Hacksworth_Sidings

I personally argue against that… The BoB is a good drop-fit on the Triang Princess chassis, the Prairie looks decent on a modified Jinty chassis (B12 is a better, closer to “scale” alternative), the School, with some modification, looks great on the L1 chassis, Triang chassis’s are so easy to strip down and rebuild that you can do basically whatever with them if you find them for cheap!

The old Triang 0-4-0 chassis would be a decent one to try… Much slimmer motor profile & mounting, so you could get away with a slimmer model, only major modification you’d need to make would be the addition of scale wheels (even then, you could always reprofile/grind down the bulky Triang flanges for use on code 100).

I did have an idea about the possibility of bringing back the lost K’master kits (the ones that haven’t been in production *since* 62), if at least one, good condition, unbuilt kit could be found for, well, any of the Kitmaster models where the toolings didn’t live past the Kitmaster brand’s fall (models like the Hudson, General, Garratt, Stirling, etc) then the parts could be digitally recreated and 3D printed. Would it take loads of time and effort? Absolutely. Would the quality be significantly lower than that of injection moulded parts? No doubt about it! But would it be fun to see some sort of modern, easy(er) to acquire version of the kits? Definitely! Would also open up possibilities to produce the kits that were announced, but never produced, or at least a loose interpretation of how they would’ve looked/gone together (Scotsman, S100, the big Canadian thing I forgot the name of…)

Finally begun cutting into the £5 tank… Cylinders and rods are from a Triang Princess (much like the old rods, I’ve bent them at the end the crank pin slots into, to keep the rod from colliding with the front axle’s crank pin, cylinder block has been widened to match). Need to get some Walschearts links and extended crank pins soon, and rebuilt the front of the loco as the original front end broke whilst I was cutting. Proper cylinders and crossheads though? I think it already looks better!

Airfix 1400 motor? With no gear-down that model’s gonna be a sprinter!

I’ve dabbled in 3D printing, and do have a printer myself, but I simply haven’t used it much, I’ve done plenty of CAD modelling though, coming up 8 years and I’m by no means the best, I made a start with modelling on a game called Roblox in 2016 or so, and I’ve messed with other modelling softwares like Tinkercad and Blender now and then (the latter of which I still need to properly figure out, the former I used to design a replacement ladder for the Tyco 2-8-0s/0-8-0s).

Looks like it’s just a cast of the old Kitmaster Prairie 🤪

Maybe have the steps/ladders and buffers as separate pieces? Having them as part of the main print, whilst convenient, seems like a bit of a risk for failed prints and damage during transit, would aid with painting, and, as 33C said, the modeller could pick from alternate styles, or even design their own to fit! Maybe an alternate version of the body with pilot holes for handrail knobs to be added if the user so desires too? Or at least maybe small indentations to use as pilot holes, that can easily be drilled out/filled in as the modeller desires. I’ve seen plenty of stories from a few modellers (namely Thomas & Friends modellers who hate the Bachmann models) about the pain of preparing 3D printed bodies for paint, so I don’t really see the latter option being too unreasonable! But at the end of the day, your design, your choice, lovely looking model regardless! I might consider buying one once it’s ready for production…

Been sleeping on the thought of the 8WD Princess chassis for a while… I reckon, for smoother running, you could possibly fit brass bearings from a Hornby 0-6-0 (or other loco with suitably sized bearings) to the wood block for better running, just a thought but, if I ever attempt another, I might do that to see if the performance improves, or if the model’s longevity increases…

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285805740653 So… Who has the bleach?

A decent show for S/H stuff is the Craven Arms & District MRC’s annual shows, I remember one of the shows in 2022 had some decent stalls, picked up a smoking Triang B12 for a tenner in “non running” condition, all it needed was a good clean out. Could get unstarted Keyser loco kits within the £20-£30 range at last years show, I remember also seeing a non running brass 5700 model being sold for a fiver at the 2023 show! Then again, it’s a local show to me, and I’m a member of the club, so I’m probably extremely biased in recommending it, haha.

