70021 Morning Star

. Lovely, it looks just like a real Hornby ! Only kidding. That's looking superb, Alan. Do you intend weathering it, or keeping it nice and pristine? Rick

Hi Alan, Would that be the same as the Southern Railways model shop, in Birmingham? If so, they're only open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I can try calling on Thursday, but not sure this is the right place? Thanks, Rick

Hello Ray, I'm attempting to modify a pair of those 60' Collettes into a BR(W) dining car pair of 1960. To do this I need to fit bow-ends to the coaches. As I'd like to re-use those original rubberized corridor connectors, I'm wondering if you've any suggestions on the best way of removing them without damage? They look like they might push theough, from the outside, but they may be glued on the inside rubber flange. So thought I'd ask before trying anything that might damage them. Also, I'm wanting to fit NEM Pockets to these coaches, if you've any experience/advice in that arra. As always, Ray, your assistance is appreciated, Rick

Looking great, Alan, Could I ask what Corridor Connectors you're using? I'm looking for something decent to use on my coaches, and yours look really good. Thanks, Rick

Thanks, Taz. I was quoted £45-ish for the Comet kit. £10.50 makes the Comet sides affordable! Perhaps someone (more knowledgeable than me) could post a suggested 'resources pack', including what books, parts, etc., people should buy, on this topic? It'd be good if the H33 thread served as useful reference for modellers considering building an H33 in the future. I'd also suggest that such info is summarized, at the start of the thread, as I've done on the H39 & H36 thread, as a kind of detailed 'Introduction' and 'Contents' for future modellers. Rick

If anyone's interested, and broke like me, this £10.50 ebay item might be a possible H33 conversion project. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-BR-Buffet-Car-1805-R-628/171623201647?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28111%26meid%3D40ef451019364911a74ec18ee7570c05%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D11472%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D171563181389 Rick

Hello Ray, If you're still pondering a Britannia class with its original 'railed' smoke deflectors, then 70021 Morning Star might be of interest. Despite serving at the Canton shed 1957 through early '58, she was the only Class 7 to escape the smoke deflector modification. Also, uniquely of all the Britannias, she retained her lined green livery throughout the entirety of her career. (For a good history of 70021, of course, it's David Hayes' excellent website.) I'm currently working on detailing and weathering a Hornby R.2207 'Britannia' to represent 70021 Morning Star during her brief spell at Canton. Part of this will include the fitting a rubberized canvas weather shield between the cab and tender. Of course, to make this work, I'll need to do some kind of self-adjusting close-coupling system, as sometimes fitted to carriages. If you've any suggestions in that direction, please let me know. I see Hornby do offer a 'close-coupling sprung drawbar' for their Britannia (which one?), part No. X9053, which might be worthy of investigation. Regards, Rick

To avoid any confusion on my discussing H39 & H36 designs on this H33 thread, I've opened a new thread called BR(W) H39 Dining First & H36 Composite Dining Saloon (dining pair) Thank you, everyone, for your assistance so far. Hopefully see you on both of these restaurant car threads. Rick

Thanks Karhedron, They look great. Yes, the two carriages were always seen as a pair. The pairing was used, as standard, on the 1960 BR Western Region prestigious Capitals United Express, so (pending evidence to the contrary) may be assumed to have appeared in the Chocolate & Cream livery. Thanks to the help of others, I now have my bookshop list for the new year, so this will be a project for 2015. My thank you to everyone for your assistance (and tolerance) in my seeking guidance from your expertise. That's what makes rmweb exceptional! Rick

Well, Mike, I have to disagree. Yes, I'm building a collection of book but, meanwhile, isn't that the point of having a forum? I'm an expert in my area, but new to railway modelling. I've always worked on the basis of encouraging newcomers, possibly with a pm, if appropriate. Rick

Ref the H39 Restaurant Car (i.e. not the main subject of this thread) I'm wondering whether a Bachmann 60ft or 57ft Collett (possibly 34-051) might form the basis of a conversion. Yes, it'd require a lot of cutting-and-shunting, but looks as though it might be feasible. Thoughts, anyone? Also, I only have the one picture of the Comet models version (shown above), so have no idea what the other side of an H39 would look like. Anyone got any pictures? -- UPDATE found some pictures. Severn Valley Railway has the pair of H39 Restaurant and H36 Salon. (See http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/images/9615_600px.jpg) And, finally, if I'm not talking total nonsense, would the H39 be closer to 57ft or 60ft? [edited] After studying the photographs of the Severn Valley Railway H39, it looks like a Bachmann Mk1 BSK would make the best donor vehicle. It has the windows, doors, and wall panels that are needed. Just the chassis length to establish. Everything else is doable. Thanks to Coach Bogie for the plans, assuming my math is correct, I've established a 60' Collett is needed for the chassis, and the Mk1 BSK for the various windows etc. (I'll recheck the math and confirm for anyone who is interested in the H39.) Thanks, Rick

Cheers, Adrian, Don't suppose you/anyone recognise the top H39 RF model? The second one is a Bachmann 34-151 Collett Composite Coach. Rick

Adrian and Mike, Thank you both for taking the time to use simple words for a simple man. So, we're talking about the following two coaches (see first picture, of restaurant, second of composite dining saloon, below.). The following images represent the H39, Restaurant First, and H36, Composite Dining Saloon, based coaches -- not the H33 self-contained Composite that is the main subject of this thread. Rick

