O&EM workbench - a trio of PO's
- Thread starter 76043
- Start date
76043
Western Thunderer
Getting more Bachmann chassis modified for EM by turning down the backs of the stock wheels on the unimat by 0.3mm on each wheel. This shot shows the difference between OO and EM. The shot shows turned down wheels at the top only, stock at the bottom. The EM spec for wheel width is 2.3mm wide, these go from 2.8mm to 2.5mm wide.
Then it's tie bars and coupling hooks.
Tony
Then it's tie bars and coupling hooks.
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
A previously seen van from Dubingham has finally been converted to EM, hence the topcoat and numbers. This one is a Dapol BR plywood van, vent was enlarged, now primed. Parkside chassis with ABS buffers and homemade buffer beam. MJT vac pipes and Romford coupling hooks and wheels. Next stop the paint shop.
Tony
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
I was pleased how my K's not a meat van turned out, I used Tamiya masking tape to rattle can the underframe. Means I can do the 16t minerals the same way. I'm not a fan of brush painting, but will need to do in the wooden bodied ones, to pick out the ironwork in black.
I'm trying out differing shades of bauxite to represent faded wagons, aka the Dublo based standard vans. But notice how the camera shows the same wagons below. It's why I know and believe accurate colour is a nonsense. (I do have a digital colour post-grad qualification, so can back it up)
Tony
I'm trying out differing shades of bauxite to represent faded wagons, aka the Dublo based standard vans. But notice how the camera shows the same wagons below. It's why I know and believe accurate colour is a nonsense. (I do have a digital colour post-grad qualification, so can back it up)
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
It the Cambrian D1828 LMS van.
C9 LMS 12 ton "All-steel" Van (D1828)
D1828 "Gloucester" style body. 1,000 of these vans were built during 1929-30. 300 were built as shown by Gloucester RC&W. The mouldings can be modified to the other wagon builders' door styles – flat diagonal door strapping, or no door strapping. We stock wheels for this kit in OO, EM and P4/S4.
www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk
This particular kit I've had for possibly 30 years, it started out as a failed P4 effort, languished, and finally got built with a Dublo chassis as below. However, I decided it should go EM as my Dublo wagons should all be pure, not faked and anyway, it looked a bit daft. The other 21t mineral has a new EM chassis lined up too and it's chassis can go back under the Dublo Chlorine tank.
Tony
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76043
Western Thunderer
I'd sprayed my Airfix bodied, Parkside chassis with Railmatch unfitted grey, then decided I could spray the chassis black. I used Tamiya masking tape and got a nice line all round without any overspray. It's great stuff this Tamiya tape if you repeatedly press it firmly into all the nooks and crannies.
Tony
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
Having long since converted some loco's to EM, I had been finding the running qualities on DC/DC PWM and DC feedback very poor in comparison to my Dublo loco's on Dublingham. I had begun to wonder why I spent so much time on the EM wagons as it could be a complete waste of time.
Conversations with the EMGS electrical expert revealed that the older iron core motors are particularly suited to DC feedback, but the latest smaller motors are not. In particular the Ruston on Feedback actually jerked along, due apparently to the small size of the motor.
So what to do? I can't have a shunting layout in EM that has worse running qualities than my Dublo layout?
In desperation, my last chance was to try DCC. I dug out my old DCC++ install, upgraded it to DCC-EX and after I had worked out that new decoders use 3 as their default address was off.
It has transformed the Ruston, I can't believe it. It now runs as good as my Dublo stock. It has a Dapol decoder, which it seems cannot have a stay alive fitted, but maybe one day I'll swap chips around and fit one. Either way I think the project does at least have viability now.
Tony
Conversations with the EMGS electrical expert revealed that the older iron core motors are particularly suited to DC feedback, but the latest smaller motors are not. In particular the Ruston on Feedback actually jerked along, due apparently to the small size of the motor.
So what to do? I can't have a shunting layout in EM that has worse running qualities than my Dublo layout?
In desperation, my last chance was to try DCC. I dug out my old DCC++ install, upgraded it to DCC-EX and after I had worked out that new decoders use 3 as their default address was off.
It has transformed the Ruston, I can't believe it. It now runs as good as my Dublo stock. It has a Dapol decoder, which it seems cannot have a stay alive fitted, but maybe one day I'll swap chips around and fit one. Either way I think the project does at least have viability now.
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
Back to the vans, the LMS type BR van is now awaiting chassis painting. I added 30g of car wheel weights and this has bought the weight up to 57g. It's the first one I've weighted properly and it has a nice weight to it now, feeling like a Dublo wagon. The body is screwed into the chassis as shown, I don't believe in glueing bodies/roofs to chassis.
Tony
Tony
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76043
Western Thunderer
I got some paint on the LMS type BR van's underframe so it's now in the weathering queue with a slowly increasing number of others. I think I'm aiming to get sufficient numbers up to this stage of livery and couplings done, then do the weathering. I have realised I hadn't put on the tare weights on some of these vans, so that will be corrected in due course.
Tony
Tony
76043
Western Thunderer
Finally got round to starting the other two PO wagons, same as the first one. Here's all three before demolition back to kit form.
Now the last two have been built at the same time in exactly the same way as the first. They'll be repainted grey PO's as I have plenty of Bachmann PO's to distress.
Tony
timbowales
Western Thunderer
The "Penlan" wagon is of interest to me as I can see Penclawdd from my bedroom window!
What is its origin?
What is its origin?
76043
Western Thunderer
Hi Tim,
All three were Cambrian kits, probably POWsides? I've dunked them all in Tesco kitchen cleaner and all the printing has come off now.
Tony
timbowales
Western Thunderer
Ooh, which cleaner is that? The spray one not the cream?
76043
Western Thunderer
Tim, it's this one, I use it for all my paint stripping, takes 1-2 days as it's gentle, but it doesn't do any damage. The printing on these wagons came off in a couple of hours.
Tony
timbowales
Western Thunderer
Thanks, that's another item on next Sunday' delivery 