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1938 Tube Stock


Lee-H
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  • 1 month later...

Having seen the production version photos on Rails of Sheffield website, I am disappointed that EFE/Bachmann have not been able to nest the bogies into the body better. Looks more like a surface stock chassis than Underground. If that is the compromise needed to allow operation on trainset curves, then I question whether it was worth doing. Be interested to see it alongside the Bachmann/ LT Museum S stock.

 

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/efe-rail-e99939-london-underground-1938-tube-stock-4-car-motorised-train-1960s-northern-line-set?mc_cid=7d3bd62347&mc_eid=5ec5f8a831

Edited by Mike Harvey
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From an accuracy point of view the marker light code that’s been set (the centre of the five lights being on) doesn’t agree with the destination plate of High Barnet via Charing Cross. 
 

As I understand it, the website here explains the correct marker code/destination combinations - scroll down for the Northern line. 

 

A trivial error possibly, but one that’s easy to avoid. 

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1 hour ago, 4630 said:

From an accuracy point of view the marker light code that’s been set (the centre of the five lights being on) doesn’t agree with the destination plate of High Barnet via Charing Cross. 

No confusion. The Bank branch is closed for the next few months! 

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7 hours ago, Mike Harvey said:

Having seen the production version photos on Rails of Sheffield website, I am disappointed that EFE/Bachmann have not been able to nest the bogies into the body better. Looks more like a surface stock chassis than Underground. If that is the compromise needed to allow operation on trainset curves, then I question whether it was worth doing. Be interested to see it alongside the Bachmann/ LT Museum S stock.

 

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/efe-rail-e99939-london-underground-1938-tube-stock-4-car-motorised-train-1960s-northern-line-set?mc_cid=7d3bd62347&mc_eid=5ec5f8a831

I thought that as well. I'll soon find out when I get the one ordered today. I have a motorized (Tenshodo) 1962 set, even on a wide radius test track (6 feet) the wheels came in contact with the body. The train didn't derail but came to a halt but that made the motors overheat ruining them.  My own layout (Minerva Lane) is end to end but being a micro layout cannot accommodate a four coach train.

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10 hours ago, Lee-H said:

Well, I ordered one from Kernow back in 2020 so I just hope they deliver. . .

Kernow charged my credit card yesterday (and emailed a receipt) for the two I ordered in August 2020.  I can't imagine you having any trouble with them - if your card has expired in the intervening period they'll get in touch...  I've never had a problem with them.

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Rails sold out very quickly yesterday, the same probably applies to other traders. One can only hope that more are forthcoming and they don't become as rare as rocking horse droppings with an enormous hike in prices like the S stock.

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11 hours ago, Lee-H said:

Well, I ordered one from Kernow back in 2020 so I just hope they deliver. . .

They are very reliable. I tried to preorder a few months back and they said their allocation was sold out but pointed out they always keep a few in reserve to deal with exchanges etc. So if you have a confirmed preorder you should be safe.

1 hour ago, metadyneman said:

Rails have taken my payment too and they have advised it will be posted out to me this week. Glad I preordered it too as the price is significantly higher now!

I did get a preorder in with TMC who have just asked for payment but I think this one is pretty much all sold out so expect any remaining stock to be at full price and to sell quickly.

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Just now, PhilJ W said:

Rails sold out very quickly yesterday, the same probably applies to other traders. One can only hope that more are forthcoming and they don't become as rare as rocking horse droppings with an enormous hike in prices like the S stock.

I think they will make some more based on how rapidly this batch have been sold through. The S stock was available for 2 years at the LTM, and discounted by 10% on their release price for much of the time so although prices have gone through the roof, it can't be argued that the ordinary buyer didn't have a chance to get them.

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58 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

I think they will make some more based on how rapidly this batch have been sold through. The S stock was available for 2 years at the LTM, and discounted by 10% on their release price for much of the time so although prices have gone through the roof, it can't be argued that the ordinary buyer didn't have a chance to get them.

And then it didn't take long for them to appear on E-bay with a massive mark up. 

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On 15/01/2022 at 12:49, 4630 said:

From an accuracy point of view the marker light code that’s been set (the centre of the five lights being on) doesn’t agree with the destination plate of High Barnet via Charing Cross. 
 

As I understand it, the website here explains the correct marker code/destination combinations - scroll down for the Northern line. 

 

A trivial error possibly, but one that’s easy to avoid. 

