adb968008

The handbrake on a DMU was in the cabs at both ends. I would have expected they would have been the same. Only a setter would have been needed for the guard, if at all? Interesting that the first design incorporates a Commonwealth bogie. Perhaps a bog standard DMU version wasn't a smooth enough ride for the management.

 

Paul J.

Yes but usually the handbrake wheel in a DMU is to the right of the driver

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Class_108_driver%27s_cab.JPG

 

With the driver only having 1 (left window) of space to work with, that’s a pretty cramped working environment... then stick in a wide handbrake wheel, emergency brake and I suppose shove the Aws warning up the glass somewhere somewhere within the confines ..

 

It wouldn’t be pleasant for the driver, though as I said management have their own two seated (note armchairs) front window with seated views, dining table, kitchen, bathrooms.... guard can always have standing room in the back single window cab and keep his bag over his shoulder the entire journey, no pie warmer for him.

 

Whilst i’m No fan of unions, on this occasion i’d side with the crew, No wonder this one didn’t appear

 

The second single railcar looks better, with full cabs, but then it feels more of a management jolly train, there doesn’t look to be much space for “academic work” beyond a dinner table and the kitchen. With a full cab the benefit of forward view is lost, beyond the benefit of a regular DMU.

 

Sticking with an inspection saloon was probably the more practical option.

 

The two car looks the more practical solution, but restricted view still. I guess the two car was rejected on cost, there could have been a fourth way forwards that could have worked...

 

The DMBS looks like any other, so why not borrow one on demand, they could then have just built a trailer with a kitchen, dinner table, toilet and open plan viewing gallery to use as needed, no need to even have it motorised and it could have either hauled, added to a DMU consist or with a DMBS, just like the trailers built for class 121’s.

Given their forthcoming model of the LNER dynamometer car, I wonder why Rails haven’t produced this model as City of Bradford with British Railways lettering on the tender? They would have made a fine pairing.

Wouldn’t it need a Bachmann WD tender though ?, which means compatibility between tender/loco connector and the plug, not to mention liability and warranty issues between competing vendors.

 

Given how 34006 Bude sold, and how many seemed to be parted out or saw the tender sold off is probably an indicator it wasn’t a selling match made in heaven.

No, not really. I've only been modelling in 00 for 3 months (I come from 20 years of Japanese N)

I only own 3 Hornby locos !!

They can be sold off tomorrow and it'll not affect me, nor Hornby I know, but you pays ya money, takes ya choice!

It seems the Merchant Navy I bought 2 weeks ago also has a history of the same problem, so that's going before it also falls apart.

 

That's it from me on this matter.

 

Thanks for your inputs :-)

3 months, 2 projects and 1 failure on the bench and and your already zeroed out ?

 

Some of my modelling projects take decades, indeed I have a couple of projects I’ve not given up on that I started when I was a teenager, and i’m In my forties teaching my daughter to do it now.

 

I have one project, a Trix BR52 conversion from a Russian T3 to a Mav 520 (quite a simple one), that I started 5500 miles away when I lived In The West Coast US, in 2001 which has outlived dozens of ex girlfriends, 4 countries, and 6 changes of address, at one point the model was in dozens of bits, some in Hong Kong, some in Manchester and the rest in San Francisco, but is now sitting on my desk fully assembled in London awaiting a smoke box part and painting for me to finish it...as models go it is probably a candidate for the most geographically dispersed overhaul of any rtr model, it doesn’t have an end date as I need the smoke box door.. to date no right sized spare has appeared for some years and the model is long out of production, somewhere in a dark corner of the garage I might have it, I’ve learned a little German so someday a rauchkammertur for a soviet t3 trix 22515 may appear on ebay,de..

 

My next project is even older than me, my father started a two rail conversion of Duchess of Atholl circa 1972, his first train as a kid in the 1950’s.. I expect and hope to have it working for the 1st anniversary of his death next April... along with a dozen other projects between now and then too... including a full time job which sees me Flying abroad, a family, Christmas etc.. he always wanted to see it work again, even in his last few weeks in hospital he asked me to look at it, now I’ve got the chance to make it happen, with the remit of using only the original material (repair not replace) as this one is important to me... 46 years to complete.

