Noel Posted February 11, 2021 Author Share Posted February 11, 2021 Recent Lima mk3 respray donors had the hideously large tension lock couplings removed and replaced with Kadee draft gear box whisker couplings (no 141 size). Kadee height gauge is essential even for NEM fitted stock One of the Donors was missing most of its buffer beam to reconstituted that and fitted replacement sprung buffers. Got four bogies converted this afternoon. Lima el'cleapo pizza cutter wheels but they run ok on my track work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Nice work. I love those sprung buffers, I use them a lot. Hate the old wheels but if they work then use them. The plastic wheels are horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 Craven upgrade mini-project. I have long hated the fisher price bright blue toy like colour seating inside the Craven models. So today finally got around to starting the project to correct this and upgrade the interiors by: Seating colour - Repainting the seating a less garish colour. Might not be exact prototypical, a darker blue, or grey with a pink hew (ie simulating checked pattern), or even a mid green colour as used in the laminate era. Install passengers. Install lighting (might be rail-tec motion sensing lights powered by CR16 battery, or my own DCC pcb with bogie track pickups, bridge rectifier, resistor, and capacitor for flicker free, with resistor pot under chassis so brightness can be adjusted externally. Replace tension lock couplings with Kadee knuckle couplings using adaptor for incorrectly positioned NEM pocket. Weathering Will post progress from time to time. The painting of the interior seating by hand is fiddley. Some trial and error iterations might occur with different colours, it won't make much difference looking at them through the model glazing as long as that garish blue us not visible. Don't think I'll need to paint the floor as its impossible to see through the windows, but I'll know that awful fisher price blue is still hiding in there. How to open up a MM Craven coach. 4 friction lugs. Wooden ice cream sticks and wiggling with a few wooden cocktail sticks did the job with a thin flat jewellers screw driver. The seating easily clips away from the chassis once the upper body is prised away from the chassis. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 Seating Test colour no 1 When the seating is installed back in the coach it won't be possible to see the remaining blue on the sides of the tables. Next sample I might try a darker matt blue/grey mix. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 I just cannot understand why those otherwise excellent vehicles ended up with those blue seats. They never had anything of the sort. For most of their lives, particularly in the earlier livery, the seats are best painted a dark grey, almost black - top bits and all. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted March 14, 2023 Author Share Posted March 14, 2023 Green upholstery added with headrest covers, passengers and lighting. Next up weathering and Kadee's Standing platform 2 at Gort awaiting 16:45 departure to Ennis Opps its dark. Inbound train from Limerick must have been delayed. Have to wait here to pass once the token has been secured. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Dangerous Posted March 14, 2023 Share Posted March 14, 2023 I like the remaining blue sides on the tables! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted March 15, 2023 Author Share Posted March 15, 2023 Mk3 Hornby shortie respray into Mk3 IR/Tippex livery getting pax fitted along with a MM Craven after reupholstering seats. Not fine scale passengers, but good enough for viewing through the glazing. Better than an empty coach. Tried out Train-Tech lighting modules for this coach rather than my own DIY pcb. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Dangerous Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 I think that those short Mk3's make excellent compromises for regular layout running. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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