3/4TC from YMRV (Hachette) / Bachmann MK1 coaches - 1967-1969 BR Blue

[Geep7]

When I first saw the YMRV MK1 coach, I thought it would make a great basis for a 4TC unit.

 

I've got quite a way through the construction, with one of the Driving Trailers (with MJT ends), the BSK (using modified Triang/Hornby sides) and the TFK (hacking the sides of one of the YMRV coaches to suit the window spacing) well on the way to being reasonably complete. (pictures to follow)

 

However, I seem to have hit a bit of problem, in that I can't seem to find any good detailed photo's / diagrams of the inner ends of any of the 4TC coaches, or decent diagrams of the underframe details for any of the coaches. Is there anyone out there that might be able to help?

Edited March 17, 2017 by Geep7

[Geep7]

As promised here are a few pictures of my 4-TC as it is currently:

 

 

One of the Driving Trailer's under construction.

 

 

The other Driving Trailer in undercoat. I've used the MJT whitemetal ends. I tried to make my own, like Colin Park's did for his absolutely superb 4-Cig, but I just couldn't get the corridor connection to look right, so i've gone down this route. Lots of filling and filing later, and I think it's starting to look the part.

 

 

 

This is the coach that's given me the most worry. Converting a standard MK1 TSO to an FK. Basically required cutting each individual window apart, and inserting a plasticard fillet to create the required window spacing. Yet again a lot more filling and filing to get to this stage.

 

The plan is to paint the unit in plain BR Blue with small yellow warning panels, as they wore when first built, so that I can run it along side my father's Southern Region stock. Just need to find myself a push-pull fitted Class 33 now.

 

 

 

[Ian Fisher]

Nice to see someone else making things out of them.

 

I have loads of spare sides if you get stuck with any element of your side conversion

 

Looking good.

[stewartingram]

On the slow burner I'm doing the LUL version. I've taken the easy route (at the moment at least, as I haven't progressed very far yet) of saying that LU bought selected coaches from withdrawn 4-TC sets, ending up with a pair of driving cars, a BSK, and a TSO. Basically they did just get ta selection of individual cars, so Rule 1 applies! I'm going to keep an eye on your conversion, good luck. Never thought of the whitemetal ends, moght give that a go.

 

Stewart

[kintbury jon]

Very impressed with the conversion into the FK.  Look forward to seeing this progress.

[steve1023]

I feel your pain matey. I'm shortly about start conversion work on 4TCs in both N & OO scale using differing methods, however information on the underframe/coach ends seems nigh on impossible to find. 

 

Steve

[5Bel]

Hi Chris,

 

Very impressive work, especially on the FK. I have a few of these coaches and the remnants of a MJT/Lima 4Vep, you have put me on the road to doing this conversion myself!! Looking forward to grabbing some more tips from you.

 

Cheers for now, Ian.

[wirey33]

Anyone interested in 4TC operation might like to have a look here...............

 

http://www.4tc.org.uk/413/

[jonhall]

If you follow the link to the Swanage 4tc group, then look in the gallery at 'dinting days' you will see quite clear views of the end jumper boxes. these are only on one side of each coach, so in the DTC it is always on the right of the corridor, on the BSK it swaps sides, so you can couple the cables on a DTC-BSK-DTC formation, and on th FK the junction boxes are both on the same side of the coach (not that I remember which).

 

IIRC the steps relate to the water tank fillers, which obviously only appear above the loos.

 

Jon

[Passed Driver]

Hi There. I am new to model railways( this time around' after a forty odd year gap) I would really like to build

An Etched Brass kit (LSWR coach) and have actually purchased a smaller kit to try out . And if I am

successfull ? I will give it a go but even if I do a good paint job? that still leaves the lining to do. Is there a simple way

To line a LSWR coach that looks good? I always like the projects on RMWeb , but in this instance I'm no sure if I could do a good

enough job. happy modelling Kev

[peter220950]

Chris

 

There's some usefull close ups on Brian Daniels thread on building one in 7mm,

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/1458-brians-7mm-diesel-workbench-4tc-conversion/page-107

 

the photo's look better than the real thing!

