Wagonmaster

Great photo Cheesysmith. Interesting to see it is still on its B4 bogies and not been swapped out for Commonwealths like the rest of the Clacton units!

Those were the Class 123 Swindon Intercity dmu's. Rule 1 definitely on my layout. Purists would have a fit! Lol! Happy New Year

I was probably a bit unclear in my comment about 120's at Sheffield Exchange. What I meant to say is would my green WR 'as built' version have been likely at Sheffield Exchange in Clive's modelling period? I know they visited Sheffield Midland in Etches Park blue/grey days as I have photos of them there. I also remember catching a special from Sheffield to Birmingham New Street that was run to replace a failed train consisting of a Class 124 Transpennine unit coupled to a Met-Cam 101 in blue/grey days! We stopped at Wichnor Junction to check the trailing 101 as we were going too fast for it and it was overheating. I think the driver forgot it was on the back!

Thanks again Cheesysmith, I'll have a good look at those points before the razor saw comes out! I can probably get away with the Lima 117 centre car as is. However, I can see it will cause problems with the 116 centre car! Thanks

Thanks for that Cheesy. You mention the front passenger window. I asked Clive about this too, what exactly is wrong with it? What needs correcting? I seem to recall reading something about it but can't remember where I read it. Is this also needed for a 116?

Thanks for that Clive. I know the front isn't right, but I have a cunning plan! I have a body off a Class 121 and I figured I could transplant the cabs. Would that work do you think? Similarly I have some DC Kits Derby type ends that could be grafted on to the Lima body to make a 116. Apart from changing one of the DMBS's to a DMS, I didn't want to do too much to the body sides if I could help it. Certainly a cheaper option than Bachmann's 117! The Class 118's are similar to 117's, the biggest obvious difference is the profile of the top of the headcode box. The 118's have a more pronounced curve. Having said that, I think the first few 117's had a curvy headcode box too!

Thanks Clive, having a Western/North Western ac lines based layout they are ideal. There is a Swindon Inter City unit lurking on the workbench too! I hope to get around to the Gloucester Class 119's in due course, hopefully with a Hawksworth trailer. Seems a pity to repaint the Hornby model! One query regarding Class 116's if I may. I've read a bit about the front window being wrong on the Lima 117. Could you remind me what exactly is wrong with it please. I have a couple of Lima 117's to convert, one to a 116 as there were loads allocated to my local shed Tyseley.

Just briefly going back to DMU's, this is the latest out of the works. But is it something that would ever been seen at Sheffield Exchange? Lol!

Following Nick's suggestion, I ordered some of the copper prototype chain from Brassmasters. Good quick service I must say. They are not as fine as the old Exactoscale ones, but not far off. I had the blackened copper ones as they would not be affected by my electromagnetic uncouplers. So thanks for that help Nick, appreciated.

Another point has come to light that I could do with some help on please. Looking at the DMBC I was wondering about security bars on the guards windows. Looking at photos, it seems that there were only vertical bars on the windows of the double doors. Well, that's all I can see on photographs! Where these the only bars fitted does anyone know? Bear in mind that my model is in 'as built' condition. Thanks

Thanks for that photo Brian. I had seen that photo before and queried if the 120's had the same curtains. Apparently not was the answer! If you look at this link https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/15653 You can see the curtain in the upper right of frame. It is a solid colour and not striped. However, it is apparently grey as can be seen in some of the colour photos on the same site. However, thank you very much for input. Much appreciated. Steve

Yes, that's the one. It worked for me!

Just as a point of information, I covered my alterations for dcc use in my post of 2nd April on page 78, just in case anyone finds it useful!

Thanks Martin. I had yet another look at the Railcar site and found this photo of the DMBC https://www.railcar.co.uk/images/1374 That shows the details I was after! How did I miss this previously? The High Level motor bogies are very good. I have one under my Class 303, excellent. The Hornby ones are not too bad and can be made to run quite well on dcc with a tweak of the Load Compensation settings. Steve

I'm using a new Hornby Class 121 motor bogie. They were a bargain £11 each, so I bought several! The unit is also dcc controlled with directional lights and interior lighting. Bacchy 108 should be good too. Any pictures of yours?

