Mk I generator van.

[Boxcar Willie]

Hello actually,

 

I have just acquired a Lima Mk I Full Brake in GWR livery; it cost the princely sum of €12 on E-bay including shipping. It's in quite excellent nick and I intend to turn it into something approximating a CIE generator van; can anybody be of assistance with regard to which door and window apertures I need to cover up and where, if any, I need to put new ones?

[Railer]

There is a thread here covering Mk1 GSVs in detail, I'll see can I dig it out. There are two types of Mk1s IE used, BCKs and BSKs so you have a choice on the window and door layout. I forget which one is easier to convert to. SilverFox models the BSK version and I've never seen anyone do a BCK version. IE used 16 of the BSKs and 6 BCKs.

 

http://www.irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/1276-Generator-coaches-for-MkIIa-and-MkIII-coaches/page2

Edited June 23, 2014 by Railer

[Boxcar Willie]

Cheers railer - looking at my coach it might be do-able. Some of the doors will have to go, a couple of windows will need enlarging and a grille fitted along with some faffing around with the under frame detail followed by some chopping and changing on the roof. So far I've made up a small rake of 60s liveried coaches simply by repainting some BR Mk Is; they're not correct but look the part in the black and tan livery with the white cantrail stripe.

[flange lubricator]

You can also use etched brass sides from Mousa Models these are for the BCK version http://www.mousa.biz/fourmm/coach/sides/CIE/cie_sides4.html

[Boxcar Willie]

This is even better again. I hope the new sides fit without me having to cut the coach to shorten or lengthen it - that's beginning to sound like work...

[WRENNEIRE]

Both made from RTR coaches, not Silver Fox units

Early Livery,

 

 

Late Livery,

 

Edited June 24, 2014 by WRENNEIRE

[Broithe]

Nice.

[WRENNEIRE]

Beidir go meidh ceann amháin nó dhá ar díol, má tá suim agat?

[Killucan2]

This is even better again. I hope the new sides fit without me having to cut the coach to shorten or lengthen it - that's beginning to sound like work...

 

Make sure there Lima,as Bachman and mainline mk1s are to short.

[Killucan2]

Also fit b4 bogies.

[WRENNEIRE]

Ex BR GSV's numbered 3171TL - 3176TL

Rebuilt from Brake/Composite Mk 1 stock

B5 Bogies

 

Ex BR GSV's numbered 3177TL - 3192TL

Rebuilt from Brake/Second Mk 1 stock

B5 Bogies

 

The B5 is a heavier version of the B4 and allows running of 100MPH +

[RedRich]

Ex BR GSV's numbered 3171TL - 3176TL

Rebuilt from Brake/Composite Mk 1 stock

B5 Bogies

 

Ex BR GSV's numbered 3177TL - 3192TL

Rebuilt from Brake/Second Mk 1 stock

B5 Bogies

 

The B5 is a heavier version of the B4 and allows running of 100MPH +

 

Spot on regards the bogies Dave. Replica Railways produce lovely B5 and B4 bogies. The B5's would really give the model an extra bit of kudos.

 

Rich,

[jhb171achill]

Well captured, Wrenn; unlike the Cravens, in the "later livery" the BR vans only had the original white line above window level, not the orange line addition as on Cravens. In other words the only change in the '90's was the addition of a single white line below window level.

[flange lubricator]

 

This picture shows the visual differance between a B4 and B5 bogie the B5 has a heavier Torsion bar (circled ) and a heavier bolster plank( underlined ) and the springs are heavier on the B5

Edited June 24, 2014 by flange lubricator

[Boxcar Willie]

Beidir go meidh ceann amháin nó dhá ar díol, má tá suim agat?

 

Tá mé ag iarraidh raca na cóistí CIÉ a chur le chéile do mo spraoi féin!

[WRENNEIRE]

Maith an fear, Boxcar! Cúpla pictiúir nuair a bhíonn tú réidh

[Boxcar Willie]

Well, I've made a start and ordered a pair of etched brass sides from Mousa; I'll have a rummage around in my spares to see if I can dig out a pair of B4 bogies before I order any. Underframe and roof components can be scratch built. One of the guys down at the club has one that he made from two Mk I brake thirds that he cut and shut; he has the roof detail correct so I can use his model as a template as well.

[ttc0169]

Just started on a GSV in the 3171-3175 series using a cheap Bachmann restaurant coach-which has the B4 type bogies and the Mousa models brass overlays....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RedRich]

That will keep you busy Noel, and I bet it will turn out sweet.

 

Rich,

[Boxcar Willie]

No sign of my brass sides yet. I'll keep yiz posted...

[Ral2011]

You have to be patient, mine arrived after six month.

[ttc0169]

I had mine within two weeks from ordering.

Edited July 11, 2014 by ttc0169

[RedRich]

Many years ago BB used to send the etched sides, and when they were received by the customer he sent on the payment. Bill was a trusting person to deal with, but maybe he has changed the way he does business now, and only gets the brass etched when there are sufficient orders. The etches Noel is using are for the BCK conversions and I think they always looked nicer than the more numerous BSK versions. Nice job on the model Noel it looks sweet.

 

Rich,

[Boxcar Willie]

Well, they did say to allow 28 days for delivery.

