Bomp

The Lima roof is compremised to allow the use of the diamond shape pantograph from one of their HO european electric models (the pantograph base on UK locomotives is/ was a standard size, to allow pans to be swapped/ changed as required). I agree with Dagworth, don't use the Heljan body, just the roof area between the cabs.

 

I did this mod many moons ago:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/1070-class-87/

The bogies are Hornby class 90 spares, IIRC you need 4 bogies, as the wheelbase of the Hornby 90 is too short. You cut the 90 bogies in un-equal halfs, chuck the short bits and stick the long bits together, turning 4 bogies into 2 the correct size.

 

Alas, still don't have a fix for the cab windows of the 87 (ithe sides are too in-set into the body, and needs to be pulled out, probably with plasticard and some nice etches for new detail), which is what urks me most about the Lima model. Still, their effort was still a lot better than heljans 86...

 

ClikC

I've looked at this post in great detail, it's where I got the idea for chopping the roof out.  I'm still dithering about which surgery to go for - I honestly can't see the differences mentioned in the replies on here.  So I'll look again, very closely.

It may be, though, that I go for what appears to be an easier swap (cabs) and have a look at the completed loco.  I'm not saying the differences aren't there or don't matter, but if I can't see them and I'm content with what I have (at least until I get to know the AC electrics as I'd like) then I may just go with good enough for me for now.

I am doing something similar - but I was thinking of just changing the cabs over - to my untutored eye, the bodies look the same enough.

I've got some of these, but they've got too many happy memories for me to butcher them.  Though I do occasionally look at the from the corner of my eye thinking what they could become.  Somewhere I have a complete boxed set with track.

Mine's in my basement too.  (Link in the footer).  I like this.  The close coupled coaches look really good - I'll be doing some close coupling myself once I've got fully functioning track.

Looking forward to seeing much more of this

It was the local branch of Lloyds.

2mm finescale? Awesome! If I hadn't got 25 by 10 feet to play with, I'd be tempted to go down a scale based on the quality you've got here!

I see nobody noticed the upside down stretcher I put in deliberately to catch people out. Anyway, it's all done now, and it only remains to take and post a photo or two to show the vast improvement.

I am frankly making a dreadful hash of transfers, so I think I will carry on regardless and make my mistakes on this loco then when I've got a few more under my belt I'll revisit her and do her properly.

As far as the nameplate background colour is concerned, she was shedded in Scotland, and they liked to do their own thing with name/numberplates, so that's why it's red for the 1946 Black Livery.

I'm in the process of renaming a Hornby Coronation as Princess Alice after my daughter. But there's a "real" one to go on. Does that count? I'm also going to have to have Princess Charlotte - again, there was a Star, but I may fudge that one and pretend she was rebuilt as a Castle and kept the name...

James, if you were going to create a EWS class 66 an unusual one ive spotted arround is 66177 which has white cab roofs. I dont know why they were painted like this but it may be an interesting feature which i havent seen on a model shed before.

 

I would imagine those roofs are white for cooling/lack of heating porpoises.

Edit for note to self: don't go shopping, then buy and eat Chinese between writing reply and posting it.

Will this build include a sound chip with the actual prototype loco's sounds on? I'm sure there must be something unique to the prototype that would show it as different to one in the know!

I too will be watching, as much for inspiration to get something of my own done as to see what you do!

I found an old wardrobe door in my basement, and an old notice board, and some lengths of baton I had lying around and knocked up a free baseboard. Then I decided I needed a bit more length to run bigger engines on it, so I found an offcut from when we fitted new wardrobes. I think I'm having similar issues to you! See my blog for "progress"...

We use Kadees throughout - partly to improve inter-vehicle spacing and partly for ease of uncoupling. For the latter we started with magnets underneath the track. They certainly uncouple a treat - draw the vehicles over stop, ease couplings by setting back a fraction, and then away you do - either leaving the vehicle there or (preferably) propelling away into a siding. Unfortunately on lightly loaded wagons there is a tendency to uncouple when you do not want them to, and we are progressively changing to electromagnets underneath the track - harder to fit because you need a hole and more clearance - but really work a treat. Kadees do need to be very carefully set up so worth buying their height gauge and checking what you buy. But if someone has gone to the (sometimes not inconsiderable) trouble of fitting Kadees and they've done it right (use the gauge) you'll save yourself much work.

I think I'll get me a couple of his cheap second hand fitted wagons and have a play. They do sound like what I need.

Gday Bomp,

I live buy the motto grab it while it is there as you can allways resell later if it does not end up meeting your needs as for the Kadees, they use an uncoupling magnet which is fairly simple to set up and use

Cheers

Anthony

Thanks! Something to think about while I drift off to sleep after my night shift!

Hi bomp

there's loads of info out there on kaydees but I'd also look T systemsike 'sprat n winkle' - a little more time consuming but not so intrusive and *definitely* cheaper!

Regs

ian

 

ps where's your brewey based? I'm in the throes of building one myself based on the Burton breweries- my favourite two subjects - Rails n beer!

Being a Burton boy, it's going to be Burton, but much smaller and not based on Burton beyond the names and the wagons. One day I'll try to make what I've got look like Burton with the right bricks etc, but for now it's local names more than anything else.

I'll look into the couplings - now that shunting is fun (it never was before) I'll need something quick and reliable, if only for the outer vehicles on fixed rakes.