Peco Parkside kits for a novice

[TomD]

Good morning all. My first post here, and it's a question:

 

I have two Parkside PN01 Grampus n gauge kits to make up. It's the first time I've tried these.

 

The first instruction is "Assemble the body". But, from the picture, it appears the kit contains two floors. Do I:

 

a) Just use one of them, or

 

b) Glue them together to form one floor?

 

TIA

[John Isherwood]

11 minutes ago, TomD said:

Good morning all. My first post here, and it's a question:

 

I have two Parkside PN01 Grampus n gauge kits to make up. It's the first time I've tried these.

 

The first instruction is "Assemble the body". But, from the picture, it appears the kit contains two floors. Do I:

 

a) Just use one of them, or

 

b) Glue them together to form one floor?

 

TIA

 

Use just one floor - you have two identical sprues because that's the way they are moulded, and it's not worth the manufacturers' time to remove the duplicated floor.

 

John Isherwood.

 

PS. You'll probably not need the bufferbeams on the chassis sprue - assuming the grey ends have a bufferbeam attached.

Edited March 29, 2020 by cctransuk

[Enterprisingwestern]

10 minutes ago, TomD said:

Good morning all. My first post here, and it's a question:

 

I have two Parkside PN01 Grampus n gauge kits to make up. It's the first time I've tried these.

 

The first instruction is "Assemble the body". But, from the picture, it appears the kit contains two floors. Do I:

 

a) Just use one of them, or

 

b) Glue them together to form one floor?

 

TIA

 

Sprue standardisation.

Only use one and save the other in the spares box for future scratchbuilding, there will be other duplicate bits too.

 

Mike.

[TomD]

Thank you both.

[Philou]

@TomD By the way welcome to the RMweb collective.

 

@Phil Parker Having just done the cupboard door model as my first ever Parkside, can I just say that there is absolutely no detail on the inside of the model. Whilst it won't matter insofar as the floor is concerned, it is worth spending a couple of minutes with the back of a blade or something sharp to scratch the outline of the door openings (before glueing anything together of course!), and there's no underfloor detail either (not than you can see that once it's on the track). It does allow room to glue a little bit of lead sheet, or flashing, for extra weight (or liquid thingy). Nice simple model with which to start.

 

Not to go OT too much, whilst I was rooting around this morning for my pin vice and small twist drills, I found this lot in various stages of completion that I started 50 years ago (some are priced at 2/3d - 11p in new money - on the boxes). Now's the time to finish all those little projects - eh? Fortunately they've all been fitted with brass cup bearings and Jackson pin-point 3-hole disks . There's another lot somewhere in my stock .

 

 

Cheers and take care out there,

 

Philip

 

 

 

 

[John Isherwood]

2 minutes ago, Philou said:

 

 

That's what I like to see - good old Hornby Dublo couplings; (though I now use the Peco Simplex R2 ones - they're a bit neater).

 

Nowadays, I cut off the coupler head and solder it to some rectangular brass section, so that I can pivot them in NEM pockets.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Philou]

@cctransuk John, now that's a good idea using NEM pockets and Peco couplings. Insofar as the H/D couplings are concerned, the wagons that have couplings are about 50/50 H/D or Peco (there are a couple in view). Those that haven't couplings yet, I may well follow your idea as they're going to be in fixed rakes anyway and I'm afraid as I'm not getting any younger it will preclude the use of 3-links et al. I also have a couple of them set up  as 'converter' wagons with one Triang type at one end. I may change those to the smaller Bachmann type in a NEM pocket.

 

Now, off to start the last Parkside one and titivate the others that I started on Monday.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Phil Parker]

2 hours ago, Philou said:

Having just done the cupboard door model as my first ever Parkside, can I just say that there is absolutely no detail on the inside of the model. Whilst it won't matter insofar as the floor is concerned, it is worth spending a couple of minutes with the back of a blade or something sharp to scratch the outline of the door openings (before glueing anything together of course!), and there's no underfloor detail either (not than you can see that once it's on the track). It does allow room to glue a little bit of lead sheet, or flashing, for extra weight (or liquid thingy). Nice simple model with which to start.

