Bachmann 03 Diesel

Thirtysecond

Western Thunderer
Started work on my Bachmann 03 diesel shunter. Not perfect but a very good model to start with none-the-less. Here is the cab floor and desk with extra added "bits". Not looking forward to painting the desk and still haven't determined the interior cab colour in green BR days (cream, grey or white?). The floor will be wood planked as per prototype.

The instrument panel is fixed to the cab body and goes into the recess above the desk. That, and the cab lighting, are the next jobs!

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David Halfpenny

Western Thunderer
Never mind the Cab, Derek, get to work on the Flowerpot!

Here's what it looks like after standing awhile - re-imagine it well greased with the exhausted engine-oil it was designed to catch (to avoid engine compartment fires from oil dripping back down the relatively thin exhaust pipe inside, as happened on the first batch of Class 04s):

Flowerpot chimney.jpg

OK, I suppose the cab matters too. You're going to have such fun with the pipework :)

In case it helps, here's a cab of a working Class 03 restored to BR Brunswick condition:

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0424.jpg
0425.jpg

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So Cream is right for this particular era, but only above the waist.
Panels below the waist are Brunswick Green, while the desk and levers are black.

I can't tell you which specimen, precisely, but I took the pictures at the Historic Shunters Trust, Rowsley in January 2009.
Ask if you'd like full resolution.

The outside (too tight to photograph at HSY) was liveried like this - possibly the same engine photographed by two different people at a Doncaster open day in April 2010:
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David 1/2d
 
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FiftyFourA

Western Thunderer
Hi,

I drive one of these for the NRM at Locomotion and these pictures show the 'correct' colours of pale grey walls, black desk and panel and white pipes, the only thing I would question is the handbrake wheel which I think should be red. It is on ours and all of them I have seen around the country including the one at Wensleydale Railway.

Having said that those colours remain clean for very little time, even in preservation, so what it would have been like under BR ... :eek:.

Peter
 

FiftyFourA

Western Thunderer
Oh, BTW, the paint easily rubs off the various control handles and the vac brake handles, how do I know ...

Peter
 

Thirtysecond

Western Thunderer
Oh well, I've gone with grey because ITS EASIER!! Being that its a ready painted model that I'm working on I just couldn't face all the masking up and risk of "leaks". Anyway I am getting there slowly and have completed painting the cab interior insert and the driver ( one of Modelu3D's excellent figures.) Now have to do all the gauges on the panel fixed to the cab interior on the main body. It will be like keyhole surgery.

Actually my recent researches suggested that the handbrake should be red so I will be repainting that.

IMG_2326.JPG
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
According to Colin J Marsden, the original Swindon design included a copper capped chimney, but they were told by BR head office to fit a conical one. Then when there were problems with adhesion at the front end, they chose to fit the weight as a mock chimney.(though without the copper cap)
 

David Hall

Western Thunderer
View attachment 147000 View attachment 147001
Yes I put the Fosworks system in. Also bought the r/c conversion kit ( complete loom, battery, loudspeaker, charge socket etc etc.)

I've been toying with trying R/C in O gauge and have heard nothing but good things about Fosworks. Space is the issue in order to accommodate the batteries. I would like to test it in my Dapol Sentinel, but I'm very sceptical there will be the room, so it might be pie in the sky until batteries shrink! Come on technology.... I don't suppose you have that problem in 1:32 mind, even with a small diesel shunter. Was it was to install, or was a lot of 'hacking' required to the body/chassis etc?

You done a stunning job with this. I'm mightily impressed.
 

David Halfpenny

Western Thunderer
Lipo works wonders - provided you treat it right. Otherwise it may incinerate your model.
David Viewing wrote a sane practical article in a recent G1MRA Journal.

If using NiMH, it's worth noting that AAAs are current-limited, which results in some counterintuitive results.
For example on a Bachmann shunter I get more grunt from 8AA cells than from 12AAA cells.
Since I imagine Gauge 0 to need less torque at less speed, you may be OK with AAAs.
 

David Hall

Western Thunderer
Lipo works wonders - provided you treat it right. Otherwise it may incinerate your model.
David Viewing wrote a sane practical article in a recent G1MRA Journal.

If using NiMH, it's worth noting that AAAs are current-limited, which results in some counterintuitive results.
For example on a Bachmann shunter I get more grunt from 8AA cells than from 12AAA cells.
Since I imagine Gauge 0 to need less torque at less speed, you may be OK with AAAs.

That's really interesting David. Thanks for sharing. Not relying on track power has got to be the ultimate goal, and once it goes mainstream it will revolutionise the hobby.... but we need those batteries to shrink!
 

David Halfpenny

Western Thunderer
Bookmarked! Those could be handy for some tiny rail tractors I'd like to model.

Another way to make space for batteries, speakers and electronics is to put axle-hung traction motors between frames under the deck.

Or go up a scale to G3 ;-)
 
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