What's on your workbench?

[Seacommander]

Have started 'cobbling' together an English Electric Deltic DP1 to fill in time before Hornby release the Dublo model.

It is based on the ubiquitous Kitmaster/Dapol kit - now being subjected to some fairly hefty 'kit bashing' - on a Bachmann chassis. The Bachmann bits and pieces have largely come from Ebay.

Accepting that there will be detail discrepancies I am hoping that the finished effort will at least convey the overall image of the real thing.

[96RAF]

Interesting as I also have a Dapol DP1 running on a Hornby chassis, a very simple conversion.

[Tony57]

Just finished my 12 new Wrenn chassis, 4 short ones have been fitted with HD couplings, 2 have been fitted with tension lock, 4 long ones have been fitted with tension lock and have had new bodies attached, 2 have been fitted with HD style couplings.

[atom3624]

This is one of those 'don't do what I did' posts!

I've a 5-coach Accurascale TPE set and a couple of Dapol TPE Class 68's.

Thought I'd give the 68's a rest and hauled with a Bachmann 47 - very easily!

I then thought I'd try running 'the opposite way' as is the design, it partially derailed, so I stopped immediately.

I reversed the current again - to go forwards, and .... nothing!

I tried forwards - nothing. Backwards - nothing!

So, I proceeded to totally dismantle the DCC-ready ex DCC-Sound 21-pin Class 47 - quite easily and no collateral damage.

No loose wires - jiggled a couple here and there (it has the feed wire in, push on plug to maintain contact systems), still nothing. At least I can 'clean and lubricate' whilst in pieces I suppose.

I tried another locomotive - a Bachmann Jinty actually, still nothing.

I checked the TPE coaches again - a couple were still partially derailed, so replaced properly, and the Jinty ran perfectly ... so does the motor of the 47, so huge apologies to her for pulling apart and now to reassemble!

Conclusion: Check the simple things first, like are the coaches on the track properly before 'going more complicated'!

Al.

[atom3624]

All sorted - 47's fine again!

Permitted me to check a couple of the wires - weren't the best contacts, now a fair bit better.

Should learn to be a little more patient!!

Al.

[The son of Triangman]

Working on designing a simple fit commercial motorisation kit for the 2 gate Hornby level crossing. It will motorised the two traditional gates supplied with the crossing. The last 2 days have been spent doing no load tests on the Hornby M.2209 motors. There will also be a unit for the Tri-ang level crossing.

The bench test power supply is a fiddly old beast to set at the right voltage, even with fine adjust. Picture shows pre test setting up and a basic spin up of a motor before it was set in a test rig.

[The son of Triangman]

My digital laser tachometer used for testing motor revolutions.

[The son of Triangman]

Results of no load testing, of the Hornby M.2209 motor.

Average current consumption and revolutions. All vital to my motorisation of the Hornby 2 gate level crossing.

[81F]

Currently on my bench (well the drawer next to it) is a Silver Fox Class 22 Baby Warship with a Bachmann chassis.

When it arrived from eBay it must have been bashed in the post because the front of one end had been smashed into around 5 pieces. I was tempted to return it but all the bits fitted back so well that I only needed to do the slightest of touch ups.

All looks good now except I need to think of a way to fix the body so that it can be removed for servicing and eventual DCC conversion.

[atom3624]

My new R30134 Turbomotive is regularly on my workbench .... Why?

Not very quiet, strangely 'though no reason to remove the body yet, not noisy, but a superb runner straight out of the box.

A superb-looking 'different' yet period-elegant locomotive which merits being on display.

I'm running her, so the bench visit is to relocate the drawbar to permit 4th radius curves - still needs the longer setting.

I display her the instant she's in the station, so the shorter setting looks so much better.

That double chimney just looks so much better on such a large locomotive, despite loving Lizzie.

Al.

[Rana Temporia]

Last year I bought a boxed Grafar OO Prairie as a non runner, got it working and the motor subsequently disintegrated. It’s one of the later ones without plunger pick-ups that shared the chassis and other parts with the pannier so when I saw two later Pannier chassis with good motors for sale cheaply on an auction site I thought I’d have them.

So I stripped down and cleaned everything to make one good chassis out of the three only to find that the chassis block had been modified, probably after they withdrew the prairie from their range, and that it wouldn’t fit in the body.

I have re-assembled one of the pannier chassis which now works fine but at least I know which version I need to fix my existing loco. It’s the one with the motor similar to the Wrenn R1. Now to look for a later Grafar pannier body without Mazac rot to go with my other one!

[atom3624]

Good luck!

Al.

