Robert Shrives

I will have to take some pics tomorrow of progress on the coaches but could not resist starting another - an old MIR etched NIR buffet car 547, I know the good boys in the bunker have one well on its way but to spur on the 101s and the original livery this lima based coach will be in the first enterprise livery and go with 4 others I bought from the web, I also need to do a DBSO  and number all the coaches.  Day off tomorrow so might get a bit more done on 547 to make worth taking a pic.

Robert  

Looking good should spur on developments of a 2600 or 2700 bodyshell as a 3D print even if only 2751/53 the single car double cabed ("bubblecar" in BR parlance.)

You know you want to.... 

Robert 

Great refer details on the end, crying out for the grot shop ! 

Robert 

Check out Peters spares he has packs of finer profile coach wheel sets with lima length axles and they are very good - I have them under most of my lima vehicles.  The big tlc coupler can be cut off leaving a mounting plate for a Kaydee no 5- use a small screw through coupler box into the lima plastic - or whetever as glue does not take well.  This gives a cheap upgrade with out going down the road of new bogie mounts etc.   The Replica and Southern pride B4 bogies are very good if you want to go down other roads.       

Robert 

The development is left of field but not a boundary maker or a 6!  But it does depend where you stand. To introduce a UK finescale model system from the get go is brave and perhaps shows the shrink ray machine has been perfected. Clearly this exciting development has been under wraps for awhile.

The fun thing is that in UK a 3mm 1:100 modellers scale has been in the niche corner- historically using 12mm with varying standards for track and an uber niche gang using 14.2.  The parallels can be drawn win 16.5 and 21mm  Irish modelling.

Historically 1:120 scale on 12mm track is pretty near scale  but like the  HO/OO of old UK small loading gauge saw the track kept and scale increased to 1:100 (approx)  and Triang led the way but did not displace or compliment OO enough and the mainstream trade in UK fell away.  1:120 kept faith with two odd bedfellows - the US and USSR!  With reasonable trade support .  The European models for metre gauge models on 12mm track shine with central motor and PCBs for DCC and lighting on 12mm The steam locos are also well built but do not easily help the idea of fitting a new body represent to another company or era and is very popular across Europe with many fine evocations of the ideal "Swiss chocolate box village with a railway."  

Peco had the track sorted with HOm 12mm track with decent sleepers and points with code 75 rail. 

In 1:120 Peco have noted the fact that the track has UK spacing sleepers but at a 1:120 is now underszed for exsisting UK  12mm track users. HOm while not right looks better than the new offering.  

Seemingly a good move but not a complete model system until the news today of Heljan shrink raying a BR class 31 and suggestion of shunters in steam and diesel outline suddenly makes the 1:120 launch much more successful, however  the timescales brings in the retail dread of delay.. track June this year , loco mid next and no stock seen at anything other than early CAD.  

As a lover of 12mm TT Triang  I can see the track development as really good and there is suggest a 12mm point that is a current day replacement of the triang point which opens up a very brightly lit upland!  I have pre ordered a blue 31 and hopefully make up some sort of layout and see what comes.    

I too look forward to new layouts and a flip given to the hobby. 

Robert 

Hi loads on ebay  obvs check for 7 windows  blue grey cheapest NSE go for a bit more.

Robert  

My silverfox one came with set of etches for the sliding window frame units  and after flash removed from buffers was an easy repaint. I was going to use an older Jouef chassis as a starting point but then found tucked indie the body was a resin centre section belly tanks complete with cutout for the gen set.  So I cut some 2mm plasticcard as a chassis and was going to fit the jouef interior.    However this all in the to do mountain range as I was able to obtain 3 coaches and driver as rtr models in Silver fox boxes - and very good it is to. 

I will also support MM and his forthcoming MK3 models so will end up with  three.  So I guess  doing  the first two which had Linke Hoffmann- bushe dart style bogies would be "fun"  to vary the view.

Robert 

Fun to see 155 in a crossover livery, one end does look to have been in the wars with the badly chipped paint. Thanks for showing. 

Robert 

Given the era and that Shildon works had been churning out 11000 4 wheel MGR wagons for the UK market and then a CDA varation perhaps 50 5`3" CDA might have been possible  conceived as a solution but engines .I guess more 071s  on hire.  Makes the might have been engines rotate swiftly...

Robert     

Worth soldering joiners rather than fitting droppers for such a short length of rail ?   Good to see work continuing. 

Robert 

8 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Third last coach in the first video seems to have been bricked too. 

