Colin parks

Hi cheesysmith.Yes, having looked closely at pictures of EPB stock, the chain is quite clearly visible. You just have to know what to look for! It appears to be slack whether the buckeye coupling is up or down. Colin

Hi leopardm2341, I would be very interested to see your photos. I will PM you later on. Colin

Hi 73c, If the lever is for that purpose, how does the lever connect to the buckeye - via a chain? Colin

Thanks for the pictures Kelly. The close-ups of the buffers are extremely useful and I was not aware that there were release levers on the side buffers to extend them. In the retracted position the sdie buffers are quite short. Also, the centre buffer has some quite substantial packing to adjust the length. The state of both the 2 EPB (an ex- North London line unit?) and the 'preserved' 4 SUB is a little concerning - especially the SUB which would need extensive repairs to the bodywork just to arrest the rust damage. All the best, Colin

Hi Kelly, Thanks for the offer of inspecting your conversions. Regretfully, I shall be unable to attend the Scaleforum this year, but maybe he 2018 one. I hope to see your layout there! All the best, Colin

Hi Kelly, Thanks for the information re. 14 mm disc wheels. Branchlines' Black Beetle wheels do seem to have a good reputation, so I shall order some soon, though not for this model. All the best, Colin

Hi wiggoforgold, Just read through the entire thread and have to say I have enjoyed every post. Great stuff, and such consistency in you modelling! Colin

The 8ft bogies are nearly done. I am not too sure about the shape of the 8 thou. brass diagonal brackets which support the outer ends of the outer running boards (is this the correct term fro these?). They might be altered. Dasatcopthorne's prototype photos of the very similar Bulleid 2HAP: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/15056-bulleid-2hap-emu/page-8 (post #183, third photo) shows that the brackets run up the face of the transom rather than the simplified way I have done it. Hmm... This photo shows just how good the Hornby Maunsell bogie is. These were a bargain at £3.99 from the Hornby shop, (bought at the time when there was no other source through the trade). The Exactoscale wheels look the part, but two of the four used for this pair of bogies have what could be an unacceptable amount of run-out on the tyres - er, not so exacto. In the blurry background above the bogie pivot, a 2 BIL motor bogie drive unit can just be seen, waiting to go under the knife.

Hi Nelson, What about making your own chain links from florists' flower arrangement wire? They sometimes use 0.5 mm blackened iron wire. If you make yourself a metal strip to wind the wire around, 100 mm long x 2.5 mm wide and 0.75 mm thick, you can have an unlimited amount of links! You will need a hole at one end of the strip to hold the end of the wire while you start turning. The only tricky bit is slitting the links down the centre of one side to separate them, but I am sure a person with your talents could manage that. I will try and find a photo of my former to illustrate this explanation. Colin

Like the photos Grahame. Bratchell models make a very nice 4 mm scale model of the Class 319 unit. Seeing your first photo reminded me about it. Colin

Hi cheesysmith, That price is very good for a complete drive unit, especially if they are the original suspension type, (in 1955 the Brighton Belle along with other units with the same kind of bogies, were converted from equalising beam to leaf spring primary suspension). To answer your question: yes, there are quite a few differences between the two types of bogie: wheelbase a scale 9' 0" (2 BIL type 8' 9"); shoe beam shape; side frame profile; equalising beam suspension; etc., etc.. But I might order a couple of the Brighton Belle bogies because they are suitable for other express units such as 4 COR/RES/BUF; 6 PAN/PUL/CIT. Colin

Made a small start on the EPB today, concentrating on the Hornby X9723 SR 8ft bogies. After levering off the bolster/brake gear moulding, Exactoscale wheels were trial-fitted and they ran very well even without brass bearings. The next stage was to separate the bolster from the brake gear as the brake shoes need to be wider apart for 18.83 mm gauge. The two brake gear mouldings were split down the middle. The gap was filled with a strip of Slater's black Plastikard, and for good measure, another wider strip was added across the joint. Progress can be seen below: Also shown is a strip of 20 thou. black Plastikard which has been filed along its length prior to being parted form the sheet to create a L section. This creates the small upstand on the running boards, to match the fitted Hornby ones. These boards will be installed on the bogies towards the inner ends of the unit -a feature found on all Bullied-designed EMUs, though these 2 EPBs date from 1957 (albeit with reclaimed chassis from withdrawn 2 NOLs). One transom has ha its gap filled, but not trimmed to size. This will the most visible transom when the bogies are fitted to the chassis. (The bogies will be reversed so that the large gap to accommodate a tension lock coupling will face the middle and be lost in the shadows.)

