The Fatadder

thats a good point on doing them as a transfer, I had been thinking about adjusting my one piece 3d print to the standard version and add them to that, but doing it as a transfer would certainly be easier (and sorts out painting them as well.) will drop him a line. Just need to work out exactly what I am going to do now loco wise so I get the right ends sorted. Always the problem with Class 37, there are just too many tempting locos to model!

Worked really well thanks, definitely useful with two more sets still needing the ETH socket removing after these. Trying to decide if I will convert the later style marker lights to the 37/0 style on one of my spare sets of ends to go with that new body or if I go for one of the small number of 37/0 that had the later style marker lights.... Im thinking that drilling out and fitting a short length of an appropriate diameter brass tube would do the job, (or if thats not available doing the same as a print.) I dont think etched rings are available (just the sealed beam lights).

I suppose its too late to ask if you could look at doing it as a complete replacement buffer beam rather than a plug that just fills the area where the coupling fits. Looking at other competitors models where they have taken the approach of having a plug to fill the coupling hole, it always ends up leaving a distinct line around its edge where the two parts meet.) Whereas a complete replacement unit that screws in (such as the route Hattons used with their Class 66) avoids this completely.

I’ve always been fascinated with the Motorail services offered by GWT/FGW in the late 90s /early 2000s. As I’ve said before I always thought they were a 2000s thing until seeing footage of the prototype van in a June 1999 service. Thanks to @LMSfan72 for making some adjustments to his 3d print of the production series NVA to allow for the slight changes. I’ve drawn up my own transfers for it, and I think FGW blue looks a reasonable match to the body and a white band for the logos.

Finishing touches on the mk1 rmb, adding a 3d printed vent to the near side. I’ve also tested a replacement part to make use of the magnets from a pair of broken hunt couplings which has worked perfectly

Forgot to add a couple of photos the headcode box was removed first of all, I used my good Xurons to cut away the bulk of it before finishing off with various grades of file. (The mounting for the ETH socket was removed at the same time) the 3d printed box was then glued in position. Before filling the holes for the eth box, I don’t have a suitable diameter rod so I’ve just used filler, if it doesn’t work I will drill out and fit a size that I do have.

First test of the 37 headcode box excuse the crude brush primer intended to help show up defects (after another coat). Unsurprisingly a little more filler is needed in the holes for the eth socket. (Only another 5 ends need it removing from…) much easier than adapting the existing one, plus it should reuse the same lights parts. I am aiming to have the rest all modified by the end of the week so they can all get sprayed yellow once the weather dries up

One end was fine, the other I think had a manufacturing defect in either the socket or the plug as it was so much harder to remove than any other socket on the loco (having connected and disconnected all of them multiple times while investigating the issues with the loco).

Fresh off the wash & cure, my first 3d prints of 2024. Including my existing prints for the nose clips and grills for 37668, roof vent for mk1 rmb, replacement hunt style couplings to make use of the magnets on the two I’ve broken, a test of a Rudd buffer which I am not happy with as the head is too thick, and most importantly the test prints of my class 37 headcode box Bachmann have not (as far as I know) made the the one piece headcode box design. 37671 was converted with filler / plastic to model which was a real pain, so this print replaces the whole headcode box. I’ve printed two versions with different angles on the sides, so will see which looks best on a scrap nose before I convert a set of 2022 37 ends for 668. I also have two spare sets of the new ends from 510 and 521, one of which is earmarked for 902 (with standard boxes) the other will get rebuilt with the prints and used as an upgrade on 670.

I guess in that case I had better email them with some feedback tomorrow I think. Seeing as I need to ask about getting a new part to replace the broken lighting socket, I will do it at the same time...

A little more on 510, the Railtec transfers are out of stock, fortunately there are spares for one side on the last pack I bought so these have been added. Learning from last time that the swallows do not have the usual no carrier film and need cutting around before fitting. I’m enjoying this one, but other than refitting the handrails there’s not a lot more to do now until I have the new transfers for the other intercity logo / 510 numbers At which point I will remove the noses from the current 510 and transfer them over (a spare set of ends will need spraying to refit to old 510 which will then be sold without lights.). Seeing as 510 Is one of my intermediate upgraded end 37 with the overlay windscreen I’m curious as to how the two compare.

A nice looking mix of coaches there. what exactly is wrong with the J12?