Yes a good one with both skins broken through, which takes some doing and must have scared passengers, sadly part of the fabric of life at the time. 

Robert   

Phil,

Differing braking system a 3 pipe air brake on the Hunslets and  normal twin pipe on the 111s  . The 3rd pipe was a straight air brake - I guess so engine only  brake could be applied remotely when two engines on the train.    

This change why 8xx vehicles became 9xx to show change to two pipe when both classes of loco overlapped and some push pull work was possible.    Oh and confuse folk like my me working out the evolution of the fleet!

Robert 

Hi  corp pack one with - gen brake and two coaches gives minimum adding pack 3 in corp livery gets the coaches and buffet add on, albeit 6 vehicles but could stand some down/ sell on ...   the DBso brake ceased being a driver once hunslets finished and used as a second brake  as required. 

Robert  

Certainly getting there and as you note some tweaking required but at least nothing "fatally wrong" with work, just obvs no maroon and blue option - keeping your powder dry on that one for the hunslet news later this year ...

At least it keeps me busy detailing Lima ones in the time ahead. 

Thanks to all involved

Robert. 

I really look forward to seeing the NIR versions in maroon and blue  and packs of Hunslets to encircle them in time. These first decorated samples look good and hopefully after factory corrections all will be good to go, certainly give these rejects a retirement home and some new clothes... 

thanks for showing and keeping the froth as the last few hours have shown at bonus production rates... 

If only BR had invested in the MK2 style of demu for the Waterloo - Exeter and Portsmouth- Waterloo then as said above the NIR 80 would be a great add on run to a British model.. 

Robert   

Hornby shorty M3 might be a good place to start  for roof and connectors .  Due slab sides  it might be a case of  cutting your own as cheapest option other wise something like a GUV or CCT from Lima ranges but you will still end up cutting doors and windows etc.  Vents I got for mine from Ventura models on FB, IIRC as cannot find link now.

Robert   

Overlays give a good start I guess printing limitations mean grills are as they are but not sure how you get round them being a bit close together.   I Found from Ventura models some 3D printed grills started for a slow burn project gen car. - albeit I used them on a dutch eth conversion.

Have fun and look forward to seeing the finished models. 

robert 

Hi, 

Check overall length is it an old hornby shorty? Mk3s have 8 windows but you might be able to add plastic card to add length but roof might be fun - extending it around the roof access panels would seem easiest way to hide the work.   

Have fun on the ends removing hinges and filling door lines. steps to come off and curve continued. Adding middle vehicle steps will need notching of the curve  but worthwhile on the etched version Also oval buffers to be added so some work to be had. 

good luck ! 

Robert 

That looks very tidy minded - hopefully you can now sort stuff to suit Good  use for mini legs as well . You will need a back edge "crash barrier" now as recovery of that empty bogie flat/ wagon of choice will be pretty near impossible.

Happy shunting when time comes.

Robert  

A good test , now it needs boxing up and given the first floor fire escape drop test.  thus replicating contents of an ISO box on board in a force xx storm...  or the postal service of your locality enjoying some drop kick training. 

Robert  

7 hours ago, Darius43 said:

Hi Robert,

Is this your quest to get IRM to produce an 80 class using their new Mk2 tooling..?

Cheers

Darius

Hi yes and of course knowing the shade of red does mean I can paint some lima MK2bs into the original Enterprise livery ensuring the powered surprise comes with suitably coloured coaches.  The coach pack with 812 as DBSO and the mkb2b in "bumble livery" aready means 2/3 of an 80 class is in progress - albeit a one off it was quite long lived. A no brainer when spending the good lads money.   Some discussion after IRM doing air con MK2s - clearly if an F type then the Gatwicks are easy fruit and would "only need" 8911... just saying - having yesterday started adding MIR translink transfers to an airfix Mk2 for "fun." 

Robert        

looks like time interval working or ETRMS4  flexible block in use. control staff will need to exercise a little judgement on releasing traffic.  

The pics do show the capacity to abosrb stock quicker than the pocket can fund !

Brilliant as ever.

Robert  

Hi 

Thanks to the good gents with the 80 class - RAL 3005 "Wine red" has been reported as the shade used.  The blue however was a colour match as no record of  BS/ RAL/ pantone .. 

Robert 

Very sharp modelling puts my bodging to shame !   I have to consider the interiors of the 450 class at some point...

Robert  

That info is really useful  as I have a tinlet of precision NIR maroon.  Might need a 5l tin!! 

Robert