Wagonmaster

Another happy bunny here too! Mine arrived at noon, but have only managed a brief look at it and run up and down the test track. Certainly looks the part and a lovely sheen to the paint. A few niggles as noted by others, such as the buffer beam/handrails, bogie guard irons and the lights. Mine is the basic dcc ready version, but I will investigate the lights once I've fitted a decoder. Nothing major like no exhaust port etc. like certain other manufacturers! ;-) Very pleased with it and Keith should be proud of his first venture into this highly critical market. Can't wait for the Fell and hopefully DHP1.

Not that I've got mine yet, or even an email, but couldn't help noticing something odd on the above photo. Is it me, or are the guard irons at the wrong end of the bogie? Surely they should be at the front? Looks great otherwise and looking forward to mine.

Thanks for that Philsandy. I am modelling my 504 in 'as built' condition, hence the light grey roof. I didn't think the roof colour changed to dark grey until Corporate Blue livery? I guess the light grey just got dirty. Carriage washers only did the sides! There were still plenty of steamers in that area at the time as well. Thanks for the pointer on lining. The dedicated packs don't seem to have the different widths for units. I have several other units that will need lining, so that's very useful. I'll post a few more pictures of progress in due course.

Thanks for all the replies, all gratefully appreciated. Bodywork is still having a few final tweaks before the top coats are applied. I had a look at Ford Laurel Green and it is quite close. How about the light grey roof? Is Ford Dove Grey a good match? Lining seems to be a problem, not just with the Class 504, but other units too. I have the measurements somewhere, but generally the cantrail line is thinner than the waistband line. However, when Iook at available multiple unit lining packs, they only seem to be the one thickness. Am I missing something or just looking in the wrong place? As for the Class 501's, that's a subject of a future build!

Paint shades are always a problem, especially so far down the line from when they were used. I would tend to go with locomotive green as well. Multiple Unit green was a slightly lighter shade and the earlier MU green lighter still. The Southern Region had their own shade of MU green too. Looking at photographs and I know that is a minefield in itself, seems to indicate a darker green. One photo I have has a Met-Cam dmu in the background, which does look a lighter shade. The preserved one also seems quite a dark green. Perhaps they know something? I still tend to use enamels as I find they give a better finish, for me anyway. I know it's not very green ;-) Still a few minor body tweaks to do, as well as sorting the underframe and motorisation options.

Thanks for the replies. Thanks to Philsandy for the drawing showing the underframe gubbins. The Barrowmore drawings often don't show this detail. Thanks for the link to your build. I have read this with great interest and just shows there's more than one way to tackle a problem. Your build looks excellent by the way. Hope mine ends up looking as good. What shade of green paint did you use?

Hi everyone, after a bit more help and advice please. This time its the Class 504 Bury units. I have acquired some DC Kits cabs and grafted them onto some Replica Railways suburban stock. I intend to turn these units out in original green livery. So, does anyone know what green was used? It looks like standard loco green to me? Anyone have a good idea of the under gubbins? I've been trawling through photographs but as always, you can't seem to see all of it. I have modified the cab windows and destination box and I think I'm about there. What does everyone else think? Do I need to do anything else? All replies gratefully received.

I would certainly be interested in an 4mm scale L&B Lartigue monorail please.

Any news on the LMS Drewry 7050 kit yet? Looking forward to building it when available.

All the best Rod, been missing your posts, but am looking forward to future progress. Stick at it!

KR Models are open to suggestions and in fact I suggested a Class 84, 82 and 83 to them. They did reply saying I wasn't the first to do so and that there had been interest in these ac loco's. So, if you want one, suggest it to them and who knows? In the meantime, I'll look forward to my possibly earlier than thought delivery of an original condition Heljan AL6!

I would have thought a Class 81 would have been on the cards. This is traditionally Hornby's territory and they do seem to have gone round re-tooling previous offerings (i.e. Class 08, 31, 87, 91). The 81's were also more numerous lasted longer than some of the other types. There are a few new players in the manufacturing field that might take on some of these projects that the bigger boys won't. Personally, I would like to see a Class 84 first. As for emu's, it's always the cost 3 or 4 car units. Would people pay it? As a long time commuter on Class 310's, they were one of my favourites. In the end, I couldn't wait for an rtr version and built the Southern Pride kit. It makes up nicely and the wrap round, flat screen and 312 variants are catered for. They also do a 304, which I have, but not built yet.

A bit of an update on my Class 303 build. It is slowly coming to completion with the BDTSO now complete. The other cars are still being wired up. All cars feature flicker free internal lighting and interior detail. The DTS's have working illuminated headcodes, destinations a tail lights controlled by dcc. Below is a photo of the BDTSO, hope you like it.

