Hunslet Works in 7mm

[Andy Ross]

The Tyne and Wear Metro is unit 4083. This had been in a collision with a bus on a level crossing. It had obvious damage to the front and it had twisted the underframe.

This was the first passenger vehicle to visit Hunslet and led to collision repairs to several London Underground vehicles.

We also rebuilt the original Tyne and Wear prototype cars.

 

[Andy Ross]

I have found another photo showing how much we had to strip it down.

 

[timbowales]

I have found another photo showing how much we had to strip it down.


View attachment 215939

So not much left of the original?

 

[AndyB]

At that stage of an accident repair procedure, no there isn't much left because you have to be able to get to the bare structure to straighten it, check for weld cracking, do the repair, etc. But all of the re-usable components (windows, seats, interior panels) will have been stored and later put back in - all standard practice in railways for well over a century.
Even for a mid-late life refurb, vehicles will be stripped to a bare shell to enable corrosion repairs to be done, followed by a repaint and refit.

Andy R - Has the solebar been replaced in this instance ?

 

[Andy Ross]

AndyB notes above are correct. The impact had been more on the right side of the front. So the damage as I remember (it was about 40 years ago) was to the head stock, the cab frame, the front section of the vehicle right hand side panels. The biggest issues was that some of the force had gone down the side, this had done damage to the joints between the side and the solebar. The leading passenger doorway frame had also moved. The consequence of all this was the camber in the solebar was now reversed. That is why we took the whole side out. Before the side went back in the camber had been put back in by heating and cooling the sole bar in several areas.

We learnt a lot with this and although we did not replace the sole bar on this vehicle, we did do a D78 car for LUL were we replaced the front section of both sole bars behind the bolster. This was the first vehicle with joined sole bars to operate in service on LUL.

 

[SimonT]

Can't see the bus. Did someone undercut Hunslets on the job?

 

[Herb Garden]

The Tyne and Wear Metro is unit 4083. This had been in a collision with a bus on a level crossing. It had obvious damage to the front and it had twisted the underframe.

This was the first passenger vehicle to visit Hunslet and led to collision repairs to several London Underground vehicles.

We also rebuilt the original Tyne and Wear prototype cars.

That's interesting, didn't know that had happened. Thanks for the photos.

Hunslet also built the 3 battery/overhead shunting locos for the Metro if my memory serves me correctly

 

[Andy Ross]

Hi,

Found picture of accident on Flicker - the bus I was told was scrapped.




We did build the three battery locos see photos, again from Flicker.




Although I did not work on these I was aware of lots of issues in the build. The landed up cutting holes in the frames because they were too heavy.
There was also issues with the control system which I can only assume was replaced at some point.

 

[timbowales]

Were any passengers involved?
Tim T

 

[daifly]

Report and more photos here

Dave

 

[chigley]

The open day went well with several visitors. I also had a visiting DCC Sound fitted Austerity on the layout. Built by one of our club members. The Leeds club has several O Gauge modellers.







I have also finished taking photos for a magazine article so in the next week or so the layout will be packed up and taken home.

We have now come to the point of no return, the next job is to paint the steelwork. With Guildex at the beginning of September I need to 100% confident that I can strip back the layout, paint the steelwork and then refit all the walls etc. during the summer.

One of the issues issue is that the steel work is three different colours as can be seen in the attached photo.




So I have made a small test section of the structure to carry out a painting preparation and paint trials.



I have already got a small grit blaster and airbrushes and I have ordered some acrylic paint from Army Painters range.

I also need to work out the best order for masking the different colour.

Wish me luck.


Andy

any chance of it coming down south Andy, would love to see it. Ken

 

[Andy Ross]

Hunslet Works update.

So this weekend has been somewhat frustrating.

The plan was to do some trials blasting and hopefully priming the test structure.

I have bought a good quality compressor with an air tank from Machine Mart as recommended by Peter Kirmond and a long time back. bought a blasting gun.



When I came to use it I followed all the instructions and use the aluminium oxide grit that came with it. But every time I try it blocks up in seconds. I have checked the pressure I am using is correct. The gun and the grit have been kept in the house so there is no moisture issue I can see and the air line has a water trap as well.

I have seen mixed reviews on line and in some cases it works fine and others it blocks. From some messaging I have done it appears that the main issue is the hole in the nozzle being too small so I will try to make this bigger, although it is very hard material in the end of the nozzle as you would expect.

I am looking at other possible ways to prepare the steel work for painting, but I will preserver for a bit longer with the gun.

I might have some more look next weekend.



Andy

 

[simond]

Andy

try sticking the grit in the oven on low for an hour. Maybe it’s damp already?

