ClikC

The Lima roof is compremised to allow the use of the diamond shape pantograph from one of their HO european electric models (the pantograph base on UK locomotives is/ was a standard size, to allow pans to be swapped/ changed as required). I agree with Dagworth, don't use the Heljan body, just the roof area between the cabs.

I did this mod many moons ago:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/album/1070-class-87/

The bogies are Hornby class 90 spares, IIRC you need 4 bogies, as the wheelbase of the Hornby 90 is too short. You cut the 90 bogies in un-equal halfs, chuck the short bits and stick the long bits together, turning 4 bogies into 2 the correct size.

Alas, still don't have a fix for the cab windows of the 87 (ithe sides are too in-set into the body, and needs to be pulled out, probably with plasticard and some nice etches for new detail), which is what urks me most about the Lima model. Still, their effort was still a lot better than heljans 86...

ClikC

I've never visited Peak Rail, but having read your post, I decided to have a look at their website.

"Peak Rail welcomes you in 2012 to journey back to a bygone age and experience the thrill of steam and diesel on our preserved railway, operating between Rowsley South and Matlock Platform 2 for a distance of 4 miles and open to the public throughout the year."

A preserved railway while mayhap be a charity, will still (like many charitys embrace) embrace good business practice, to maximize profit. While costs may increase from 'top and taling' (I seriously doubt costs double, remember Diesels and Modernisation reduced the costs associated with steam), what they have done is efectively double the target market.

And more power to them I say! While you may not appciate 'a lawn mower and blue smoke', if I want to see a kettle, I'll go to the Kitchen

Either way, money from either type of enthusiast helps support the enjoyment of the other.

Regards

Matt

Matt, thanks for the response and comments. This loco's a B1-1B rather than the latter C-Cs so hopefully that'll work... although I note that Chris did convert his to a C-C with extra gearing on the bogies. Ah, so Brian was behind that and its springing too... fair do's... I'm not going to compete with that .

Hmmm more bits to ponder on then... I understand some flush glazing may be on the way too... that'll be good for the body sides!

Have just spend a couple of hours removing all glazing and rubbing down one nose section to the correct profile - or as close as I could get to it. I think it looks ok... will post an update at some point. This is also the first time I've removed all glazing... it's horrible how it creeks as it is put under strain - all out without damage... fortunately.

I think the Bo1's convert better than the AWD bogies with a straight wheel swap. I agree with Chris Pendleton though, I desire my diesels to be fully sprung, but it certainly isn't a requirement. While I work on detailing / rebuilding the bodies of most of the loco's I have, most if not all run currently with just straight rewheeling.

There are some very exciting developments coming from shawplan on the laser glazing front. I'm sure you noticed the Aircon Mk2's and the Mk3 and Mk4's at scaleforum. Last I spoke to Brian he was so happy with the developments he was going to do the same for the Bachmann Mk1's.

Yes the Bachmann glazing is a pig to remove, but the joy of working in plastic, is any cracks, cuts or gaps resulting from being over zealous with a file, can be easily fixed with some styrene, liquid poly and wet and dry.

Regards

Matt

A straight wheel swap will have you a deltic running to P4 standards. The issue is really the Chassis, if the bogies are the original Bo1 or the newer Co/AWD arrangement. You may find the later AWD design rocks on the center axle which can lead to a 'Ballast Happy' conversion. There are various bodges and work-arounds involving adding some slop to the center axle, or using a smaller diameter wheel on the center axle.

The society view of Springing/ compensation being desirable, but not necessary really does hold true.

What should be noted, is Brian Hanson was the person behind the idea for coil sprung bogies, which Chris Pendleton then produced. Brian has grand plans to produce and etched kit to spring the English Electric Equalized bogies, which is more than certain to be destined for the Hornby class 50 mech.

I'm looking forward to seeing your developments.

Regards

Matt

This is some excellent work Pugsley. I can't wait to see it all come together, it's very tempting...

Coiled what?

AM I missing out on something here?

Mind that is a canny solution

Coil springs for the purpose of springing Diesel bogies.