 

Extra detail is something for later models IMHO. The first step is to stick something together. With a few working wagons under your belt, you move on and develop but if the OP feels that he's got to go for the ultimate model straight away, he won't get started. I suggest everyone keeps quiet and lets him have a go. Just don't mention how addictive it is... ;-)

[gary_lner]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Extra detail is something for later models IMHO. The first step is to stick something together. With a few working wagons under your belt, you move on and develop but if the OP feels that he's got to go for the ultimate model straight away, he won't get started. I suggest everyone keeps quiet and lets him have a go. Just don't mention how addictive it is... ;-)

Fear not Phil. I had an early shift at work today so I've spent some time this afternoon cutting and sanding the nibs of the components. And had a crack at glueing the main body together. And i think for my first try it's gone well. Please see the picture below. I've also done some work on the solebars. And the little tip about solvent in the bearing hole was great they went in with no problems at all. I'm going to let this firm up over night before I glue the solebars to the floor. I also want to find a piece of glass or a mirror just to help with that. 

 

Thanks to all the contributions to this thread so far. Would love to see more examples of other people's work. 

 

I can really see how this can become addictive.

 

Regards Gary 

[The Johnster]

I've built up (literally) quite a collection of Parksides, mostly minerals and general merchandise opens but a Mica as well and most recently a Python and now a Fruit D which is still a work in progress.  I can make acceptable models out of them despite my piggy little fingers and general lack of hand/eye coordination, which is a fair indication of how easy they are in general.  They are not entirely wonderful, though.  Probably because they have been introduced over a long period of time, the more recent releases tend to be of a higher spec, for instance my Python came with a set of very nice turned and blackened brass buffers, and different kits have different coupling mounts.  

 

I standardise on NEM tension locks on my layout, and use Parkside's separately available NEM mounting blocks not only on kits that do not come with them but for mounting the couplings to older vehicles that I have updated and Airfix/Dapol/KItmaster/any other stock that needs them.  These can be trimmed or packed to fit, and with a combination of this and the variety of Bachman NEM t'ls, long, short, cranked, straight, you should be able to get the coupling at the correct height above the rail.

 

I mentioned the buffers on the Python because most of the kits come with plastic buffers which are, tbh, not very good.  They are lumpen in appearance and sometimes have dimples; I don't like them and replace them with suitable metal ones.  Same goes for shell vents on my Fruit D.

 

The sprues are pretty clean and there is not much flash to deal with, and the little there is is usually in easily accessible places.  But, like Kitmasters, the plastic does not like to take paint, whether because of it's composition or some tooling release compound I don't know.  It is beneficial to apply a coat of matt varnish as a key for the paint if, like me, you use acrylics.

 

Now, to my biggest complaint which is at odds with some of what has been posted in this thread.  I find the axles of the supplied Maygib wheels too short to fit reliably in the bearings without dropping out unless the vehicle is handled very carefully.  The answer is to check the fit before you glue the sideframes on; the relief on the underside of the floor representing the frame that they butt up to for positioning may need to be trimmed a smidge, evenly on both sides, to achieve a secure fit.  

 

I insert the bearings by softening the hole with poly cement and pressing them in enough for the hole to hold them securely, then press them home with pliers; a piece of cloth or card inserted between the jaw and the detail on the outside of the axlebox will preserve the detail there, and allow you to apply the pressure you need to drive the bearing home.

 

As to tools, my standard kit for assembling plastic kits on a tray on the sofa while half-watching telly is:-

 

.Small snips for cutting parts from sprues (use a cheap one or small sharp scissors to protect your Xuron)

.Exacto (other types are avaialble) with fresh blade to trim pips or flash from parts

.Small cheapo files, two, a rat tail and a flat, rat tail for opening holes , flat for shaping and trimming.