Thanks Martin, that was exactly what I was wondering. I thought there was a handrail on the end of the DMBS as there no waterpipes to use as on the other cars. I'll fit that tonight along with the suspended gangway support brackets. Just a little point though, what do you mean by the emergency brake pipe? I'm aware of the train pipe and brake pipes on the buffer beam. Probably being a bit thick here, but what does NOT mean for the TSLB? Thanks very much again for your help here. I'll probably get it finished just as Heljan announce a 4mm version!

Yes, it is, It is the DMSL and I have reproduced this on my model. I was wondering about the DMBC and TBSO. Did these have a similar end arrangements? I'm slowly getting there and just to give an idea, here is a picture of the incomplete DMBC.

Thanks for that, I didn't know they did them. The prototype version looks like it's worth a punt. I'll order some and see what it is like. Thanks again

Just had a check of the Railcar.co.uk website again and it states the later units of the first batch were delivered in the darker loco green with lining, whiskers and white dome. It also states that the underframe, bogies and inner ends were black!

Thanks for that link, it is my 'goto' for first generation dmu's. Obviously most of the photos are in the later blue/grey livery and don't show what I'm looking for.

Thanks for that. Bolt holes, welded plates, you know what I mean. Tricky to pick up on photos unless a specific close up of the end. Interesting about the end colours. I guess my model is not quite 'as built' then as it is the darker lined green with white roof domes. Maybe I'll just leave the ends green!

Can anyone help with a 3 link coupling problem please? I am trying to source some realistic scale looking chain for some 3 link couplings. I used to use the old Exactoscale ones with good effect and did have a reasonable stock of them. However, I have now run out of the chain, but still have quite a few drawhooks. Unfortunately, the new owners of Exactoscale don't make these couplings anymore. I have had a look at and bought some of the current offerings and to me, they are vastly overscale for 4mm. Has anyone managed to find some reasonable looking chain? Thanks for your help.

Thanks for your reply and suggestion, I didn't think of looking in those! I must point out that my model is in original green 'as built' condition. I did know the end steps were removed and it is this that makes it difficult when looking at later photos unless you can see the bolt holes! Regarding the exhaust covers, I've only seen mention of them on Swindon built units, i.e. Class 120, 123, 124, 126 and the first 79xxx series units. The 116's and 117's had plain pipes that joined into a box at the top, which was changed fairly early on to two straight pipes, like the Bachmann Class 117. I thought the 119's were the same, but am willing to be corrected if there is some proof of this. The only other unit I am aware of with exhaust covers is the Park Royal Class 103, which unusually have the pipes at the outer edges of the car end and could be touched by passengers. IIRC they were like that to the end. Understandably, no one took pictures of the car ends of early dmu's. Too busy chasing the last steamers I guess! It's the same with livery details. I understand the car ends were originally painted black and not the main body colour. The black I think was dropped with the first repaint?

More Class 120 queries. This time it's the car inner ends. Photographs are virtually non-existent and the diagrams I have don't show the detail I'm looking for. One diagram shows four steps up the left hand side of the DMSO. Did the DMBC and TB have these too? As the DMBC doesn't have a toilet, if it had steps, was there a handrail as well? The exhausts seem to have a cover over them, which seems to be a 'Swindon' thing to protect against hot pipes. Any help gratefully appreciated.

Yes, found it and managed to change it to 28 speed steps. How it got to 128 steps I don't know! Much better now and consistent with the other stock. I have v3.6 firmware on my Lenz system, so the manual pages are different to what you suggested, as is the way it's changed over the v3 firmware. No problem though, the issue was solved thanks to your suggested cause. Many thanks for that, much appreciated. Steve