3 so useful to read the comments above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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