Runs like silk! A flywheel protrudes from where the backhead would be, but for £40 it runs as well as a good few newer models do! Doesn’t like my Triang track so it’ll very much be a “club only” loco, regardless, it’s a model I’m happy to have. I’m honestly tempted to have a look for an “original” Ratio 2-4-0 now that you mention the supplied chassis was poor, see if I can get one to run half decently… Love me a good challenge…

Gone and had a look, here are my findings: - Gaiety Pannier often goes between £20 and £40 (most have Triang or Dublo chassis’s, so I assume the originals were bad). - Johnson 2-4-0 is a Ratio kit, seen one for £20 but I don’t know if it was powered, the other listing I saw went for over £100, motorised. - Triang 3F, a spares/repairs example sold for a fiver, but working, good condition examples have demanded prices of £40 and above. - Triang Caledonian Single seems to be in range for “play worn” examples, between the £40 and £50 mark, though examples in good condition do demand more. - Wrenn Castle I possibly overpaid for, sure it was in good condition but I did see a few boxed examples in decent nick go between £45 and £60. - Likewise with the Dublo carriage, did see a few sell for under a tenner, unboxed. My conclusion? It really depends where you shop around, I’d say I got some good deals at the Erlestoke Manor trust’s outlet in Bewdley, and Footplate of Kidderminster too, though comparing prices I’d say the purchases from Hampton Loade were a little on the steep side. Would I buy from these places again over eBay though? Given the service all three places gave me, and some of the deals I got compared to eBay, I’d personally say yes. Not only that, but getting to see the models in person, and have them tested before purchasing, definitely helps you to decide wether or not you want the model or not.

Out of interest, I’d like to try and compare a haul from Severn Valley to what I’d be paying if I bought through eBay… If anyone can give me average eBay prices to compare to what I paid in person for these models then I’d be interested to know if I overpaid, or didn’t pay enough. Bought this lot from the Erlestoke Manor trust in Bewdley (pannier, 2-4-0, 3F), Footplate of Kidderminster (Caledonian), and one of the shops at Hampton Loade (Castle & coach, unsure who runs those shops but I believe it funds the upkeep of the station, correct me if I’m wrong), the service I was given by the three separate shops was brilliant, I was able to get all five locos tested before purchasing, and in general they were lovely people to talk to. List of models is as follows; Gaiety 5700 (Dublo R1 chassis, £30), kitbuilt Johnson 2-4-0 (unsure what brand, but tender says “Ratio” beneath, brass chassis, Mashima motor, £40), Triang Deeley 3F (£20), Triang Caledonian Single (some cosmetic damage but nothing I can’t fix, £47.50), Wrenn “Devizes Castle” (boxed, £70), Dublo Stanier restaurant carriage (2 rail, boxed, £15). As I said, I’d like to know the average asking prices of these from eBay and if I over or underpaid when buying from these individual organisations.

Shared on the “cheapo train sets” a few days ago, but I figured it’d be fitting to show off here! Picked up this little thing from Llangollen’s “Chapel Emporium” for a fiver on Monday, the early 0-4-0 type with the square axles (which is a godsend as it self quarters!) and the X908 motor, I’ve sorted out the running to an extent, electrical conductivity is awful, partly because the wheels are tarnished, mostly because the way it picks up power is unreliable (the tops of the pickup strips simply press against the motor terminals, good for easy servicing, not so much for good running). Going to hardwire the motor contacts, then I need to figure out what I’ll do in terms of customisation… Absolutely swapping the cylinders and con rods for spares from a Triang loco, and I’m considering… No, going to, add extended crank pins & Walschearts valve gear onto the rear wheels. As for paint? I’m thinking something quintessentially German, red frames & wheels, black body, a knockoff BR80 if you will!

