Nifkin's Bridge TMD

[47606odin]

186.95 - 20% = £149.56 is how I worked it out

[97406]

15 minutes ago, 47606odin said:

186.95 - 20% = £149.56 is how I worked it out

But the 186.95 is the price of goods plus the VAT, so 120% of the original goods value. So divide by 120 and multiply by 100 to get the price without VAT. You would add 20% onto 155.79 to get the UK price, or divide by 100 and multiply by 120.

[47606odin]

23 minutes ago, 97406 said:

But the 186.95 is the price of goods plus the VAT, so 120% of the original goods value. So divide by 120 and multiply by 100 to get the price without VAT. You would add 20% onto 155.79 to get the UK price, or divide by 100 and multiply by 120.

yep, you’re right, my maths was flawed. Well, you’ve still inspired me to actually get one, even with it’s flaws

[97406]

54 minutes ago, 47606odin said:

yep, you’re right, my maths was flawed. Well, you’ve still inspired me to actually get one, even with it’s flaws

Hehe. When I saw the price, I nearly went with another one to go into banger blue as another 86/2, as these were still plentiful in my main period. I do have a couple of Hornby 86/2s that have been detailed, but they decidedly look their age against the current Heljan batch. 

[97406]

I’ve just bagged one of these to backdate and respray - less than £125 including shipping. https://www.hattons.co.uk/430669/hornby_r3751_class_87_87002_royal_sovereign_in_caledonian_sleeper_livery/stockdetail 

 

Looks like there’s a few left in stock.

[97406]

19 hours ago, cairnsroadworks said:

…. Managed to salvage the other bits but only after some drilling underneath to persuade them to move! 

A new technique that I worked out almost by accident is to use a piece of wire of the correct diameter as a drift. Mount in a pin vice and push the detail up and out from behind (inside the body). I don’t think it will work on the light lenses (I actually removed a chunk out of the lower cab front on 86252 which needed sticking back in!), but it works on the roof detail. I pushed out the remnants of the roof insulators that way on 252, and it worked a dream on the 86/0 I am working on at the moment. Make sure the end of the wire is filed flat.

 

I had problems with paint caking around the edge of masking fluid on the lenses, hence I’ll overspray the existing yellow if I can, and use maskol all over the front of the light and surround.

Edited February 10, 2022 by 97406

[97406]

An impulse buy from the run of Heljan 86/0s was the one in original blue with no yellow warning panel. It is currently being updated to mid 80s condition, to run in multiple with my 86/3. I'm thinking of numbering it as 86005, though I may change my mind. I've just done the plated over headcode boxes which now need a coat of paint and lenses.

[47606odin]

On 10/02/2022 at 13:12, 97406 said:

I’ve just bagged one of these to backdate and respray - less than £125 including shipping. https://www.hattons.co.uk/430669/hornby_r3751_class_87_87002_royal_sovereign_in_caledonian_sleeper_livery/stockdetail 

 

Looks like there’s a few left in stock.

i contemplated getting one to convert to 87101, the first AC loco I had for haulage, 2200 Euston to Crewe. From memory it was the Holyhead service. However, not sure what the external differences there were, if any, other than the round pod on the cab roofs

[97406]

53 minutes ago, 47606odin said:

i contemplated getting one to convert to 87101, the first AC loco I had for haulage, 2200 Euston to Crewe. From memory it was the Holyhead service. However, not sure what the external differences there were, if any, other than the round pod on the cab roofs

I’m toying with that one at some point, when it was in RFD livery. I’ll see if it’s featured in that book of technical drawings that I got recently (Electric Locos in 4mm Scale or some such). It arrived today. Despite reading the instructions, the pan broke on its first raising - tiny brittle plastic clips. A poor effort compared to the Heljan one. I’ve sent it back for a replacement, as it didn’t take much force to break it, so it may have been a duff moulding.  I’ve also ordered a spare BW pan off the Hornby 86 to see what that is like.