 

Reading that link 4630, under the heading for Tube marker light codes, it does state,

 

"Codes for tube lines were only introduced in the early 1950s.  Their implementation was slow and sporadic and they were not regularly insisted upon in the way the District did theirs.  They died out within ten years and were never regularly seen after 1962."

 

So, looking at a few pictures of the product, everything seems to be accurate and as it should for what's on offer.

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Well, it arrived today, before lunch so i've placed it on my loop and its running in.

Looks nice. (I've not poured over it because i'm "at work")

 

But it's ... rather sluggish.

 

I've got the controller (hm2000) up full blast and its doing a scale 35 to 40 mph (measured by a Black Cat speedometer wagon). 

 

Let's see what its like after an hour's running.

 

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, PeterStiles said:

Well, it arrived today, before lunch so i've placed it on my loop and its running in.

Looks nice. (I've not poured over it because i'm "at work")

 

But it's ... rather sluggish.

 

I've got the controller (hm2000) up full blast and its doing a scale 35 to 40 mph (measured by a Black Cat speedometer wagon). 

 

Let's see what its like after an hour's running.

In service they very rarely exceeded 25mph, it seemed faster with the tunnel only inches outside the windows.

I had an e-mail this morning informing me that mine has been dispatched by Rails.

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1 minute ago, PhilJ W said:

In service they very rarely exceeded 25mph, it seemed faster with the tunnel only inches outside the windows.

I had an e-mail this morning informing me that mine has been dispatched by Rails.

 

ok. 25mph is a more reasonable 50% throttle.

 

It does look painfully slow. But then I was whizzing a terrier around this morning and those think they're an 80's smokey joe.

 

 

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On 17/01/2022 at 10:27, Benn said:

Codes for tube lines were only introduced in the early 1950s.  Their implementation was slow and sporadic and they were not regularly insisted upon in the way the District did theirs.  They died out within ten years and were never regularly seen after 1962

 

I question that.  Standard stock had lamps to display headcodes from as early as 1923.  Three were for the destination and the fourth was a red tail lamp.  As seen here ℅ Chris Stanley / Flickr credited to the A.W.E. Durndell Collection.  The overhaul date on the car end of 6/54 indicates this was the "early 1950s" but this is as-built as many other images confirm.  

 

London Underground

 

All Standard Stock, then 1935 prototype, 1938 and 1956 tube stock had headcode lamps of which the latter two types used the five-lamp array from introduction so far as I am aware.  Use was discontinued officially from 1971 or thereabouts but suitably-equipped rolling stock normally displayed the appropriate headcode for some time after that.  I forget the date but in the later 1970s by which time most trains used twin marker lights at the front an instruction went out that trains with 5-lamp arrays must display all five as a front-of-train marker and cease the use of specific headcodes.  IIRC the 1956 stock trains had their five-lamp arrays converted to match the twin-plus-red style of the 1959 stock they were by then running with effectively as a single fleet.  Prior to the general cessation of use I never saw a five-lamp train in service not displaying the correct headcode so "sporadic" use it was not and I understand they were insisted upon by line managers.  Passengers also knew their regular trains by headcode just as they did on the "big railway" on the surface where for example SR trains showed a 2-digit headcode rather like a bus route number.  It was also probably easier to identify a five-lamp code on the front of the train than to read the destination plates from any appreciable distance.  

 

Creating  a motor powerful enough to shift a four-car unit yet small enough to be concealed within the confines of a 1:76 scale tube car would have been a challenge.  The Wickham Trolley motor is nowhere near powerful nor fast enough for example and the Hornby Ruston & Hornsby shunter unit (which will happily haul four Mk1 carriages slowly) is large enough to intrude into the passenger saloon.  Those of us who have powered up the earlier EFE unpowered models have sometimes used Black Beetle motors which intrude somewhat and are able to shift a re-wheeled unit with better bearings but which also has a limit of power and speed though probably fine for scale tube operations.  

 

My '38 stock model is due tomorrow.  It was ordered early on and will join a small selection of Underground rolling stock more for my personal interest and enjoyment than running on the layout.  I can however take a good look and give it a run to see how it fares.  Tube stock was built with bogies to accommodate tight curves and sharp changes of gradient but not quite to the typical "train-set radius" some of us use.  

 

 

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21 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

In service they very rarely exceeded 25mph, it seemed faster with the tunnel only inches outside the windows.

I had an e-mail this morning informing me that mine has been dispatched by Rails.

There were a few spots where a '38 would bounce along at 45mph... namely on the Piccadilly line between Hammersmith & Acton Town and at the other end near Arnos grove (The picc had 15 trains of '38 stock up to 1975)

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