A Much wanted model Kit Ordered, a Personal inquiry (BEC 2P TT model )

[Max's Model Railway]

Hello I've been attempting to find a 2P kit that I was hoping to build into the North Western Railway Number 2 from the very early Illustrations from 1945 as a Tribute to the 75th anniversary of The Railway Series, The model would have been bought new on 3SMR but the sites imperfect, very confusing to order from and only takes paypal. not that I have anything wrong with the site anyways, its a bit hard to use.... That purchase never happened...

 

However luckily I found on ebay a seller that was selling one of these 2nd hand but mint from BEC whome I assume was one of the original Manufacturers I've never built one of their kits before, but would be pleased to learn!  I have an Adjustable soldering iron and some 60/40 lead solder ready, although not with me at the time of writing this, But I'll have the model ready soon enough!

 

you may have seen photos of said kit elsewhere but as a recap here's what it looks like for those who don't know here's what it looks like (Bottom)

 

Again I never built one of these kits before, However I would like to add a very single very, very small robotics Servo for a moving eye Mechanism. that would be powered by a RC Receiver through the track

 

Another idea I had was using the T.91 and T.92 components from the castle, specifically the Wheels, gears, Bogie and tender chassis... Couplers included. and a New Coreless Motor would be used too, but that I'm unsure of what kind to use, not sure if the T.91 4-6-0 Great Western Railway Castle wheels would wok to be honest

 

Obviously pickups would have to be added to the tender and metal wheels added

 

Thanks for any Help, its Really Appreciated!

 

 

[NCB]

Hi Max

 

I know of this kit but don't have any personal experience of it. BEC was the original manufacturer, and BEC white metal kits have always had a reasonable reputation. My guess is that the one you have has a white metal chassis? Or possibly solid brass? I think the version sold by 3smr  has an etched chassis, but don't know if it's any good.

 

I'm pretty sure the kit was designed to take Romford wheels,  and I believe a K's motorised tender chassis. However, I've also heard of people having problems with Romford wheels because the crank throw was too great, so the cranks hit the underside of the footplate.

 

I'd suggest joining the 3mm Society. Loads of helpful people on there, with experience covering the whole range of 3mm/ft. What's more, the Society has loads of useful components like wheels.

 

Nigel

[whart57]

To say a kit was designed for Romford wheels is to open up a whole can of worms in 3mm scale. Originally Romford followed other manufacturers in offering products for the then new TT scale in the 1950s. Then when TT waned in popularity these wheels disappeared and people used small diameter OO scale wheels, as the TT gauge axles were still available. Later still Romfords disappeared and reappeared as Markits, one of whose products was a 16.5mm diameter wheel produced to 3mm Society specs and sold through the Society (though may also be available through 3SMR). This history means that "Romford wheels" covers a range of variations in number of spokes and crankpin throw.

 

Another issue with white metal kits and crankpin throw however is the basic one of white metal foot plates being vastly overscale in thickness. Even if the crankpin throw on the wheels is correct, the chances are with large wheeled locos - like 4-4-0s - that the coupling rods still foul the thick footplate. A bit of localised thinning is probably required.

[Max's Model Railway]

Thanks, The kit arrived with one of these

 

 

that I'm Extremely excited to own and restore. (personally I'm thrilled to have located one!) The Kit was White metal... would it be possible for an owner of this kit to use the wheels from a Hornby 0-4-0? (The New ones)  Thanks again. The 3SMR site is a bit to complicated, But I'll be happy to join the 3mm Society.

 

 

[NCB]

Don't think so. Think you need the "right" wheels, which might depend on what sort of chassis is included in the kit. The prototype had 6' 9" drivers, i.e. about 20mm in our scale. The Society SQ19.5 wheels which 19.5mm diameter are probably the ones you need, but as I said you need to see what sort of loco chassis is provided to plan anything.

[Joseph_Pestell]

You can't just go for small wheels from another scale. The number of spokes will nearly always be wrong.

 

You might have better luck with some of the ScaleLink range as they were initially developed for HO.

[whart57]

It's worth mentioning that 0.5mm in 3mm scale equates to the two inches of tread wear the real railways used to allow before re-tyring a wheel. That and the fact that flanges are overscale suggests that 19.5mm wheels (scale 6' 6") would be a good choice for wheels that the drawing says are 6'9" diameter.

[Silverfox17]

This loco was sold by BEC in two different variations, initially to use the K's Tender drive which worked well and the loco having a one piece whitemetal loco chassis, then later a loco chassis with a gear box set up to use a Romford motor in the tender, the chassis for this was still whitemetal but in two pieces to make wheel removal easier.  Both kits were USUALLY supplied with Romford wheels that already had a coupling rod fastened to them.  Due to the oversize crank throw the wheels had the crankpins fitted closer to the centre than the intended position.  This saved all the issues of hitting rods hitting the footplate.  Romford wheels are very good as they will run on Peco and Tri-ang track and also easy to fit unlike some I could mention and keep away from.

 

Bec kits from the old days were very good and easy to assemble, far better than the majority of modern etched kits which seem to be made of tissue paper, and many do not fit properly.  The latter whitemetal ones from 3SMR I am led to believe have a lot of flash on as the moulds are worn.  I have only had original kits, some recently bought, but I seen the later incarnations from photos of disappointed buyers.

 

My black one here has one of my own etched nickel chassis's which are strong 0.9mm thick sides, not thin ones that bend all over.  The red one has a K's tender drive both locos have Romford wheels with the crank pins in the closer position.  The red one still uses my own etched chassis but without a motor.

 

Garry

ps Hornby 0-4-0 wheels are far too thick, they are not what Tri-ang used on some TT models as implied by some people. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Silverfox17