[Boxcar Willie]

Still no sign.

[flange lubricator]

Mine arrived today 25th August 14 I ordered them on the 25th June 2014 , I dont have an issue with waiting in this hobby some things do take time especially when they are niche market items like these.

Edited August 25, 2014 by flange lubricator

[Boxcar Willie]

The brass sides have finally arrived after a polite e-mail was sent inquiring as to their whereabouts; I will now set about carving up the Lima coach with a view to fitting the overlays. They are actually very nice etches.

[Boxcar Willie]

Well, I started cutting chunks out of the coach and what a job it's been. The plastic is very thick so I got at it with my trusty Lidl multitool thing with a cutting wheel attachment. As the wheel cuts the friction also melts the plastic a bit; this leaves a heavy residue of stuff to clean away from the cut edges. It took me the best part of an hour just to prepare one side; I filed away all of the surface detail as well - door hinges and so on. While I'm at it I was wondering what I should do for glazing. I was thinking of glueing clear glazing material to the body before fitting the overlays. This would give a finish, while not exactly flush, that would be a distinct improvement on the old Lima glazing which, incidentally, is part of the same moulding as the roof and actually fits down behind the body sides.

 

In the meantime I was able to source a pair of Lima B4 bogies for a few shillings on E-Bay.

 

 

 

Further carnage to follow...

[Glenderg]

Further carnage to follow...

 

To butcher a movie quote - 'You smell that? Do you smell that? Lima, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of melting Lima in the morning".

 

I'll sort you out for windows. R.

[Boxcar Willie]

Well, I've managed to cut the Lima coach up so that the overlays have the correct apertures. I then glued some thin glazing material to the coach with Revell Contacta Clear. It sets so clear that it doesn't really matter much if you splash it about. I plan to glue the brass overlays on top and a cut down sweeping brush handle will do to roll them so that they match the contour of the coach sides reasonably well. In the meantime a pair of B4 bogies arrived this morning and I'm quite pleased with them; they're just about brand new and the steel wheels that came with the coach fitted in perfectly.

 

I also gave the brass sides a good wash before spraying them with a coat of Halford's grey primer; this would have been difficult with them glued to the coach and with the glazing underneath. I'll paint them by hand after assembly and will thus avoid the difficulty of masking the glazing.

[Boxcar Willie]

 

Here is a pic with one of the sides glued in place. The clamping devices were sourced by Mrs. Boxcar from China where they are used widely in the domestic laundering industry:

 

[Boxcar Willie]

Almost done. I left it for a while as boring stuff intruded into my life and interfered with my modelling - weddings, holidays and so on. Anyway one of the guys in the club had given me some photos he'd taken of a gen. van and I was able to put these to good use - he gave me a fine shot of the roof detail taken from a footbridge.

 

This was duly modelled with bits of plasticard:

 

 

Here's the van with its overlays fitted and primed for painting:

 

 

All was going swimmingly until the painting stage - I'd scrubbed the brass clean, sanded it and primed it. The paint went on ok but the fun started when I used Tamaya masking tape. When I peeled the tape off it took away not only the paint but also the primer underneath. Things were getting slightly messy and I was obliged to paint it by hand, getting the different colours on as neatly as possible by eye. I've no doubt that this paint will also peel off if somebody slams a door or sneezes and I'll have to research better methods but the final result isn't at all bad considering there will be some weathering going over it anyway. All that remains is some detail work - door handles, numbers and of course a man leaning out one of the windows. There's always a man leaning out the window on these things.

 

[Glenderg]

In a past life, i did a lot of work with liturgical brassware, and one chap who spent his life restoring it always said that his biggest hate was when lazy cleaners simply varnished the brass to avoid a bit of elbow grease. The varnish would not come off easy. Ever since i've washed brass in vinegar first and then given a coat of varnish, left to harden for 24hours before the finish coats go on.

 

I have a cheat for you though if you want to put the tamiya back on and straighten up the lines. Apply masking tape - spray with airbrush, get hairdryer, set on max, and like airbrushing dry the paint. Give it another coat and repeat with hairdryer.

 

The hairdryer will soften the adhesive of the masking tape and it will peel off like a rotten banana leaving your paint finish dry and intact.

 

R.

[NIRCLASS80]

How did you stick the brass onto the plastic sides??

[Boxcar Willie]

I used Evostick contact adhesive. It's done the job well enough and doesn't cost a fortune.

 

I must try out the varnish trick - I wonder what kind of varnish it was?

 

I'll also try the hair dryer thing next time.

 

One of the chaps in the club has offered me some transfers but I'll buy them from Fox or somewhere as I'm going to need more anyway. I repainted a few old Triang and Hornby coaches in the black and tan livery and it looks the part even though it's not quite prototypical.

[David]

Sand the brass with fairly course sandpaper using circular motions until the entire surface appears heavily scratched when angled into the light. Prior to painting clean brass with washing up liquid and hot water. Make sure it has been fully rinsed. Spray model with halfords grey primer. All this must be done in a warm dry environment. If you follow these steps you should have zero issue with paint being removed by tamiya tape. I notice in the photo with the primer on it there are several patches of shiny brass showing through. The surface must be completely coated in primer. Otherwise the top cote will definitely come away.