With the right work, you can make a junky project loco look rather nice, OO Neal did a good video on upgrading the details on the Hornby GWR “101” model (though only the body details, still with those junky crossheads & cylinders!), and I’ve done a detail upgrade & repaint to the Hornby 0-4-0 E2 for a friend (which started as an alternate take on Thomas, but quickly developed into its own thing, pictured below, the owner has since swapped the Terrier chassis for an outside cylinder pocket rocket chassis).

Finally tested the thing, and (after some adjustment) it works! Still need to do loads of work, I’m absolutely going to hardwire the pickups as the old ones are barely making contact with the motor terminals, the wheels are still filthy but somehow manage to pick up, so I’d say, for five quid, not a bad project!

That should be enough work for one night.. Need to properly mount the cylinders, thinking a “plank” of plasticard to hold a screw, and use the mounting point for Triang’s “Synchrosmoke” unit to hold the steam chest down, get the front bogie fitted, I also ended up mounting the frame in such a way that the front arch doesn’t cover the front wheel, so I’ll have to bodge a longer arch together from Milliput and card.. Aside from that, same chassis as the last two I’ve done, Jinty block, Princess wheels, though this time I’m attempting to use the bogies supplied with the kit, suitably weighted and lubricated with graphite. Speaking of the chassis… The one which kickstarted my love for these kits is getting a new one! The old Airfix chassis I was using was starting to act up, motor’s fine (and is now going to a GraFar black five), but the cylinders kept failing on me, so off she goes for a new chassis!

I’m out right now, but once I’m home I can get more photos of the chassis if you like, it indeed is very different to the modern chassis, the motor just clips into place with no wires at all! (The two pickup strips simply make contact with the motor terminals for easy removal) The rear clip actually broke on mine but it still holds rather well, so beware when removing and refitting the motor if you plan to reuse the X908, they’re a b45t@rd to remove!

Looks a little like they were trying to go for a mix of both? I’ve been thinking of repainting it and I can already see red frames & wheels, with a primarily black main body, looking good on it… Going to swap the cylinders and rods out, probably for Triang spares, since the factory fitted ones are simply awful (a change that should be done to all Hornby 0-4-0s in my opinion!). Maybe see if I can fit some extended crank pins so I can give it Walschearts too… Bodge to the max!

A cheapo find in Llangollen’s “Chapel Antiques” today, a fiver for an old Hornby 0-4-0! American outline with the chunky, open frame motor with the disc commutator (the one used between the Triang X.04, and the can motor used now). The early plastic chassis design too. Untested by neither myself nor the people who run the place, but runner or not, a fiver is about what these things are worth anyway! Once I have the thing running I’ll have to look into modifications… Anyone got some Lima Crab cylinders and rods spare?

Got home a few hours ago, decided to assemble the Prairie chassis out of curiosity to see if I could make it roll, the cylinders and such will go to a Jinty chassis mod like my last few have. I have a Dublo R1 on hand right now too, so out of curiosity I decided to check the wheel alignment, and… …Does anyone have a spare R1 and Prairie kit on hand? 🤪 Dublo 6100? RK/Airfix R1?

Birthday today, went to Llangollen, spent a bit of cash on, wait for it… …Another Prairie! Fifteen quid’s probably a bit steep, but I have another project regardless!

I bought myself an Athearn boxcar kit in 2022, still have the box somewhere, you mean to say I could chuck whatever junky Triang spares I have in the box and make twenty quid??

Decided to rewatch Kleedham’s video showcasing his GraFar black five, and came across this interesting solution for the motor/gearbox coupling… A notch has been cut out of the motor pinion, to which it slots around a suitably sized rod, mounted on the shaft for the first gear reduction, a simple coupling I could probably pull off rather easily… If I can find my Dremel… Also decided against using the Triang motor, instead I’ve plans to use a motor from an Airfix prairie tank, I’d built one of the Dapol kit bodies in 2022 on the GMR chassis, but the chassis has been giving me all sorts of problems since then, motor is fine though, so whilst the prairie gets a new chassis (a modified Triang Jinty chassis like what I’ve used under other prairie models), it’s old, beefy motor is going in the 5MT.