Ah, Chris Baggins is it?, [Laughing] I should have known you had hairy feet! Just be careful, as I have a very precious shiny gold ring on my finger... So, my understanding is that: 70021's 1957-58 Red Dragon formation should include the dining pair 9617+9586. 92220's June 1960 named express runs could reuse the above dining pair on the Red Dragon (& use a BR RU on the Capitals United, with the coach formation supplied in the famous message #30.) Humpy's comments are noted. BUT, please remember I'm new to railway modelling, WHAT ARE 9617 & 9586 in terms that a simpleton like me can understand?? Am I correct in thinking one of these is the H33 Collett, bow ended, Restaurant Composite shown at http://www.gwr.org.uk/rtr/Hornby-collett-restaurant.jpg? And the other is some kind of Collet, bow ended, Composite Open (Parlour?)?? Also, (getting very confused now) could anyone please tell me whether these Colletts would have had their windows upgraded to the Mk1 type at my featured 1957-58 running period, as per the coach design that's the subject of this discussion thread? I've read, somewhere, that all of BR(Western Region)'s older dining sets had their windows upgraded, by BR order, at the time they were repainted in BR(W)'s passenger express livery of chocolate and cream. Phew! Enjoy the film. Sauron

Hello Mike / Clive, All, Thanks for the reply and pictures. Wow, that's a useful document, Clive!!! I have to confess, I am not that knowledgeable on this subject, so please bear with me. Chris, err, sort of, yes/maybe. I'm thinking about the 1957-58 Red Dragon for 70021 Morning Star. Am I correct? Thanks. Chris has been advising me on another thread. I'm after a GWR-designed restaurant unit for the Red Dragon. I understand this is Collett based. So hope this is what we're talking about here. I'm really far more knowledgeable on aviation subjects like the V bombers. Hard to imagine that something like a Handley-Page Victor nuclear bomber is contemporaneous with a Britannia class steam locomotive like Morning Star! So, assuming we have the appropriate GWR designed restaurant unit.., and that I only need a restaurant car; not a kitchen + dining parlour car, as two separate coaches(?). To begin with, I could do with left and right side views of the Collett restaurant coach. Mike, am I correct in thinking that these are shown in the painted versions of your carriage sides? My other difficulty is cost. Those brass sides, suggested by Brian, look excellent, but the cost isn't justifiable when it'll be sitting alongside unmodified oo-scale Hornby and Bachmann plastics. So I'm going to have to base my depiction on a plastic carriage. As far as I can see (showing my ignorance, maybe?) it should be possible to cut-and-shunt the relevant side sections of a Bachmann or Hornby Mk1 coach, to get the doors and windows in the right places(?). As I understand it, during BR(Western Region)'s chocolate and brown period, they used a GWR-designed Collett restaurant car (as depicted by Hornby's R458 GWR Collett Restaurant Car), which would have had its square windows replaced with BR standard Mk1 coach type windows. So, I could retrofit the Mk1 windows in a Hornby R458) or start with a better Bachmann/Hornby Mk1, possibly the Bachmann 33-261 miniature buffet, and move things like doors and windows around to their correct positions. Thoughts/advise please. Rick

Excellent - and these guys have pictures too! Thanks, Taz, I'll be ordering one of those. Rick

Hi Andy, Any product code numbers for your suggested brass sides? Those websites tend to lack pictures, so it's impossible to know what I'm looking at. Cheers, Rick

Hello Adrian and Mike, Great feedback, thanks. Hmmm, I'm thinking it might be simplest to start with a Mk1 'buffet car', which has the correct windows, and work backwards, rather than modifying a Collett restaurant. Any thoughts? Thanks, Rick

Hi Folks, Great topic, and excellent timing, as I need to model a BR(Western Region) RU for the periods 1957-58 and June 1960 (a bit precise, I know). Mike ("Coach Bogie") says that "you need to replace all the main windows with Mk1 slide type". Ok, that sounds good, but we're going to need some photographic reference material of the Collett with modified BR(W) windows, and I can't find any. Help, please? Also, Andy, stop teasing us with that single picture. It looks great. More photographs, please! Many thanks, Rick

Actually, that's where I wanted to put it. But couldn't see how. Is there a user manual anywhere? Also, cut-and-paste doesn't seem to work. Thanks, Rick

I've got some broken valve gear on my Hornby 9F. Close examination shows that a rivet hadn't been properly hammered (if that's the term) to form a rivet head. I'm thinking it's repairable, but would like some advice. I've also bought a replacement valve gear assembly, from Hornby. But, after fitting, it feels too tight around the pistons. Someone on this forum will know the correct fitting of replacement valve gear. What about repairs: soldering or replacing rivets? Is it doable? How? And then there's upgrading. Some advice for the beginner would be good. But, my immediate problem is whether the Hornby 9F's valve gear should be 'free moving' where it enters the pistons. Two flat strips of metal, and the piston rod. The piston rod moves ok, but not sure if the other two strips are meant to move in-out where they slot into the pistons, of whether they just sit (unmoving) in those slots. ...a bit worried I'll give her some power, and end up with a mangled mess of bent metal. Help much appreciated, Rick