 

Peter

[Geep7]

Chris

 

There's some usefull close ups on Brian Daniels thread on building one in 7mm,

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/1458-brians-7mm-diesel-workbench-4tc-conversion/page-107

 

the photo's look better than the real thing!

 

Peter

Thanks for pointing me in that direction. Funnily enough i'm already following that thread. The detail is astounding, even for 7mm....

 

My own 4-TC is progressing very slowly. It took a back seat whilst I built the layout for it to go on (Blackhurst elsewhere on here).

 

I've got as far as painting the 2 DTSO's and BSK (now a converted Bachmann BSK), but that's about it. Loads of detail still to add.

[Geep7]

I notice it's been a while since I last updated this thread, so thought I should at least show a bit of progress. The imminent arrival of the Kernow version has spured me on a bit.

 

So my last update said the coaches had been painted. Well, I wasn't too happy with how well i'd painted it, so a week or so ago, I decided to rub back the paint and respray it.

 

But before repainting it, i've decided to add more detail. So first on the list is the beading by each door and at the bottom of the cabs on the driving coaches.

 

 

 

So far i've managed to finish both of the Driving coaches off, just the Brake coach to do.

 

Whilst having a quick look on Dart Castings website, i've noticed that they now do an etch that includes the lifting hooks for EMUS, so I have ordered a set, which hopefully should arrive next week.

 

And lastly, here is a view of the cab ends. I've increased the height of the gangways by about 3mm. It seems to now look right to me.

 

 

Next job is to finish the beading on the BSK, so photos to follow for that.

 

Cheers, Chris

[Geep7]

So, it's been about 4 years or so since I started this project, and finally I can say it's almost finished. Just a few final touches to the paintwork and a bit of weathering to go, plus the interiors for the DTS's to complete.

 

So here are a few photo's, apologies if the quality isn't great, they were taken on my phone.

 

 

 

 

The corridor side on the TBSK.

 

 

The compartment side of the TBSK.

 

The TC set has just arrived at Blackhurst from Reading, hauled by Class 33 D6511.

 

Ready to depart back to Reading.

 

I've given it the headcode 22, which is the route number for Reading to Redhill/Tonbridge services, and a TC set was allocated to run a peak time service on that route.

 

Obviously it's not on a par with the Kernow / Bachmann version, but I know I built it, and i'm happy with it.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Geep7

[Bibby Line]

Excellent work.

 

Eddie

[Geep7]

Thanks for all the like guys. So when I said it''s almost finished, well like most things it's not 100% there. I still need to detail the underframe on the DTSO's, what detail there is anyway.

 

I'm also going to finish off the TFK eventually to make it up to a 4-TC. But i'm very happy with it as a 3-TC at the moment.

 

Time to do something else. I have a pile of engineers wagons to build.....

[john new]

Excellent thread here. I note from the OP's first entry it was a struggle to find for drawings of these. Has a book subsequently become available with drawings of the 4TC units? 

Edited April 7, 2018 by john new

[Geep7]

Excellent thread here. I note from the OP's first entry it was a struggle to find for drawings of these. Has a book subsequently become available with drawings of the 4TC units?

Not really, most of it was done by a lot of guesswork. But it helped that I used to have one in N gauge many moons ago.

 

I've had a copy of the Haresnape / Swain British Rail Fleet Survey 10 for quite a few years which has a couple of diagrams in, but not big enough to get any useful measurements from.

[john new]

Not really, most of it was done by a lot of guesswork. But it helped that I used to have one in N gauge many moons ago.

 

I've had a copy of the Haresnape / Swain British Rail Fleet Survey 10 for quite a few years which has a couple of diagrams in, but not big enough to get any useful measurements from.

 

Thank you. I can't afford the Kernow one, like most new stuff it may be an excellent model but is out of my budget range. I recently bought a 2nd hand Lima 33 105 - when I get round to it my TC unit to go with it will be very much a bodge from 2nd hand Mk1's. It will, in due course, be a representation not an accurate 4TC.

Edited April 7, 2018 by john new