Brian Daniels diesel workbench

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
It's nice to be able to do something a bit different. It's nice to be able to use all the nice bit's and pieces we have at our disposal these day's and apart from making my blue and grey rake of coaches 4 coaches longer this gives me a reason to do some more blue and grey stock.

A friend is doing a set in unison with me but using Bachman MkI's so we will be able to run an 8 car set. I plan to use my JLTRT 33/1 with this so I will probably fit that with a sound chip later. Mind you I should fit a chip in the TC to get the compressor going under the BSK and horns at the front..
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
I didn't know Bachman had produced mk1s. It's a shame their stuff is no longer available, it was a great base for building reasonable stock.
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
Tower Models did a range from Bachman but they are sold out but you can pick them up on the secondhand market.
 
Last edited:

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
The upper picture Steve would be an etch in his Thumper and 2 HAP kits but the lower one is what I am using, a whitemetal casting from his CIG and VEP kits.
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
Ok what have I done recently.

Etched window frames from Easybuild on the sides and Peter Clark on the front added, MMP horns on the roof, front handrails just popped into place from Peter Clark, door hing etches from Easybuild, strip styrene added either side of doors and lower edge of cabs, windy wipers are from Peter Clark.

tc20.jpg tc21.jpg tc22.jpg tc23.jpg tc24.jpg tc25.jpg tc26.jpg tc27.jpg tc28.jpg
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
I weathered a Heljan 60 for a friend and put a set of Fox Transrail transfers on it. This was one of a few 60's that had a full set of arrows and depot plate on it.

I also tried out a 1 TC on his layout, in push mode of coarse. Must try and get some bogies for the other 3 coaches now.

60063.jpg 3311.jpg 3312.jpg
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
Brian,
Your 33/1 looks spot on!!
I just would not have the patience to build a complete 4tc set though!
Mine will have to make do pulling a rake of Heljan mk1s!
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
You would build a 4TC, it's just a case of a little and often, you would get there in the end. Mind you I have just made a list of parts still needand from whom, it's a long list :(
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
I have got the two front gangways sprung now so should I ever do some other southern unit it will couple up nice and tight. It would wipe the paint off mind you going round corners. So for the inner ones I an going to face off the gangways with thin black plasticard so all you will see is a bit of black now and again. You can see in the lower pictures that I did this by soldering 4 10ba bolts in the corners, slipping a spring over them, and then passing through 4 holes in the front and securing with a nut. It needed a bit of fettling to get it working properly but seems ok. As I only have 2 bogies at the moment I have not tried it in anger round the layout.

tc1.jpg tc2.jpg tc3.jpg tc4.jpg tc5.jpg tc6.jpg
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
Whilst glueing the BSK sides and ends to the floor I used some nice runny superglue, unfortunatly it did exactly what it was supposed to do and ran up to the roof at the end and somehow up above the guards door. And boy did it stick :mad: After breaking the roof off I had to file the left on bits of roof off. Oh well, Laurie, got another roof please? I have filled in the guards window and to see how well the filling went I sprayed it with primer. A bit more rubbing and filling later it looks ok.sg2.jpg sg3.jpg sg1.jpg
 

Mr Grumpy

Western Thunderer
I accidentally done that with the GUV a few years ago, although it was a spill rather than gluing other bits :(

As I'm so accident prone with sticky substances, I only tend to solder kits now!
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
Ran the TC for the first time round the garden with a JLTRT 33/1 at the rear. I did have to do a little mod to get those close gangways to work by cutting a bit of the lower gangway away to let the buckeye swing a bit as that seemed to be what the problem was as it ran ok after that. So after this test I will modify the couple of long gangways to short.


tc 1.jpg tc2.jpg tc3.jpg
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Brian

I've been working on some JLTRT Toplights, and whilst the corridor connector is quite different, the technique might be relevant. I've used card as the "spring" which is probably easier than 4 bolts. Of course. I have a scissors on each side as well, which you do not have.

Porth Dinllaen in 0 - Page 12 - 7mm+ modelling

I've refined the technique a bit, I'll make another one to "the latest measurements and technique" and then add some more pix to my thread

Given that the telescope mechanism is pretty much hidden in your vehicles, foam rubber glued to both halves might also be easier.

Best
Simon

Sorry, forgot to say - the set looks really nice!
 

Brian Daniels

Western Thunderer
I have just replaced a couple of the gangway springs with foam instead of 4 springs and must admit it works smoother, so thanks for that Simond. Just need to get some smaller brass strip to replace the couple of long gangways I did on the driving trailers.
 
Top