[81F]

Currently on my workbench is a see "Livery for Airfix 15T Booth Rodley Crane Kit (now Dapol)" for more details (the match truck is just a mock-up).

[LesXRN]

After fitting new DCC chassis to a tender drive Duchess and a Princess with great results, I thought I would have a go at converting a split chassis Scot to modern DCC running gear. The result was well worth the effort. My old Scots Guardsman lives on.

[Seacommander]

Three months on from starting to build DP1 from the Dapol kit and Bachmann DP1 chassis block and Class 55 bogies (modified) this is where DP1 is now, All the detail parts such as buffers, couplings, makers plates, horns, handrails, flushglaze windows (from Squires in Bognor Regis) etc are yet to be added. 

[atom3624]

That is looking great, and sounding superb - with the pending additional detailing.

Definitely keep us all posted on progress of this one please.

Al.

PS: Only work for me was fitting detailing to my newly-acquired Hornby 87 035 - fitted both ends without pipes interfering with the fitted-one-end coupling.

Decided to consider the pantograph end as #1 end - wasn't clear, but more photos indicated the pantograph at the front.

[Rana Temporia]

I managed to find some time to do some work on the Atlas Editions model I have had for a while. I threw away all the parts that had fallen off it and I couldn’t locate where they had come from.

I have replaced the moulded pantographs with Jouef ones, I would have preferred Lima ones as they have the insulators included but I didn’t have any in good enough condition. I have glued the bogies together so they are setting but this looks like it will be a very easy conversion. I found another on a French website but he had painted it a very dark green rather than the bright green the model comes in. I have no idea what the correct shade is for this unit? I can only find B&W prototype photos.

Parts of it do seem a little fragile, I may look at how I can strengthen it a bit. I only paid a pound or two for it, so quite happy with this one.

[atom3624]

Having purchased the 87, seems like I'm going through an 'electrification moment' and pulled out my Heljan 86 (even faster than the 87!) and now the Bachmann 85.

The 85 seemed to be Antipodean in it's performance, so opened up the bogies - clip on frames which are a pain. 'Sqooshed' out (coin a certain YT contributor's phrase!) the brass bushes, which transmit the current from the wheels to pick-up plates, cleaned the wheels, touch of oil. then wrestled the frames back on - wasn't easy!! It's now definitely British - smooth, powerful and fast!

Al.

[atom3624]

Just had the 85 on the tracks, and it's probably faster than the Hornby 87 and as fast as the 86 - 'well run in' shall we call it!

Somebody needs to produce an AL1 / Class 81 - one of my first Triang locomotives 50+ years ago!

Just re-evaluated - 86 is clearly the fastest (as fast as a Super Detail 8WD HST!!) and the 85 probably about as fast as the new tooling 87.

86 is close to flinging the coaches off on 4th radius!

(No it's not my normal running speed - I'll use just over half power normally.)

Al.

[atom3624]

Extra weighting has been added to the inside sides of the bodyshell of R3682 46225 Duchess of Gloucester, plus substantial additions to the inside of the (repaired) tender as well.

The standard detailing has now been added, including the cylinder drains - so I may have to play a little here - they are known to interfere with the side pieces on the front bogie of the latest Coronation - I may take a bogie from one of my new-tooling streamlined Coronations.

I've found brass pipework to assist in re-establishing those missing / broken off under the RHS of the cab. All coming along quite nicely.

Al.

[Seacommander]

I think the DP1 build is finished now. Well that is until I find some other details to add.

[Bulleidboy]

Lots of people that have either been painted or awaiting paint. A Hornby Schools Class that is about to have an HM7000 sound decoder fitted. Everything should go into the tender, but I have removed the loco body to see whether the speaker will fit in there - not a lot of room. This loco (R2898XS) originally came with sound, but it had been removed.

[atom3624]

Any chance of a little 'finescale' on the horns, and perhaps add some wipers?

Metal buffers would top it off as well.

Very nice job with the paint and art work.

Al.

[Rana Temporia]

Very nice job. What did you do the lining with? I have one I did years ago with a stretched Hornby ringfield class 37 chassis and the Dapol side frames glued on. My lining is just pale yellow but I did pick some of the correct Deltic transfers up from a stall at an exhibition, possibly Manchester or Wigan. I also bought the flush glazing kit for it but I don’t even know where it is now, I bet I’ve not seen it for at least 15 years. Might be time to get some boxes out of the attic!

[Seacommander]

Thank you atom3624 and Rana for your comments. The objective I set out in my first post about this DP1 project was to make a passable representation of the original within the constraints of the accuracy of the kit and extras. I certainly have wipers in mind. The lining are waterslide transfers from Fox transfers as did the etched metal makers plates.