Red Devil

So we have brass tube....... It's slightly larger than the motor but fortuitously when soldered to the brass section of the chassis gives a perfect mesh.....why isn't everything this simple!! Currently sleeved into position with a couple of shims of 5 thou evergreen plasticard but I'll try some heatshrink tubing for a finished job. Overall I'm now vey happy with the 'how to' and I'm set up to knock these out very easily. I was toying with the idea of knocking up a class 40 bogie using a 1020 Tramfabriek double ended motor in a 1-A-1-1 model config. I have the motors, gears etc but may put that on hold until I hopefully have a bogie frame to play with. But all the Derby type 2s I want to build are going to be plain sailing now. If I ultimately decide on all axle power I'm pretty certain that the shorter Tramfabriek motor with a double shaft will just about fit, all it'd need is another gear slot cutting in the chassis plate......dead simple. Quick test video and pic of bogie....

One forward, one back, one sideways! On offering up the previously built bogie to the printed side frame it became apparent that somewhere there was an issue, the axle boxes and axles didn't quite line up, measuring it it seems the prints are a little shorter than scale, no criticism of print here, they were designed for the ready to roll chassis and that might have been the deciding factor in that ....whilst I can live with them being a mill or so out I can't really live with them looking wrong....so two options....rebuild fames or rebuild bogies. So being inherently lazy and also having started on the basic chassis jig I went with rebuild the bogies. The jig is very basic but keeps everything square and in position when soldering the chassis bits together. The two longer tubes take a rod that keeps the axle tubes in position whilst soldering, I can add further bogie positions for stuff I want to that part then easily replicate the bogies. The new version that fits the 24 side frames I'm going to try all brass construction having hopefully found a brass tube that fits the motors, just a question of shimming up or down the tubing for gear mesh....basically the same as the earlier version but hopefully stronger and neater overall...having hopefully proved it works this will be my preferred method. So a couple of pics, meanwhile 3 more type 2 bogies to solder up.....hoping the tube arrives soon.

Meanwhile back to the 24 chassis.... Lenny at Lincoln Locos kindly supplied me with the bogie frame and tank prints for the 24, I'd guess these are really for his ready to roll versions but with a bit of messing about should quite happily fit my 14.2 mm gauge chassis. I've opened out one of the bogie prints and will fit a lower cross member that will screw up to the brass chassis plate quite happily. Meanwhile I've started work on a jig that will make soldering up Bo-Bo bogies in both 8ft 6in and 10ft versions respectively far quicker and easier, that will cover most of the classes I may end up building. More on that as it progresses....

4S07, 4007 is the 00 version of that but yeah in effect the P4/S4 version of the 10.5 lowmac wheels.... I have both and found even the 00 version works.

Only just read this thread..... Couple of thoughts.... I'm very much in the same situation....'newish' to 3mm but done plenty of other stuff, fancy it is a self contained sideline. Loco mechs I just decided to do my own thing and so far so good, If I can hash up a reasonable working chassis I'm sure you can....You most definitely have more available kit than myself! Things I've found so far..... Alan Gibson P4 disc 10.5 wheels work ok in my chassis builds and sail through the 14.2 British Finescale points without issue....why them, because I had them in stock for other things, will I swap to 3mm wheels possibly but they work to get something up and running easily. Motors, gears etc absolutely loads of stuff out there but might take a bit of thinking about! Nowt wrong with posting up, think everyone might need a bit of help and validation when doing something out of their comfort zone, I certainly do or at least hope to raise a smile with 'what's this imbecile up to now' 😄 Anyway nice to see someone else sat there going' 'how do I build this' rather than bemoaning the lack of xyz rtr in whatever scale (tongue semi in cheek here but that's why I decided to have a bash at 3mm/14.2 'cos I like build stuff) All the best with it.......

A very quick google brought this up. The K3 model scales nearing 5'4" over tyres, and the driving wheels do look undersize as a result. To the flange edges its 5'7" Depends on if that's close enough for you I suppose!

Body meet chassis. chassis meet body..... Happily sat in position now, I've removed some of the underframe print because I want to do something else with it. The print perfectly acceptable but I want to do a little bit more, so some bodywork detailing and chassis frames etc build next up..... Longevity test on a fully charged battery gave 6 hours continuous running at half throttle, in reality that'll be more than enough if it ever goes out on exhibition.....that is ultimately the plan. I'm rather taken with this now I think a Park Royal version as M79971 may well join it, that being another late survivor. I may even start knocking a chassis up!

Aren't the Bachmann K3 wheels undersized anyway? I may be wrong but seem to remember reading that somewhere. So they might be 'close enough' for some.

Finally got back to do a bit of modelling.... Railbus chassis is up and running albeit on 'accommodation' wheels....RC fitted and a bit of paint in places and so far so good. Now for a battery charge and running longevity test!

BR blue one showing as in stock now at Hornby hopefully the others are soon to follow.

.....and that's why I'm pleasantly surprised.....😉

Always fancied building one, never got round to it....I may end up buying one purely for the showcase and hopefully pick up a kit to build in EM. I guess a few stashed kits etc will start appearing on eBay soon enough! Must admit I thought this would be one for KR Models if anyone ever did it but pleasantly surprised at its announcement.

Have tools will travel.....😄 That said I'm booked solid for about 3 years!