 

Don’t give up before you’ve started, if Hornby don’t have the part, ebay will prevail, but in the meantime, put it on the shelf and work the next one.

 

I’ve had several failures over the years many due to the desire to rush it, though now my problem is the opposite.. I’ve too many projects started, but unlike real life, modelling projects have no end date.. if it annoys you.. leave it, it’s a hobby, start another or pick up on a project where you left off.. there no better feeling than finally completing a project from years ago, and the last 2 years I’ve had plenty of those.

 

Persistence.

Not much space for the driver in that first single car example, and no space for the guard either, indeed Brakes (hand brake, guards brake) seem to have been secondary to the kitchen, maybe it was designed by ikea ?

So if I get this right.. if I order all 4 packs of 4, plus the individual, I will have 17 uniquely different wagons.. rtr ?

Fantastic.

 

So my preorder would represent 0.55% of the preorders to make this happen.

Finding another 181 other people wanting an eqivaltant 6 coach trainlength load can’t be that hard to make this happen ?

 

Looks like a 24.5 toner here at Rawtenstall when it was a coal concentration depot (on the left), note the full length stanchions.

On the right a vac braked 21t..

 

https://photos.smugmug.com/History/Rawtenstall/i-QZq3jRD/1/f465d50b/L/Rawtenstall%20Coal%20Yard%20JD%201-L.jpg

 

Just add a 40 or a 25, and a brake van.

 I am not sure that it is an authentic train as the Pullmans may have been in maroon livery in SE & CR days but it looked good with the illuminated table lamps. 

 

Its very Bluebell though, just add Golden Arrow logos. :-)

Or you could just buy a plain black one, and renumber it at will...

 

http://www.hattons.co.uk/94512/DJ_Models_Dave_Jones_H1410_Class_58xx_0_4_2T_5819_in_BR_Unlined_black_with_early_emblem/StockDetail.aspx

 

Number plates available from fox, bit of double sided tape and jobs a goodun.

History of the loco:http://www.eastsomersetrailway.com/stock.php?num=705

Photo of the actual BR owned Andrew Barclay..

https://photos.smugmug.com/Misc/Archive-Photos/i-cDfXRQn/2/f3cbd881/L/1140-L.jpg

The H class has apparently had a repaint that has yet to be revealed...

 

Edit: Reveal the repainted H class and the rumoured collectors club model of it at the same time?

Oh no..

It’s going to be painted Hornby Orange/Red with a Huge H on the side and yellow lining.

On the bunker ends will be some of those letter wheels, to collect for an 86414 model.

It’ll have catalogue number R3537 as a running number on the bunker side.

 

Limited edition of 1, for the first club member to sign up, but will need to arrange their own shipping out of the NEC.

I remember seeing these once completely unexpectedly at Bangkok’s main station.

They are a cheapened down version, it felt like, with foot steps and manual doors.

 

Railmatch colours I would venture (unless anyone else disagrees)..

 

200 Executive light grey

201 executive dark grey

202 warning panel yellow

203 Rail white

208 Provincial light blue*

209 Provincial dark blue*

 

And of course you always need some black.

 

* this set of transfers would be a must have.. it voids the need for 208 & 209, gives you the Numbers, Windows surrounds and even some additional markings.

 

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/express-class-158-complete-livery-pack

 

Full size Picture of the sheet here..

https://fox-transfers.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/2dfba82ca589aca4258937695a19c66a/f/4/f4245.jpg

 

Good luck with the Thai Railways text and font !

We said this about 101s etc 30 odd years ago !

Living in Scotland and being deprived of pacers I would go out of my way to travel on one ......and I love a 153 !

Mike b

Somewhere, I have a picture of a Pacer in Inverness, around the time the 37/4s were coming off the far north lines, and the bridge collapse. I took it at lochgorm workshops, where the shed master poetically said “never fear over my dead body will it be running round here”.

It was there for workshop repairs, apparently around this time sheds could “bid” for repair work from other areas.

Carlisle is one of them stations that just never seems to change.

If a large logo blue 47, or 87 on blue grey stock rolled in now, and you took a picture of it.. you’d be hard pressed to guess when it was taken.