[47606odin]

26 minutes ago, 97406 said:

I’m toying with that one at some point, when it was in RFD livery. I’ll see if it’s featured in that book of technical drawings that I got recently (Electric Locos in 4mm Scale or some such). It arrived today. Despite reading the instructions, the pan broke on its first raising - tiny brittle plastic clips. A poor effort compared to the Heljan one. I’ve sent it back for a replacement, as it didn’t take much force to break it, so it may have been a duff moulding.  I’ve also ordered a spare BW pan off the Hornby 86 to see what that is like.

the old Lima one I had back around1988 had a good metal pan on that

[97406]

1 hour ago, 47606odin said:

the old Lima one I had back around1988 had a good metal pan on that

Trouble is the Lima pantos were either Faively style (a few 87s did carry them from time to time) or diamond.

 

I did take a gamble on this one from Japan, but alas it's too small. Would be great for TT gauge. It's beautifully made.

[47606odin]

7 hours ago, 97406 said:

Trouble is the Lima pantos were either Faively style (a few 87s did carry them from time to time) or diamond.

 

I did take a gamble on this one from Japan, but alas it's too small. Would be great for TT gauge. It's beautifully made.

i think mine must have been the faiverly type. Definitely wasn’t diamond frame. I did have a look at lots last night to see how close you could get, but yes, I guessed they’d be too small being 3.5mm not 4mm scale. Unfortunate

Edited February 12, 2022 by 47606odin

[97406]

On 12/02/2022 at 00:06, 47606odin said:

i think mine must have been the faiverly type. Definitely wasn’t diamond frame. I did have a look at lots last night to see how close you could get, but yes, I guessed they’d be too small being 3.5mm not 4mm scale. Unfortunate

 

I had a go at the Judith Edge kit, and managed to get a posable pantograph, but the parallel motion was beyond me. In the Heljan 86 thread, there are details of how someone improved on it for the Chester exhibition. I’ll see if I can find the post.

Edited March 31, 2022 by 97406

[97406]

Found it. This post and the posts after it from @dmu 156 - super stuff. 

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by 97406

[dmu 156]

You can see the pantograph in action as well as Stone Faiverley types on the 'Chester Cathedral Layout', On 'Youtube' type in 'Making Tracks, Chester Cathedral', look for a video by Phil Clarke, he has some close up footage of the pantographs on the wire.

[97406]

1 hour ago, dmu 156 said:

You can see the pantograph in action as well as Stone Faiverley types on the 'Chester Cathedral Layout', On 'Youtube' type in 'Making Tracks, Chester Cathedral', look for a video by Phil Clarke, he has some close up footage of the pantographs on the wire.

 

I’ve managed to get the Heljan Faivelys working acceptably now, thanks to a pack of Marklin springs of varying lengths that I bought off ebay and some tweaking with the upper link rod. The Heljan BW pan is pretty good too, but the top section flops, so I’m trying to find a method of stiffening the top joint. Liquid Poly is looking promising at this moment in time, but I’m not convinced about its longevity. It still follows the catenary well.

[97406]

Plans for a diorama to go on the mantelpiece took a step forward with the purchase of some bullhead track and buffer stops. The rearmost 1 or 2 road(s) will have catenary. It will be in 2 sections so it can be stored when not in use.

[dmu 156]

I replaced the Heljan one's on mine and Pete Waterman's with the PHDesigns etch base and the Sommerfeldt 'Stone Faiverley' as they are much finer. As for Heljan's BW which is OK, I bought some 0.2mm spring wire of Ebay,  from China to make a small 'V' shape spring and fixed it to the upper arm just under the pan head so the 'V' is snug against the upper 'knuckle' hinge. This still keeps the pan head assembly moveable. I'll be using the spring wire to make my own main pantograph springs as some manufacturers springs are too strong, which creates too much upward pressure/force against the contact wire.

[cairnsroadworks]

On 09/02/2022 at 10:25, 97406 said:

I use 0.3mm styrene Square section. Either pre painted and stuck with thinned acrylic varnish or paint if I want to keep the paint job, or else liquid poly if I don't. Note the little bend at the front. I skimmed off the moulded gutter over the cab doors and sanded carefully beforehand.