Erm, I suppose my user name gives it away a bit..... I am a United supporter, I understand I did see him play but was too young to register this being little more than a toddler. That said I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to him three times. Once when he was doing a promotional tour for Bulldog Garden tools, once at Volgograd airport and once more than a few beers in in Budapest (me not him!).... The last two were obviously at Utd away games..... He was a gent with us every time, cannot speak of him more highly than that. There's an old saying 'never meet your heroes' for some of my older compatriots in red that simply isn't true, I know more than a few who were absolutely gutted on hearing the news even though many knew him to not be very well.

Recommendation, recommendation, recommendation...... I'm a landscaper, been involved in horticulture and hard landscaping for 30 plus years, I only maintain what I build and don't do stuff I don't want to because I've been at it a while and know what I'm doing.....that may sound a bit big headed but trust me there are so many in the game that quite simply shouldn't even be allowed out with tools. Ask round locally and see what you come up with.....There will be plenty out there but finding the right fit for you may take some work. I would suggest Facebook local groups as a starting point even if someone does the request for you, a lettered van etc is not always a sign that they're any good. I positively fly under the radar, van isn't lettered, I don't have a website, I don't run a Facebook business page because I simply can't take any more work on. Oh yeah this is what I do ...... Built, planted and maintained by me over the last 30 years!

Basically trial and error! The Nigel Lawton motors are 10mm dia so I either use brass tubing or some plastic tubing to fit the motors, the rest of the basic chassis is made up and by shimming up you can get a good motor mesh using either brass or plastic, once you've sussed what works for each type of gears it becomes very easy to replicate. Sorry I can't be more precise than that but that's basically what I did. Receivers are again from Micron Radio Control RX41-d-v5 configured to TX22 transmitter.....I use the one with directional control rather than centre off.

Quite simply I'd avoid any show that put a 'green' charge on. Purely my person perspective and I have no doubt others will disagree with mine, that's fine they're allowed to..... Having just been forced into upgrading my work vehicle from a perfectly acceptable 2015 Euro 5 vehicle to a Euro 6 van because of the proposed CAZ in my work area.....it was going to cost me an extra £3000/year to go to work. Yeah you can say I'm a bit disgruntled about the whole thing, nor do I fully believe in the requirement of some clean area zones or the data used to propose/implement them. I have no idea about my carbon footprint, nor do I care.....although I would imagine mine is far less than many seeing as I plant thousands of trees a year....and yes I do mean thousands! Cynical about the whole thing? You betcha....

Here's an Anbrico Roberts car body, remade really and built nothing like the instructions, all detail removed soldered up as a one piece unit then beadings etc re added, didn't like the bitty looks to the original kit. Have several like this and a box full of castings ready to solder together but now superseded by 3d print bodies on radio controlled battery powered mechanisms.

Frequently and as an away fan, well I say frequently but I mean in the years that they weren't in the second tier, never a problem. Worst grounds to go to were definitely Anfield and Goodison, had to be prepared to fight your way in and out. This is were having a different accent comes in, certainly attending the football in the 80s/90s, A scouser would not enjoy visiting Manchester that much and vice versa, I used to feel a target anywhere in Liverpool. Only place I have ever had a knife pulled on me, Stanley knives were very popular with certain elements back in the day. Not saying everyone and probably not now, but going to City was a walk in the park in comparison. I worked in Moss Side, Pendleton, Collyhurst and a few other less salubrious areas, never had a problem, local knowledge I suppose. I'm not saying you're wrong but it's probably a case of Mancunians and Scouser, never the twain......

I've passed this on, if I hear anything further I will post it up.

Lot to be said for never having to clean your track.....😉 and yeah this post is more than a bit tongue in cheek.....

I've had numerous minor mishaps like everyone else over the years..... The worst was probably when I nearly didn't get there at all. Generally speaking whichever direction I'm heading off in will involve moorland roads, if you've ever done a 540 deg spin in a van loaded with layout, stock and all the paraphernalia due to black ice then you'll have an idea of what I'm on about! Early Sat morning start heading to the M1 I did just that, I'll be honest and thought I was completely going to lose it and be careering down a hillside. Hit the kerb on the opposite side of the road with a fair clout which just about saved me. I always run on winter tyres and am pretty used to driving in poor conditions but this was just unavoidable. Some damage to layout, stock but mainly underwear. Managed to get there after a coffee and 10 smokes break at very reduced speed. Was up and running (ish) by opening but it doesn't diminish the fact that travel to and from the exhibition can and does possibly have issues beyond running late for traffic etc. Sometimes those on the paying side of the barrier have no idea of the problems that can arise and personally I'll never call anyone who may be having a bad day.....it happens.

There is sod all money in dropping a Sycamore miles from anywhere to sell for firewood....

I've dropped more than a few trees in the course of my work over the years. Whoever has done that has access to a decent saw (I'd say 22 inch bar at least) and certainly has done some before. Now I'm not saying a 16 year old (especially if around this sort of work) couldn't do it, but I don't see an inexperienced kid marking that tree up (white paint markings on tree) dropping it as cleanly in the dead of the night on what I guess may well have been a windy night. If it was then I'll stand corrected, but the kit required isn't cheap and most certainly isn't 'in my dads shed' unless your dad is most likely a pro.

Railbus chassis approaches final wiring..... Base plate to take all the bits and pieces has been fabricated, I'll wire it up tomorrow if i get time. Very simple, an on/off switch, batter charge point and a holder for rc receiver, that's the open box in front of motor. overall height from top of rail about 15mm or so which will leave room for at least half to two third seats etc. It's a simple circuit then really.....battery leads connected to correct terminals on charger socket, neutral straight to receiver which is pre wired. Positive terminal on charger to switch via an inline fuse, then to receiver. Two yellow outputs from receiver go to motor and that's it.