My only gripe with the Grange is it doesn’t like point work (4 way or curved pointwork) or moderate curves.. I have nothing worse than a 2nd radius but for the most part I have 3rd & 4th, what tends to happen is the front bogie jumping the track, or riding up and trapping itself under the cylinders, occasionally shorting out too. I only have 1 Hornby hall but haven’t run it, but i’m Assuming that’s the same. My Bachmann Manor & Halls (old and new) are fine with it.

 

I’ve got 3 of them and they are all a bit quarrelsome with my track (my track is no WCML, but most other stuff tends to be ok with it). I’ve got 6803, 6862 & 6879 so cover several years of production, Someday I might dig deeper but they aren’t my favourite engines, so for now they tend to be shedware.

That cabside stripe was regarded as a crude defacing thing by railway enthusiast around at the time. Times have certainly changed when folk say it would look nice.....

 

That said, it would have to be on a model if the period was towards the end of the Duchesses lives. Forty years ago there were modellers who wouldn't touch the GWR in the 1930's because they didn't like the roundel! What goes around comes around.....

That means one day people will like Pacers too.

It would be an R1 0-6-0 if you did it, as (IIRC) they got H-pattern boilers: the unmodified Rs had the domeless Stirling boilers that were pitched much lower.

 

I'd love to see how you could do it without having to repaint and reline. Myself, if I had to re-do the livery I'd start with the SEF kit instead of chopping up the Hornby.

I’m thinking i’ll Use a black one, rather than the SECR one, then paint it unlined black when finished. R1’s aren’t as glamorous, but one in preservation would have been very nice, maybe one day the Bluebell might turn that spare R1 boiler they have (3 boilers, 2 locos) into something more, until then it’ll be a bit of modelling.

 

I’ve got a while before I start this one so i’ll be doing a bit more research first.

I was taking photos north of Carlisle station at Caldew Junction on 20 August 1992 when a down express approached headed by Class 87 87012. As it drew near there was this almighty bang and I noticed two 'waterfalls' of liquid starting to pour out of the loco. It started to slow down and went about a quarter of a mile before stopping near Etterby Bridge at Kingmoor.

Anyone and idea what caused this?

The truncated track at the bottom all that is left of the freight avoiding line.

 

 

CA059_14_20171103_0017_1200.jpg

 

 

CA059_14_20171103_0017_1200_crop.jpg

Driver got took short and isn’t going to use the loo when standing in the station ?

I used to put big descriptions, but no one bothered, though one person did email me to correct my opinions, I did use the auction description to slate the LNER A1’s as being rubbish a little ;-)

 

Now I just put a disclaimer and refer to the pictures, and highlight the known issues

 

I find it makes no difference other than giving me minutes of my life back I otherwise would have lost.

I posed it with an Airfix 4f 0-6-0 chassis, as that’s just what was to hand (and the wheelsize is the same).

Not sure what i’d use for a real conversion yet, got a Z to finish first, and an L& Y Baltic, oh and a Q, and there’s a PKP Ty2 lurking, a motor for a HO class 81, I’ve a liliput 81 needing a motor, and a Scot to swap it’s split axles and in my spare time a Bury Class 504.

 

That’s before my wife finds me to do trivial stuff.

 

But the intention is there, now I’ve seen it can be done :-)

 

I’ve got a spare 02 0-4-4T (I have 3) and thinking whether to put an 0-6-0 chassis under that too.

 

(I do get occasionally get stuff done though.. finished two L&Y aspinall 0-6-0st, an LNWR cauliflower and an L&Y A Class recently)

So a nice twist to my monkey Sunday with my previously damaged Duchess of Atholl.

 

I received a phone call on Monday from Derails informing me my William Stanier was available for dispatch. Dan said he noticed my post on the forum about my damaged Duchess of Atholl and said that he had spare available and would I like him to add one to my order.

 

As always Derails test the locomotive before sending, I Can’t get better than that so now I have both my two duchesses ready to go.

Possibly because notoriety sells, and the shameless will always capitalise on it. Wait for models of 46202, 46242 and 45637, to name but a few.

A couple have been done in rtr...

