dj_crisp

Winter is a strange time as although I have more time for modelling the garage is so cold I struggle for enthusiasm! Anyhow I've started on a new pair of victims.... I've spent a bit of time pondering the front curves on Bachmanns 101. Having stripped a pair it's a bit easier to see the bodyshell shape. I'm coming to the conclusion that Bachmanns front curve is perhaps a little shallow so I may spend a bit of time with some files. The project is Iris 2.... so some chopping and filling will be needed. If anyone has any photos of the roof that'll be an ace help as I think I need to remove and add quite a few bits!

HNY Rich! Some great projects! Thanks for posting this info and interestingly (well for me) I'm up to something similar and been looking at wheels. I've just bought a few of the new Peco/Parkside kits and forgot they included wheels. On looking at them the profile doesn't seem too bad so was thinking about using them in EM. I haven't measured the axle length so thanks for the heads up and will measure one soon. I do like a Grampus and have just found the old 1987 RM article which inspired me to have a go at building them (at that time so I'm hoping my next attempts are better/run). Now I'm researching the different types to decide whether to go fitted or unfitted. I look forward to seeing how yours turn out. Cheers Will

And your 101s etc! I spent a few minutes last evening looking at curves.... of the 101 variety.... and there is definitely something subtle going on in the corners on the prototype. It kind of looks to me that the prototype curves backwards from the front before the corner and arc of the roof profile. Will have a browse later to see if I can find any better.

Hello David! Nice to meet you at Define. Aha! This the thread you mentioned about the 101 corners. I might just get out some files on my next Bachmann... or Lima effort!!

Really interesting and great trackwork Guy! Thanks for the write up. I like the look of your tie bars. Do you know if they're still available? I'm revisting all of mine as 3 of my flatbottom turnouts have failed this year.

I thought they may keep you nice and busy :)

Stunning! How many of these do you need to do for a complete rake?

I tend to use T cut these days... applied very sparingly and rubbing very gently. Saying that I've only had about a 50% success rate with Vitrains as the base paint is so thin. However railmatch paints have so far been a perfect match so have been easy to fix with an airbrush.

Merry Christmas! Have a good one Will

A perfect Christmas Card! Merry Christmas! And I've been practicing on the eating too much in the run up to the big day :) Have a great one! Will

I think I can see the difference.... you've changed the couplings.

Thanks. If you're interested I'll probably be cluttering up my workbench thread with 101 projects in the new year :) I've been debating whether to standardise on Bachmann or lima shells, and was going to go with Bachmann. Highlighting the arc of the front of the roof has made me realise why the Bachmann one looks better head on so will pick on a lima victim to see if I can mod the front.

Yeah I always find it a bit daunting hacking any model about! I like to pick up non runners or paint disasters for hacking projects as at least I feel I can't make them any worse! Well that's the theory. I'm part way through a lima body/Bachmann mashup and the biggest problem I found is the Bachmann DTCL chassis is very bendy. I think the design uses the clips on the body to straighten the chassis with help from the circuit board.... I saw no way of replicating these and as I don't use the original circuit boards I just stuck some spare brass square rods I had spare along the inside to straighten the chassis. Then the body is stuck on by my new favourite method of using sticky black tac. Tbh I have problems with both Bachmann 108s and 101s with bendy chassis. If its of interest I just found a photo of a Lima with shawplan frames Vs Bachmann without when I was toying with the idea of not hacking the Bachmann one about. I decided to keep the destination frame to avoid a repaint and changed the rest. I'm think I may just take a smidge off the front of the lima roof profile to flatten it ever so slightly to match Bachmanns which I think matches the prototype better. The rest of the roof looks ok to me..... although I Hadn't noticed it before!!

Cheers Rich! I'm doing a bit of armchair modelling 37 wise... just being lazy and waiting to see if Bachmann do one for me 😀

I have... just added my efforts on the other thread ;) Well worth the effort IMO

Go on Rich... Im sure you want to add wires. (Mostly because you're way ahead of me and I'd like to see if the effort is worth it :) ) FWIW I've just had a load of 0.2mm wire arrive from China for this task

An interesting topic and I'm just about to attack a few more 101s so stumbled across this. I'll be interested in seeing anyone doing a back dated met Camm! Front window wise I've come to the conclusion that both Bachmann and Lima/Hornby are wrong. They're quite a bit wider than the models are. Thankfully Shawplan produce frames which are great and I've just persuaded Brian to produce laserglaze so it's easier to get a good finish. Here's a shot of the frames & glazing on the left on a Bachmann shell. (I didn't respray the yellow as I can't do lining that straight... as my black window surrounds show!) I think Lima scores better on the side windows which look slightly deeper and do look lighter. Quite superb really considering their age. However the Bachmann side windows don't offend me that much. I hadn't noticed the roof profile before so will have to check that out before I embark on my next 101 projects. An interesting comparison!

I have fond memories of my lima 37s but times move on and I don't own any anymore. It's probably just a case of a bit of saturation of models causing a dip in prices. Maybe also some overstocking by individual shops as there's more offers around atm extending beyond Bachmann. Accurascale definitely have the better marketing of the two manufacturers and perhaps the model of pre-ordering works better to maintain prices and assess demand. Maybe it's as simple as people are just enjoying their older models more too. I know i am.... and I have too many anyway so will be moving alot of mine on and I'm not looking to replace. I get the feeling I'm not alone. Although i wouldnt mind a Bachmann 37/6 ;) Specifically some St Blazey ones....

It might not work as well with locos as they tend to be heavier but my method of fixing Dapol 122 bodies to Bachmann chassis is simply the sticky black tack stuff that I also use to get rid of light bleed. Failing that glue n glaze is quite good as the bond is easy to break.

This is looking rather nice!

A 119 will look very nice on Oldshaw :) I'm sure you want to have a go! I think I'm going to distract myself with some other projects till I decide how to progress on this one.

Maybe it's time I learn some CAD and get some sides etched. I have a DC kits 120 stashed and just had a look at that one. Windows are smaller but they are perhaps a little large too. It's less noticeable though and hard to tell on blue grey. My understanding is the 120 has similar sides as the 119 just with a different cab? Then there's the small matter of getting dimensions !

Totally agree. The front looks brilliant

Thanks Rich. That's a great summary on the 119. The WW etches window frames are the same size as the Dapol cab window frames. Not sure if I'm going to progress this project at this stage! Been just looking at a possibility of a 114 from the remaining etches. The DTCL looks similar but the DMBS looks quite different!

I treat western region as anything west of Paddington.. 😀 Interesting that you think the windows are a bit deep as that was the conclusion I was coming to as I have a WW set too. But I haven't measured anything though and only roughly lined them up with a Dapol cab. I'll have proper look soon.