Simon

 

[michael080]

Andy,

I had the same blast gun for some time and can confirm your problems. I think the problem is related to the narrow nozzle. If you release the button, the air valve closes, but the remaining pressure in the reservoir causes the sand to revert its flow into the air channel. On its way, it blocks the air valve, so that it cannot close properly. After a lot of frustration, I bought the Badger abrasive gun that lasts already for quite some time. It works just as expected.
This seems to be another example of "buy cheap, buy twice".

Sorry,
Michael

 

[Andy Ross]

After a ride over to Hull on a 158 for the exhibition this morning, I still had time to try out the new Badger blaster that had arrived during the week.

This went a lot better this time and I managed to blast all the test structure without any blockages. Its not easy to photograph but you can just see the prepared surface.






I have also etch primed the structure.



All being well I will start with the colours tomorrow, its just a case of deciding what order to do them in.

The blasting will be a horrible task when I come to do the main structure as it is just so dusty. I do think if I start early enough, I should be able to do all the structure in one day. However, I have identifies a couple of jobs that need doing first such as soldering on some tubing to use as conduits for the cable for the lights and the power supply to the crane tracks. At the moment these cables are just tucked in behind the uprights and held in place with blue-tack.

After the frustrations last weekend I am feeling far more positive again with painting.

Andy

 

[Andy Ross]

The confidence is now building for the painting.

After the success yesterday with the blasting and etched priming the test structure, it was time to move on to adding the colours. In the past I have had issues with paint not sticking or pealing when removing masking tape. Hopefully the use of the blaster and etch primer will prevent this.

So I decided that the best order to add the colours was to paint the roof section beige first. I am using Army Painters products and they do a range of coloured primer aerosol cans for war gaming and this is what I used first for the top of the structure.

Once this had dried I masked this section up and using an airbrush I painted the crane track orange.



Again this is another Army painter colour using the airbrush thinner they supply.



I was really pleased with how this covered.

It also dried really quickly and only 2 hours later I was masking this up so I could apply the blue.



Now before anyone says anything, the blue I ordered has come out a bit brighter than I had expected. This is always the problem with colour charts etc. The Army Painter range however do different shades of the same base colour and I am ordering a different shade to do some more trials. As with the orange, the blue was applied with an airbrush.



What I am pleased with is the processes worked, I removed all the masking and the paint has not come off and the finish is excellent.

All we need to do now is get the blue right I then want to try spraying some dirt wash on which will also tone it all down.





So after last weekends frustration, this has been a far better weekend and some good progress.

On saying this I do have to be a realist, then main structure is far more complex than the test piece, with the boiler shop and wheel shop roof being removable it should help with access for the airbrush. The roofs can also be painted separately and are only one colour.

I think the biggest job after the blasting and priming will be the masking for each colours.

But at least it now looks like we should be able to get the structure at least, painted before Guildex in September.


Andy

 

[Osgood]

I recall the liberal use of bright colours (again mainly blue) for elements of structural steel (e.g. crane trackways and supports) in BREL shops in the early 70s, and I wonder now when the use of these bright colours started.
When did Hunslet adopt these and what was It prior to this, Andy?

 

[Andy Ross]

I recall the liberal use of bright colours (again mainly blue) for elements of structural steel (e.g. crane trackways and supports) in BREL shops in the early 70s, and I wonder now when the use of these bright colours started.
When did Hunslet adopt these and what was It prior to this, Andy?

When I started in 1979 the steel work was already blue and orange. The earliest colour photo I have with it these colours is from the early to mid 70's so I suspect it was done early 70's. before then I think it was just a dirty beige colour.

 

[Andy Ross]

Although I was more than happy with the process and all the equipment, I was not happy with the colours. In particular the blue for the stations. I had Identified an alternative colour and by chance a local wargaming shop had some in stock. I didn't know this was even there until recently.

So when I got home from work I masked the structure again and you can see the results below which is no ware near as bright.





The orange is still a long way out and I do have another colour to try which I will try on a spare beam. But on the split photos attached the new blue is almost spot on to the original and I am sure once the dirt is applied will looks just the same.



With this level of success there is a good chance the base painting will be done by the end of July.

Apologise for all the updates so close together.



Andy

 

[40057]

Although I was more than happy with the process and all the equipment, I was not happy with the colours. In particular the blue for the stations. I had Identified an alternative colour and by chance a local wargaming shop had some in stock. I didn't know this was even there until recently.

So when I got home from work I masked the structure again and you can see the results below which is no ware near as bright.

View attachment 216893

View attachment 216894

The orange is still a long way out and I do have another colour to try which I will try on a spare beam. But on the split photos attached the new blue is almost spot on to the original and I am sure once the dirt is applied will looks just the same.

View attachment 216895

With this level of success there is a good chance the base painting will be done by the end of July.

Apologise for all the updates so close together.



Andy

Looking at the photo, is the ‘orange’ actually red oxide?