 

http://www.hattons.co.uk/33574/Bachmann_Branchline_31_175Z_Class_5XP_Jubilee_4_6_0_45637_Windward_Islands_in_BR_green_with_early_emblem/StockDetail.aspx

 

http://www.hattons.co.uk/66908/Lima_L205278_Class_40_40126_in_BR_Blue/StockDetail.aspx

If purchasing power provides this sort of leverage, maybe small suppliers need to create some form of collective purchasing mass. It’s called co-opertition... like minded competitors co-operating for mutual benefit. Is there some sort of federation of local model shops or lobby group out there yet? Maybe not including everyone, but those who are able to work together?

Good idea but I think the best example is a Rails and Locomotion where they link up on similar but different limited editions.

 

Not sure it would work on general release models, but imagine if two groups in Essex got together and did 45163 and 45293, or in Lancashire to do 45407 and 44871.

Of greater concern would be the price risk, £190 is a lot of money for a loco, and selling below rrp would be counter intuitive for a limited edition, it’s one only retailers with broad shoulders can support hanging round for a few years.

I think Hornby need to supply you with the Loco in an Airfix Box

Oh Yes please !

 

If they supplied various body parts prepainted i’d be having fun all day long.

 

This new stuff is so much fun to assemble than the old days.

Such cruelty to a brand new loco, how would you like to be disassembled and displayed in such a way?

 

Besides Loco's have feelings too

The CME insisted on a partial strip down before acceptance into service.

Everyone wants to get lucky on a first date, H is no exception, one could say it was easy and willing to reveal its parts.

 

The two Duchesses behind the H however don’t seem to be as revealing, they are a different class, whilst attractive, they are stiff rigid and expensive, no challenge.

Interesting sub-assembly. Has that been done before in RTR?

Bachmanns Std4 2-6-4T and the 3mt 2-6-2t are built in a similar way (on those the cab/tanks, bunker and boiler are separate components.. in those cases, I don’t know why that was done as there no different variants I can think of (it’s not even useful for making a 77xx from the 3mt)).

 

However one myth the model does dispell is about being unable to keep the joints tight..until I dismantled it you couldn’t tell they were there, and after putting it back you can’t see them again. In addition to two body part screws, one each side of the part, they clip into slots on the chassis, which makes it sit tight.

Only two niggles with reassembly.. the handbrake in the cab is very tight to the boiler piece it took a few attempts to get it right without strafing it, the second is the whistle.. it doesn’t sit nicely on the cab roof when the roof is in the palm of your hand !

 

The dome and cab roof are also separate fittings. When removing it gently used my finger nail starting at the bunker and working forwards to edge it from the chassis, the body is thin no way would I suggest any metal tools to gain leverage.

It comes out easy enough though.

To remove the chassis, there’s two screws, one either side of the bogie, and two screws at the front.. one to remove the NEM pocket and another hidden underneath that pocket presumably this was done to give a screw under the boiler as the front screw if alone wouldn’t be strong enough in the frame and would be too big and come above the frame.

 

Cab detail FYI is fantastic, really worth having the body off to see it, and the windows are push fit, so are flush to the window, inside and out, so has no hangover plastic in the cab (though the front windows have gauge glasses on the inside too..but glass gauges are clear ! Oh and sprung buffers too.

 

 

As for an R1.. shorten the frame at the footplate end, and the bunker, bit of filing work to curve off the tanks ends..

4f 0-6-0 (5’2” wheeled chassis) and away you go for 31128 at least..

http://www.semgonline.com/steam/pics/mm_31128.jpg

But looking how modular it’s built, and the various other unexplained sprue marks, I can’t help thinking they have already thought about this and the 01, which all share common components.

Looking at my H today, I was wondering how hard it would be to get an SECR R 0-6-0T out of it.

 

My conclusion is, it doesn’t look that hard, if I removed then shortened the bunker (which is a separate piece), modified the tanks (which is also a separate piece), added some elements to the front wheel splashes, and cut the frame, where their is a mould Line, add some screws, where there are some screw indentations in the body, I could then swap for an 0-6-0 chassis..

 

Is it really that simple, and looking underneath it, it kinds of feels there’s a “cut along the dotted line” feel to doing it ?

 

An O1 doesn’t look hard either.