Many thanks for posting your album links Kelly. If you happen the go to the ERM, a few detail shots of EPB side buffers (cab ends) would be greatly appreciated. Colin

Hi Kelly, Where on RMweb might your pictures of the EPB be found? The 4 CIG folder is easy enough to find, but no EPB shots are in the gallery section - unless I am missing something. All the best, Colin

Hi Dave, Thanks for the offer of 2 EPB photos. You very kindly posted many shots of Bulleid 2 HAPs on my Bulleid 2 HAP topic (page #8). Unless there any differences between the two classes, I have plenty to be getting on with - apart from a good view of a side buffer! All the best, Colin

H Hi Paul, I am very sorry to have upset you. I have amended the error on my post accordingly. Apologies, Colin

Hi Cheesysmith, Thanks for the tip, but I cannot locate the 2 BIL drive unit on the Lendons website. Colin

Thanks for the link Siberian Snooper. Curiously, when I tried to search for these bogies on the Peter's Spares website without using the Hornby code, they came up as out of stock! Will be ordering a unit forthwith, because these power bogies are much more powerful than the Black Beetle option, though will block the view through the windows of the luggage compartment of the 2 EPB. Colin

Hi cheesysmith, It is interesting to hear that Hornby power bogies are still available. Where have you seen them? It would be a cheap option, as Exactoscale or Ultrascale wheels are easy to fit to these bogies. Colin

Hi Keith, The layout, which might be too grand a term for it, is progressing very slowly but surely. The 2 EPB is just an amusement to keep my hand in while the serious business of P4 track-laying proceeds. Colin

Hi Nick, Your work on the chimney is to an absolutely top class standard. The only downside is that the cast dome will now look rather poor by comparison. Colin

Hi. Now that is interesting: having just had a look at some photos of Dapol Grampus models, it seems that they have an unfitted body atop a fitted chassis, so pairing the Dapol body with an unfitted chassis kit is a perfect choice. I believe that all the fitted Grampus had small round cleats* (as can be seen in enterprisingwestern's last photo in post #4) see here http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/grampuszbo for photos of unfitted wagons. Also, there is strong evidence, judging by all of Paul Bartlett's photos of unfitted Grampus (cf. the link above) , that they all had the same type of buffer with only very slight variation in the style of ribs between lots and builders. Colin *I did not know about this difference before knocking out about twelve Grampus using Parkside fitted bodies with their unfitted 12ft chassis kits until Jim Smith-Wright pointed it out!

A pair of Bulleid-profile coach roof blanks have turned up in a drawer. These must have been spares from when I made a 4 SUB back in 2013/4. So, given that most of the other parts and materials are knocking about - apart from a Black Beetle bogie; trailing pick-up bogie side frames; and roof vents, I have decided to give building a Bulleid 2 EPB a go. Below are pictured the roofs, along with some of the generic patterns for Bulleid designed EMUs. Though it does show in the picture, the roofs have been sanded and levelled, but not yet trimmed to exact length. As luck would have it, I have also found an old set of plans supplied with the No-Nonsense Kits rendition of unit. This will be the first stock that has been made by me specifically to P4 standards. Even more fortuitous is that I have some Ultrascale wheels for the Black Beetle powered bogie and enough Exactoscale (R.I.P.?) wheels for the other bogies. Colin

Slightly off-topic, but what is that curious extension on the Snodland signal box?

Nice shot. Looks like a BR 4EPB. Colin