Brian has been assessing the Hornby english electric equilised bogie for the idea of fitting full working coil suspension, ala a certain well known 4-mm scale Deltic...

Oooh, thats a bit cunning isn't it! Almost like someone had it in mind all along...

I seam to have been rather lucky with my first Bachy 47, which is dead flat across both bogies. Nice to know for the future.

Likewise I'm looking forward to the Coil sprung bogies from Brian, I keep telling him he should forget all the detailing gubbins and just get some coils commissioned Just a pity the Bachmann AWD co bogie doesn't lend it'self well to adding springs, the Hornby design on the other hand...

Regards

Matt

The Lima 87 body always looked pretty good to me apart from just one issue - the windscreen frames. I can't put my finger on whether they are the wrong dimensions, or whether they stand a little too proud, but summat just doesn't do it for me.

 

i wonder if anyone has checked them with a 1:1 class 87.

Funny you should say that about the windscreens Phil, I was looking at the picture above earlier and trying to work out why it din't look quite right.

 

Again, I can't quite put my finger on why, but something doesn't look quite right.

 

It's looking good Matt, I never knew that the Hornby 90 bogies were too long, are they out by much?

Hi Phil, and Pugsley.

Yeah the cab windows have been bothering me too. While no doubt my photography hasn't helped show of the model.

Main points to me seam to be;

• Main center dividing pillar is to thick.
• The moulded cab window surrounds too curved, should be flat,
• The cab roof has a far to much sharp 'porch' going on, and should be more subtly curved. This and the bad lighting in the photo graphs cause quite a bit of shadow.

I'm also wondering if the whole cab window unit is inset a little too much into the rest of the bodywork, this seams especially the case near the main cab-side corner pillar. I expect a nice etch coupled with some laser cut glazing from brian hanson would drastically improve the model. As i'll be seeing him this weekend I'll be sure to give his arm a good twist.

Otherwise, I think the Lima 87 is pretty damn good. Some filling and a bit of wet and dry will improve the cab windows no end I expect, in the same way that a bit of filing on the Bachy 47 to get more of the 'sad eye's' effect improves the model no end.

With regards the bogies, the Hornby 90's come in with 44-mm axle centers, so only 1-mm out from the prototype and considerably better than the 40-mm axle spacing on the Hornby 86 bogie.

Interesting project Matt.

 

Great stuff though Matt and good that someone remembers that 87s shifted a lot of freight at night. 4S50 Dudley-Gushetfaulds was booked an 86/0 and an 87, as was the return 4M51. these locos came off Down Euston-Wolverhamptons after they'd deposited their stocks at Oxley, both coming separately light to Bescot where we multied them - 87 on the inside and 86 on the front.

 

The return 4M51 was just the same. We split them and sent them both to Oxley for Up Londons.

When was this Phil? My period is May 1974, so only the 87's worked in true multiple. But many services were double headed, at least through Carlisle. From the notes supplied to me by Steve Rabone, all 50% of the 87's heading north on a double headed FL service are back to Carlisle within 6 hours on another service. But then 1974 WCML workings were pretty damn intensive!

Regards

Matt

Wow, doesn't seam to be much size difference between the gears and the wheels!

How are you going about motoring this bad boy Pugsley? You using the term "Traction Motor Gubbin's" is leaving me all aquiver with excitement!

Regards

Matt

Don't get too down heartened about it Pugsley, these things happen. It's why things like this are often referred to as the 'Bleeding Edge' of technology. Certainly the well known Deltic of Mr Pendenton was not at first a success. I think really, it's defiantly asking to much for something to be a success first time.

I'd press on with what you've got, but make careful notes as you do go. Then with the aide of those notes, go for a redesign of the etch pieces, with the aim to remove any other oversights that may well crop up. It's amazing what can occur to you when actually putting together bits you've made.

I'll certainly be following this with interest, if successful you may well cause me to attempt an S7 LMR Class 50...

Regards

Matt

Polishing should also help avoid it rusting. Unused the steel does rust after a few years as some of my test track has some surface rust on it where I haven't used it in a while.