Fabulous - thanks for this. 

[97406]

On 14/02/2022 at 09:18, dmu 156 said:

I replaced the Heljan one's on mine and Pete Waterman's with the PHDesigns etch base and the Sommerfeldt 'Stone Faiverley' as they are much finer. As for Heljan's BW which is OK, I bought some 0.2mm spring wire of Ebay,  from China to make a small 'V' shape spring and fixed it to the upper arm just under the pan head so the 'V' is snug against the upper 'knuckle' hinge. This still keeps the pan head assembly moveable. I'll be using the spring wire to make my own main pantograph springs as some manufacturers springs are too strong, which creates too much upward pressure/force against the contact wire.

I’ve got some spring wire on order so will try that. The proportions of the Sommerfeldt pan also look better that the Heljan pans - the latter’s top sections are a little too narrow. They will probably get replaced eventually, but the current availability of cheap 87s at Hattons and Kernow means I will be working on and backdating a couple of those next.

Edited February 15, 2022 by 97406

[47606odin]

7 hours ago, 97406 said:

I’ve got some spring wire on order so will try that. The proportions of the Sommerfeldt pan also look better that the Heljan pans - the latter’s top sections are a little too narrow. They will probably get replaced eventually, but the current availability of cheap 87s at Hattons and Kernow means I will be working on and backdating a couple of those next.

Well, I have succumbed to an 87. I have bought the Caledonian livery one from Hattons, which I will in the future convert it to 101 involving a remodel of some of the roof detail. It won’t be 100% accurate as photos of the roof equipment are limited. The big thing I’d like is a better pan, at least more robust. I’ve got some Z gauge models, and they have robust working pantographs, admittedly diamond type, but if they can do a good pan surely 4mm ones should be better. Which is the closest high speed pan available currently to replace it with a good metal one?

[97406]

5 hours ago, 47606odin said:

Well, I have succumbed to an 87. I have bought the Caledonian livery one from Hattons, which I will in the future convert it to 101 involving a remodel of some of the roof detail. It won’t be 100% accurate as photos of the roof equipment are limited. The big thing I’d like is a better pan, at least more robust. I’ve got some Z gauge models, and they have robust working pantographs, admittedly diamond type, but if they can do a good pan surely 4mm ones should be better. Which is the closest high speed pan available currently to replace it with a good metal one?

If you can get one, the Hornby class 92 pan looks the best, but I can’t find any available at the moment. There are some of the older metal Hornby BW pans available at the New Modellers Shop, but they are clunky in comparison. I still got a couple to see if there’s anything I can do to make them better, as the base and insulators are OK, plus I’m looking to up my soldering game at the moment!

[97406]

By way of contrast a replacement Caledonian 87 arrived from Hattons today. Goodness, the BW panto is flimsy, and needed assembly as the lower link was loose from the base. It did clip in without breaking the clips this time, though they’re a loose fit and I can’t see it lasting. How Hornby passed that is anybody’s guess! It actually still looks the part, so it will perhaps form the basis for some work on the older clunky metal Hornby BW models. Better get filing!

Edited February 16, 2022 by 97406

[47606odin]

1 hour ago, 97406 said:

By way of contrast a replacement Caledonian 87 arrived from Hattons today. Goodness, the BW panto is flimsy, and needed assembly as the lower link was loose from the base. It did clip in without breaking the clips this time, though they’re a loose fit and I can’t see it lasting. How Hornby passed that is anybody’s guess! It actually still looks the part, so it will perhaps form the basis for some work on the older clunky metal Hornby BW models. Better get filing!

i’ll be able to compare it to my old Hornby 90’s pan when it arrives 

[97406]

15 minutes ago, 47606odin said:

i’ll be able to compare it to my old Hornby 90’s pan when it arrives 

Fall-apart-a-pan versus industrial metal! The other cheap 87 arrived from Kernow today. That one's pan didn't survive being put up. The clips foul with the base and break. Worst pan I've seen on a model. 3 Judith Edge crossarm kits have also arrived. Just waiting on some fancy solder paste and I'll be away!