lapford34102

Class 74 – DC Kits/Heljan This has been one of those projects that’s been pulled out, looked at, and put away again on and off ever since I got the kit way back in ???? I bought it complete with Black Beetle motor bogie but that side of things never convinced me. It came to the fore again after I spoke to Adam at the Tonbridge show. He’d done on and made a very good job of it using a modified Bacchy Warship mech. There’s some detail on his blog if you scroll down a bit. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/blog/78-adams-part-time-modelling/ So having a bit (!) of time on my hands I dug it out and had a good look at how far I’d got, not far as it turned out. Then looking for something else stumbled on this. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heljan-Replacement-Class-26-Chassis-OO-Gauge/283440784769?hash=item41fe632581:m:miNO6H71ePY9vw3QjdQNF-Q Now the 74 has 10’6” bogie wheelbase and Adam had made virtually scratchbuilt sideframes to fit the correct sized Warship bogies. The DC kits sideframes were scaled to fit the BB motor bogie at 10’ wheelbase, the same as a 26. A compromise but one I was prepared to live with as I doubt I’m up to doing a scratchbuilt one. The 74 has shorter distance between the bogies than a 26 so having got the chassis it was completely dismantled to shorten it. Relatively easy in theory but when you can’t find your hacksaw and only have a junior version around a bit of a game. So after a deal of huffing and puffing got the chassis block hacked, and I mean hacked, into 5 pieces with the 2 bogie mounts and motor mount and a couple of unwanted slabs. The results were rough but useable and hopefully no-one will get a close up. The DC kits came with a fold-up brass chassis which was ideal for mounting the chassis sections on having first figured out where the bogie centres were. These were then epoxied and clamped and left to go off. When dry the bogies were temporarily installed to check for height which was fine. Whilst the expoxy was setting the bogie sideframes were given attention as they were quite basic and needed some cable runs and pipework. What I’ve done isn’t particularly accurate but I doubt there’s many around who can draw a 74’s sideframe from memory!. I’ve still got to figure out how to attach the sideframes to the bare Heljan bogie but will figure that later. As for the body the moulded on handrails have been removed and the rather prominent roof panel ribs sanded back. The door openings have been rescribed to make them more obvious and the cab ends marked out for the MU pipes + cables, lamp irons and wipers. There have been a few DC kits 74’s on various forums and a recent one was on EMgauge 70’s by Kier Hardy for Hornsey Broadway. He used a Hornby 71 for the chassis but used the Hornby cabs on the DC centre section. http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/model_omwb156.html http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/model_omwb160.html I was a bit surprised that he used the Hornby cabs but the reason he gave was that the DC resin cabs “appear to have a much larger A-pillar section and are flatter across the front” Certainly looks like that in the photos but checking against my plan the DC kits cab side window seems to be in the right place. To me it looks as if the body corners are too square so I’ve rounded them off more. I don’t think it addresses the curve of the cab front enough but I think it does look better. Another update as and when. Stu

No Sardines at all in Sainsbury's today! The Apocalypse has finally happened. Stu

Peter's Spares say "coming soon" for Heljan spares. I find the Gaugemaster approach a bit baffling as well, going to take time getting a mixed order together by someone who hopefully knows what they're looking at. The complete sprues even if they were a bit dearer would seem to make more sense. Stu

The roofing company has fallen through

Heard on local radio this morning and it made me smile Stu

I hope you are right and that things/attitudes/opinions change. My worry is that there will surely be a section of society who want to get back to the "old" normal ASA and really wouldn't welcome change - for a variety of reasons we can all happily speculate on but not, perhaps, on here. It would be nice to think a more just and equitable society emerges but......................... Stu

My point was to aks whether the virus (as many things) acclimatised to its environment, and a change in the temperature made it harder to "survive" I posted back on page 90 a link to a BBC article regarding the possible effect of climate HTH Stu

Article on how climate(or it the UK's case weather) might affect things. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200323-coronavirus-will-hot-weather-kill-covid-19 Stu

Essential retailer https://www.diy.com/customer-support/#icamp=HP_Hero_customersupport Stu

I'll put this link up and simply comment that it's making me think. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-first-analysis-reveals-trends-in-uks-critical-cases-11962457 Stu

Friend been trying to get one, seems there's been a run. At local Sainsbury's at 6 this morning for the wrinklies only hour. Big queue got what we needed, largely for 89yo MiL No UHT though, as someone said rather odd. Plenty of paracetemol but a lot of empty spaces in tinned, dried etc. Whiskey in good quantities - very concerned they are going to order all distilleries to make sanitiser :-) However neighbour reported local high street butcher virtually wiped out, that will need watching. Local Vaping shop (yes, I'm a sinner) reported two best days since opening. Remember you're (insert nationality here) Cheers Stu PS things have taken a turn for the worst, a paint chart has just appeared :-(

Just an observation but the natural world is carrying on unaffected and seemingly oblivious to our problems. Stu

Well that's going to cheer a lot of us up :-) Evidence ? Stu

Well you've probably got a couple of days to get used to the idea and cross him off your Xmas card list. Too many coming up with the same news........! Stu