 

The Exactoscale rail is superb in its section as well as material. We have S4 Society rail in the club and its a very undefined section that you can't thread the chairs onto well in comparison to Exactoscale's own.

 

Btw i'd suggest anchoring your check rails somehow as they can sometimes caterpillar along under expansion in the plastic chairs!

Hi Craig,

I have to admit, I'm using C&L steel rail for the most part, which is rather similar but not exactly the same as Exactoscale's. I saw a post by Keith Norgrove a while ago on the S$WebForum with some sectional shots of the old Studiolith tinned steel rail, which really wasn't very convincing.

Thanks for the pointer, a bit of Loctite 603 should solve that issue I hope.

Regards

Matt

This is looking good and I bet it's great to get some locos running! I too hope to build one of the P4 track co's points in the near future - how easy have you found it to work with steel rail as it's something I'm planning on using, for looks more than anything

I'm still more in the HiNi camp for looks, but I'm going to try polishing the rail head at some point to improve the 'grey'. But I've found a liking for it from a mechanical point of view, and so far I've found it to be a real pleasure to work with. And yes, i'm enjoying having things moving around.

HTH

Regards

Matt

Hi Matt

 

While there are still wooden keys on modern track most use a metal clip on BH rail, These dont stick out like a wooden key does so from that pint of view (just the keys I mean) fasttrack looks more like modern bullhead track.

 

HTH

 

Jim

Hi Jim,

A good point, and something I'd not considered. A lot of the Keys are fairly untidy moldings, so I suspect i'll be trimming some down with a scalpel. I suppose the other point was I'm trying to represent fairly old track, to the point I was contemplating adding a couple of MR/LMS chairs, although more as scenic clutter.

Thanks for the pointer.

Regards

Matt

Back on topic ...I recall your last post with interest - not often that you see parcels modelled so that with a bit of BR Blue thrown in sounds terrific - did the templot change much from the last post or just tweaking?

Sorry I didn't see this comment earlier. The Templot plan pretty much stayed the same, with a lot of tweaking of the positions of Templates, I spent a great deal of time sketching out the plan, and generally thinking it all through. It's not ideal, due to the space constraints of the 2010 challenge, had I not stuck to the rules I'd have made the plan with a slight curve. But as I like to reiterate, this is really a glorified plank, a test bed for a lot of things to come later in my modeling career.

Regards

Matt

The buffers were not cut down. A welded metal lug was located on top of the buffer housing to facilitate supporting the door bottom flap.

No idea on the livery, not my period. But I do have a lot of these to do (just placed and order for two boxes more). But as always, Robert Carroll's excellent Yahoo group will no doubt have the answer.

BRCoachingStock

Regards

Matt

Must be a Goth, Trebor.

Not as bad as i used to be, what with my hair now being Bright Red =D

Hi James, thanks for the comments. Like wise i've been following your projects with great interest.

I can't quite remember what is in the pack, but the Shawplan cab window etch which knocks the socks off of the the now VERY old craftsman effort.

The craftsman nose door etch is 1-mm to short judging by my drawings.

Well, pretty much, Shawplan do some absolutely amazing parts for Class 40's and I recommend you give Brian a ring to find out his range of parts.

I've currently got two 40's on my work bench (both Bachmann lima hybrids) and I can recommend the excellent article by the Crew behind mostyn on doing up there 40's (Rail Express issue 115).

Regards

Matt

Got any photo's to illustrate?

I've had no issues fitting ultrascales to my two 50's (Both converted from hornbys Illustrious release mind).

Regards

Matt

This is going to be such an amazing Layout, really inspiring despite my own era being different. I look forward to seeing the Layout at Scaleforum!

Regards

Matt

Thanks The case I've used is like this one on eBay with the tool storage gubbins removed.

 

Regards, Darren

Thanks Darren, that looks brilliant for my Blue and Grey locos.

Regards

Matt

This sounds fantastic, have you more details on the particular aluminum flight case you used?

47 806 in IC swallow! My favorite spoon, lovely!