Certainly gives pause for thought buying from that retailer again, though at the levels of discount at which I bought 401 I would still take a punt. In this case I’ve decided I can’t be bothered waiting until the 16th and have just fixed it myself. All be it a process that’s taken several hours to suss out The lights issue were traced back to a dodgy switch unit for the DC controls (simple fix using cutting the wires and directly linking S1 to F1.) the rest of the wires and the switch were then completely removed. The poorly fitting motor mount was straightened, along with flash removed to get it seated correctly which stopped the squealing. the next step will be removing the fuel tanks as per @Daddyman’s thread to get them fitted properly and chopping up the nose grills on the body in preparation for its respray. (With the work that’s still to come clearly I couldn’t care less about the warranty, though I’d hope the sound decoder is still covered) edit: I should add that the connector between body and chassis at the nose end is incredibly weak, with a variation in stiffness present between sockets. On mine the socket at the no1 end was a lot stiffer than the other end and broke off the board. Twice I’ve soldered it back on only for it to fail again the next time I removed the body. For now I’m ignoring it, but next time I will just solder the wires directly from the end to the corresponding wires on the chassis (though first I will email Bachmann to see if there’s any chance of buying a replacement part)

Having a lot of issues with 37401 meaning it will need to go back to Bachmann for repairs (squeaking motor and no working end lights), so I can’t crack on with the work converting it to 37668 (the printed parts will be set to print tomorrow.) Instead I’ve been working on converting the other 401 body to 510. The roof is complete and painted and the lower white has been resprayed. The plan is to leave the grey as exec dark grey rather than respraying to Falcon grey, the prototype had faded so much by 1999 I think it’s a much closer match. I need to get the transfers ordered from @railtec-models who did a great job on the transfers for my original 510

Was speaking to someone who had taken one apart to investigate the squealing last night, apparently the cause is a deformity in the motor fixing plate which causes it to apply pressure to the underside of the motor.

Having got more advice, sounds like it’s either the motor not fitted properly or a dodgy speaker. Now noticed the lights are t working at one end either, will contact MRD on Tuesday and it can go back to Bachmann

that’s annoying re the clunk, you’d think there would be a simple cv to turn it off. im guessing the squealing noise without sound is going to be a lot more tricky to track down and there’s a good chance it will be heading back to Barwell before I am able to get to work on the conversion

A question on the sound fitted models, should it be making a sound (like a click or clunk) every time you turn on or off a light? And if it is supposed to do it can you make it stop?

Finally been able to test run 37401, not overly impressed with the sound set up. There’s so much distortion coming from the speaker. Will get the sprog set up this evening and turn the volume down for now, but a speaker replacement will certainly be on the shopping list in the future. more concerning the loco is making a squealing sound when it moves (with the dcc sound off). There’s no tightness in the wheels so it’s either in the gears or motor that’s causing the issue. I’d rather not return under warranty (I’d like to start prepping it for its respray) so will investigate further. My hope is a spot of oil and some running in will do the job. just have to remember where I put the oil… A spare 37401 shell arrived from eBay today which will end up as 510. I have already removed the glazing and handrails, fitted plasticard blanks to the horns and masked / sprayed a first coat of white. Annoyingly I’ve ran out so can’t do a second coat(and there’s no where local that sells paint.) im torn about the grey, obviously it should be Falcon grey, but 510 had faded so much by 1999 it looks somewhat closer to Exec dark grey. I’d admit I’ve used them interchangeably on coaches to get the variation in colour that was visible in the late 90 GWT fleet and it’s got me thinking the same should apply here. Once I have paint and the white is finished I will have another look and make a call…

Back home after Christmas and a little work on a couple more Hornby Rudd. One of those things where I didn’t really plan on doing more, saw a couple on eBay with a low start price and put a minimum bid on it just in case which ended up winning. both were annoyingly the same Mainline branded example to which I had already renumbered my first Rudd. After some research I’ve found another with the large Mainline logo on Ginge’s smugmug that it can be changed to, while the second has lost its mainline logos and ended up as a wagon with 3 large grey squares on the side (Tim Horn photo). I actually found two more I’d like to do (one with a small transrail logo, the other tlf-w branding). So looks like eventually it will need more….. both wagons have had the usual modifications sliming the tops of the sides and replacing the moulded handrails on the ends, along with repairs to the second hand models (adding a missing step from a scrap Parkside kit and drawing up a replacement buffer to print)

Thats useful to know, I have a last gen Bachmann model that's sound fitted which really needs a speaker upgrade to match my other sound fitted last gen model (with sugar cubes in the 3d printed fuel tanks). But I cant recall if its a 3.5 (and thus more difficult to source speakers) or a 4. Visually I always find it tricky to see the difference between the two. Looking forward to finally testing 37401 this evening (and having a look at a spare 37401 body tomorrow). before I make a start on repainting the latter into Intercity Swallow as 501. The more interesting conversion / repaint of one of them into 37668 will probably not progress much until spring and warmer temperatures...

looking very impressive, what are the pegs youve used for alignment?

I’ve used black electrical tape before, for example when converting Bill Bedford spring wagons back to OO it’s stoped the wheels shifting our

I haven’t used the Railtec product as I’m still working through my stash of Archers rivets. My approach was always to etch prime the brass, then apply the transfers, seal them with a coat of Klear then reprime and eventually paint. My bulldog was done a couple of years ago and is still fine

247 is my go to where possible now for loco names, along with Narrow Planet for loco numbers. Thankfully I have already got most of the named locos I need and was already using narrow planet, so the loss of Modelmasters is not effecting me too much