Darius43 Posted May 3, 2025 Author Posted May 3, 2025 Started yesterday afternoon. Bodyshell assembled and joints filled. Hornby chassis modified to fit. Some filling and fettling later… The fit of the headcode box leaves a lot to be desired… So out with the Dremel… Some more filling and fettling later… Cheers Darius 2
DJ Dangerous Posted May 3, 2025 Posted May 3, 2025 6 minutes ago, Darius43 said: Started yesterday afternoon. Started yesterday afternoon, finished tomorrow afternoon, time to invoke @Broithe’s law: On 23/4/2025 at 4:57 PM, Broithe said: If the mods could perhaps limit the pace of posting on this thread, it would give a bit more peace of mind to those of us that couldn't write a To Do List at this pace... 4
Mike 84C Posted May 5, 2025 Posted May 5, 2025 When I worked at Bescot we had loads of 25's. My favourite diesel, always seemed very willing , very strong for their size and while I was at Bescot about 4/5 yrs never had one fail. Looking good Darius, you have done it again pigs ear into a silk purse! 1 1 1
leslie10646 Posted May 5, 2025 Posted May 5, 2025 Yes, Darius, a nice model. As ever, well done. Sorry @Mike 84C but I don't have your enthusiasm for them. In 1967/1968 when returning to Belfast on holidays (or RPSI tours to be more precise), I would travel North from Euston on the Ulster Express (Class 40-hauled) but at Preston would detrain, walk over to one of the outer platforms to catch the Belfast Boat Express which had up fro Manchester and was waiting for the "Ulster" to overtake. Why? The "Boat Express" was hauled by a Carnforth Black Five and was a class act. It had an insanely fast schedule to Lancaster and the "Five" would roar out after the "Ulster" and fire would fill the night as it roared its seven coach train up into the high seventies, which it then held until braking for the Lancaster stop. One night, it was a Class 25 and it couldn't come close to the Black Five's level of performance. Mind you, the "Black Fives" were "something else" to use a modern term - one of the most brilliant designs ever. 6
Patrick Davey Posted May 6, 2025 Posted May 6, 2025 Hi @Darius43 - another masterpiece! I'd love to know how the metal body kits differ in weight from a comparable RTR model? Am guessing the finished models are much heavier, so does that translate into greater pulling power?
Darius43 Posted May 6, 2025 Author Posted May 6, 2025 I suppose it depends on how good the motor is. I’ve been using RTR chassis under the bodies - mainly Lima - so it’s touch and go whether it can move itself, let alone a train. Someone on RMWeb motorised an MTK Class 40 using two Lima motor bogies and said it ran fine. Cheers Darius
leslie10646 Posted May 6, 2025 Posted May 6, 2025 Hi Darius Tongue firmly in cheek - TWO Lima motor bogies? That should pull twelve at 100mph ....... 5
Darius43 Posted May 10, 2025 Author Posted May 10, 2025 (edited) Started yesterday morning. Plan is to use a heavily modified Lima Class 40 chassis with new wheels from Peter’s spares. Bodyshell parts cleaned up. The kit is missing the distinctive split headcode boxes but I have some spares from an MTK Class 45 that can be made to fit. Bodyshell assembly - always worth checking that both sides are the same length… Plastic shims added to the shorter side… For stability and strength I added the MTK cast central “box”. This means that each bogie will need a separate chassis rather than one common chassis. The roof parts were fitted in turn working from the cab ends towards the centre. The large central part needed to be trimmed and ground down using a Drexel so that it sat flush with the other roof parts. Lima Class 40 bogies modified to accept the MTK cast sides. The fit of the nose ends is best described as appalling. Filling and fettling next - a lot of filling and fettling. I cracked open a new tube of filler, which, being new, was a bit more “fluid” than the old one… I taped over the grilles and doors prior to applying the filler to protect them from being filled and then removed during the sanding process. Dunprimin. Cheers Darius Edited May 10, 2025 by Darius43 4 2
Darius43 Posted May 11, 2025 Author Posted May 11, 2025 Bogie steps added and cab window frames painted. Cheers Darius 5
Tullygrainey Posted May 11, 2025 Posted May 11, 2025 Not a kit build. A transformation. I had a car like that once - more filler than metal. Terrific work Darius 2 1 1
Darius43 Posted May 13, 2025 Author Posted May 13, 2025 Headcode boxes made from plasticard and brass wire. Cheers Darius 7
Darius43 Posted May 13, 2025 Author Posted May 13, 2025 Cab front glazing fitted. Glad that task is done… Cheers Darius 3
Darius43 Posted May 15, 2025 Author Posted May 15, 2025 (edited) Some 3D printed Conflat P’s painted and loaded with Bachmann containers. Cheers Darius Edited May 15, 2025 by Darius43 5
Darius43 Posted May 19, 2025 Author Posted May 19, 2025 Started yesterday afternoon after the F1… Getting the hang of these now. Cheers Darius 3
Darius43 Posted May 19, 2025 Author Posted May 19, 2025 Longer etched bodyside grilles fitted and ends dipped in custard. Cheers Darius 2
Mol_PMB Posted May 19, 2025 Posted May 19, 2025 Hmm Custardy or should it be Custody? Nice work as always! 1
Darius43 Posted May 23, 2025 Author Posted May 23, 2025 Whilst awaiting the arrival of a chassis for the Class 44, I thought I’d get this part completed (by someone else) MTK example up to the same level of completion as a Class 46. Some disassembly required… Disassembled. Reassembly completed along with joint filling. Dunprimin. Dunpaintin…again. Cheers Darius 3 1
Horsetan Posted May 23, 2025 Posted May 23, 2025 5 hours ago, Flying Snail said: Nice repair - blends right in!!! Not just that, but it also replicates - accidentally or otherwise - the wonkiness of the original casting. I reckon Colin Massingham himself would have approved. 1
Darius43 Posted May 24, 2025 Author Posted May 24, 2025 For the record, I have used a Dremel to grind out a lot of the wonkiness in the original castings. What wonkiness remains is in the large down to me. Cheers Darius 1
Darius43 Posted May 24, 2025 Author Posted May 24, 2025 Mainline chassis modified to fit the MTK Class 44 body. Cheers Darius 2 3
Darius43 Posted May 28, 2025 Author Posted May 28, 2025 Chassis fitted to Class 46 body. Awaiting 3D printed buffer beams from eBay. Cheers Darius 2
Darius43 Posted May 28, 2025 Author Posted May 28, 2025 (edited) Sorry Wrenneire, I’ve been on a bit of an MTK crusade of late. Although:- Cheers Darius Edited May 28, 2025 by Darius43 15 1 1
Darius43 Posted May 31, 2025 Author Posted May 31, 2025 On 28/5/2025 at 2:15 PM, WRENNEIRE said: Do you do any Irish models man? I’ll be taking a break from IRM but hope to be back some time in the future. Cheers Darius 1 1
Galteemore Posted May 31, 2025 Posted May 31, 2025 See you soon hopefully Darius - thanks for all the inspiration delivered at speed! 3
jhb171achill Posted May 31, 2025 Posted May 31, 2025 On 28/5/2025 at 4:09 PM, Darius43 said: Sorry Wrenneire, I’ve been on a bit of an MTK crusade of late. Although:- Cheers Darius That has to be one of the very best collections of anything Irish I've ever seen - and THE best UTA / NIR collection. Very well done and hope to see you back soon. 1
Patrick Davey Posted May 31, 2025 Posted May 31, 2025 Such a collection - please come back soon Darius! 1
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