They look great NorthenElectric91! Couple of questions if I could. Whose contact wires do you use and how do you fix them? Being 3D prints, are they robust enough for the pantograph to actually touch the contact wire?

The OHLE is fairly easy around Stafford. Four track portal gantries on the TV line and north with a bit of single posts from Stone. However, come and have a look around Coventry, Birmingham and Rugby etc. As I say, on some sections every post seems to be different!

Ah yes, I was going to use the High Level replacement motor and gearbox, same as I have done on my Bristol Railbus. I was on about using the plastic chassis part as the moulded detail isn't quite as 'chunky' as the MTK white metal sides. I just wasn't sure if this is possible and if anyone had tried it before I spent money on getting some Hornby chassis.

I have searched RMWeb for information on the 2 car Class 140 dmu, the last of the railbus prototypes. I have an old MTK kit of this unit and wondered, before I start, if anyone had built one and might be able to offer any hints or tips. The body looks fairly reasonable, but the underframe looks a bit 'chunky'. Would a Hornby Class 142 Pacer be a better chassis? Any help would be appreciated.

Its been a while since I posted about my Class 303, but it is still progressing slowly. The chassis just need a bit of varnish and wiring up. The bodies are just about finished externally. The interiors are next on the list along with fitting the working lights. Below is a photo of the two driving cars on my workbench.

The idea of a Cameo silhouette cutter is a good idea. Not just for rolling stock, but buildings etc. as well. Certainly the main body and roof of most multiple units and carriages can be built up this way. But there is still the problem of the cab. They never look particularly convincing and the 'face' of the unit is probably the most important feature. So for my money, I'd still investigate having a CAD design drawn up and have it 3D printed. Just the cab front, up to the drivers door. I have done this with a Wickham Class 109 and am very pleased with the result. The same could be done for a Class 151, or anything else. If there are a few of us interested, the design work cost is split between us and the cab print is not overly expensive. That way, the 'face' is right without the need to compromise and if that is right, the rest of it will look right too. If there are any takers, I could investigate and come up with some prices. Below is a picture of my Class 109 bodyshells in primer to give you the idea.

It's always good to throw ideas around, after all, that's what a forum is! I have some basic drawings of the Class 151 and had thought of going down the etched brass route. I will probably still do that sometime. 3D printing is a great idea, but as you say, it's expensive for a three car dmu. I would have thought the Class 151 would have been very low down the list of rtr candidates. Two short lived prototypes? I think a Derby Class 116, Swindon 120 etc. would be far higher now that the Class 104 has been announced. Anyway, plenty to do other things, like the Class 323!

Is it on the way then?

There are a few ways of tackling a Class 151, or anything else for that matter. If enough people are interested in a 3D printed version of a Class 151, then it becomes cheaper as the development costs are shared. Another way is how I've tackled a few other DMU's. That is a 3D printed cab, to get the complex compound curves right, then used etched brass sides on a commercial chassis. This, I find, is quite a good way. The sides just need to be drawn up and sent to an etching company such as PPD. You/I/we can draw these up and the bodyside variations you noted can be accounted for. Using brass sides has the advantage of as near flush glazing as you'll get. Examples in my fleet are Classes 100, 103, 104, 109 and 309. Additional etched parts such as bulkheads, internal dividers etc. can be included. You can even add floors/chassis to the mix if you don't want to use a commercial chassis. I don't think etched cabs would work, not enough depth/relief. Still leaves underfloor detail, but not insurmountable.

Thought so. Now that's a unit I would like a model of. Built locally to me and tested, I quite liked them. Pity they were dumped at Llandudno Junction for ages. I was hoping to persuade someone to do a CAD design and 3D print at some stage. If enough of us would like one, perhaps something could be done? That and a Class 210 of course

Very nice, but what's that in the background? A Met-Cam Class 151 by any chance?

I tend to use Southern Pride P146 nylon bogie shells. They have a coupling fixing moulding which I use to fit a Kadee gearbox. I like to use Kadee's for the inner car to car couplings, but with the 'tails' cut off. In addition, I use half insulated wheels, normally DCC Concepts, with the pick up springs soldered to a strip of PCB, which is glued to the underside of the bogie, to provide power for head/tail lights and interior lights via a dcc decoder. With more modern bogies, which are a 'H' frame type, the end transoms have to be cut off as they would be visible. The sideframes are just glued on. The whole bogie is attached the the chassis with nut and bolt. Sounds more complicated than it is. Below are two pictures to show what I mean. The first is the underside of a Class 310 bogie. The second is a close up of a Class 313 bogie.