Asian Flu was 1957, remember my dad caught it and was pretty rough for a time. Late 60's was Hong Kong flu, that seemed to pass us by. As regards the present situation it looks as if the Govt has been bounced into further steps. Stu

Stairway to heaven (as previously mentioned...!) Died in your arms - Cutting Crew Stu

Hi, Had a good show at Tonbridge last weekend in spite of the weather. I've now got a green Class 08 to with the blue one as I rather like them. It was converted using the Gibson kit and took a lot less time than my first attempt. And this time there are some pictures instead of me just talking about it so thanks Tim. Both have sound, Hornby TTS in the blue, Loksound micro in the green. It's an interesting comparison and to be honest the Hornby one is a bargain in spite of it's well known limitations and pain to set the running up. I've been looking for a second Hornby one but asking around they're like Unicorn droppings as it appears they've all been bought up by Dapol 7mm 08 owners. Sadly the wagons aren't mine. They're Adam's who brought some along to run so thank you. They're both amazing bits of work, both above and below the solebar and way better than anything I've done. His RMweb thread is here and definitely worth a look. Plus thanks to everyone else who stopped by at Tonbridge for a chat. Cheers Stu

Piko Smart control Light might be worth a look. Very similar in idea to Multimaus. Apparently a rebadged Uhlenbrock system underneath. May well have some limitations but could be a possibility. Know both Coastal DCC and Digitrains stock them Stu

Aaah, that possibly explain things. i would guess it's going on too thickly though as I've no idea how you actually do it a pretty wild one at that. Apologies if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs but my experience with rattle cans is only to use them to spray primer. Model about a foot away, start off the model then go across it fairly quickly and finish off the model. By the time you've done each side, top and ends you can go back for a second or subsequent coach. Found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL0wuPksMO8 Might be of some use though I'd expect a different set of search results in the US My experience with airbrush applied Tamiya matt is that it goes matt pretty quickly. Not a lot of help but my long term advice would be to get an airbrush. Keep us updated Cheers Stu

Hi, I use Tamiya flat a lot and rarely get an issue. It sounds like you either need to thin it more or going on too thickly. A couple of questions, when you say spray is that with an airbrush and are you using Tamiya thinners. Out of curiousity no access to Mr Hobby/Gunze paints ? Stu

Yes, he's much better at doing two things at once than I am.......! Yes, Kevin (CoastalDCC-no connection apart from a happy customer) came through with a couple of chips. Not too bad on the 37 and 150 but the ambient noise in the hall was very high and the 153's/143 got washed out so need to have a look at it. Had a word with Mick on Deadman's Lane and how he'd got his 153 set up so will probably mod mine. The youngsters around could hear them a lot better apparently so decided we're all going deaf in our old age! Tim and I had a great weekend and whilst Portwey is always going to be a bit niche in terms of size and subject we were pleased with the interest. It was very busy on the Sat and near enough the same on the Sun. Nice to see a number of familiar faces - they know who they are ! - who'd made the trek up from the other side of the Thames. Love your second photo Paul. Always thought that if you take most of the stock off a layout and it still looks OK then you might have got something right. Cheers Stu

The Portwey lot all back now by assorted routes. Thanks to Colin and all the team for a thoroughly good weekend. Stu

Hi, thanks for all your comments Gear weekend and will update when back home Stu

Be interested to know who turned down an "Honour" this time round Stu

I will have to do something about it soon, and your model of E6017 has inspired me again. SRMan, It’s a something of a pain to do but worth it, it does look a lot better. I understood the 'bagpipes' nickname was actually coined fairly early on in their careers .................specific connection to Scotland. Phil,The origin of the nickname is now likely lost in the mists of time and I’m sure Bristol drivers would have been far more polite.... ! One Weymouth driver took a look and asked who stuck an octopus or two on the front. So to round off the Crompton bit a photo from the rebuilt Weymouth station taken in 86 when the their 20 year reign was about to end when the 3rd finally made it to the end of the line. Things will get busy next week so for the moment a bit about shunters. There was obviously going to be a need for some shunters equipped with air brakes both for the TC’s and loco hauled stocked. The A/B’d 09’s are pretty well known but I never recall seeing one further west than Eastleigh during this time. For Bournemouth, Weymouth and the Tram line a handful of Class 12’s were equipped with air brakes – they never had train brakes before – and sent west in 68. They seem to have been something of an ad-hoc solution keeping their green livery and in at least one case their original 3 link couplings. Whilst more than adequate power wise Weymouth crews did comment on the visibility running hood first down the tram. I look forward to the Heljan model as it gives an excuse to postpone converting an 08. The 12’s were replaced by dual braked 03’s complete with high level pipes. An 03 on the Tramway in 1972. To model one I started with the air braked version Bachmann 03. It’s not simply a case of adding the high level pipes. The air tanks are larger, marker lights were moved and handrails altered. If anyone is interested I can provide details but wrote up the work for RailExpress March 2017. Have a good Christmas break. Stu