.Self closing tweezers to hold small parts.

.Hand drill and box'o'bits up to 1mm.

.Suitable glue and a pin to apply it with.

.Small bag of Lego bricks, brilliant as formers for making square corners.

.Box of spare Exacto blades in case the one you have loses it's edge or you want a different shape.

.Sticky plasters; you're working with sharp blades!

.Cutting mat

.Tissues to mop up the blood and tears when it all goes wrong, actually to remove excess glue...

.Head mounted light and (optional) magnifying glass.

.Clothes pegs, preferably wooden spring type, to hold assemblies while the glue goes off.

.(optional) Squeeze to make tea and appreciate your company rather than complain that you shut yourself away in that railway room all the time.

 

Proceed methodically, take your time, and take as many breaks as you need especially if you are becoming dehydrate, be safe, and have fun.

 

For those just getting in to the world of plastic kits, as has been said, you are at the bottom of a learning curve at the same time as being at the top of a slippery slope.  O, yes, I know you are only experimenting, and it's fun now, and you think you can give up whenever you want, after just one more of course, but you're on the way to becoming one of us.  One of us, one of us...

 

Airfix/Dapol/Kitmasters are not far off 'shake the box' simple, and perhaps a slightly better starting point than Parksides but there's not much in it; Parkside have a much more useful range.  The quality of a finished ADK mineral wagon up against the only reasonably accurate RTR, Bachmann, considering the price and age of the kit, is amazing.  Ratio would be, I suggest, the next step on the learning curve (can you have steps on a learning curve), as they have a tendency to have more separate small detail which is consequently more difficult to handle (I drove myself nuts with their signal box windows); the design philosophy seems to be 'informed' by providing a kit which is not as easy as some with the intention of making you more satisfied with, and hence proud of, the finished model.  Coopercraft, if you can get hold of them, and Cambrian are, in my limited experiences, about on a par with Parkside. 

 

Just one more, I can give up anytime I want...

 

I mentioned how addictive it is, but I think I got away with it, sorry Phil.

[ikcdab]

 I think plastic wagon kits are jusf about the best thing there is in the model railway world. Relatively cheap to buy, straightforward to put together and you get results quickly. Like most people, i have a stash of various ones. This stash is now coming into its own during the current lockdown.

I love Parkside and ratio, both highly recommended. Cambrian too are good, but lack wheels and transfers which i think is a shortcoming. I know you can get these "aftermarket", but I like to have them supplied. It just makes things easier.

Also a big thumbs up for the old airfix kits. These are better than the Dapol reincarnation which I find not to be moulded quite so well. I am just working on a rake of 6 airfix esso oil tankers which are coming out well. At least the Dapol versions have wheels supplied and the transfers you will find in the old airfix kits may well now be past their best.

 

[TomD]

So I cracked on with my n gauge Grampus kits, and made some ballast loads for them. Thanks for the advice this morning!

 

[cheesysmith]

This weekend kits

 

[57xx]

3 hours ago, gary_lner said:

Fear not Phil. I had an early shift at work today so I've spent some time this afternoon cutting and sanding the nibs of the components. And had a crack at glueing the main body together. And i think for my first try it's gone well. Please see the picture below. I've also done some work on the solebars. And the little tip about solvent in the bearing hole was great they went in with no problems at all. I'm going to let this firm up over night before I glue the solebars to the floor. I also want to find a piece of glass or a mirror just to help with that. 

 

Thanks to all the contributions to this thread so far. Would love to see more examples of other people's work. 

 

I can really see how this can become addictive.

 

Regards Gary 

 

Don't worry too much about the glass/mirror, I hardly ever use it, especially with Parkside kits that go together well without help. One thing to note on your brake gear - one side on needs one V hanger. Here's a similar LNER van I did a while back to illustrate this.

[Philou]

@gary_lner You asked to see other 'Parksiders'. here are the ones I started during the week in various stages of completion. There's all the brake gear to be done, rooves, ballasting and the buffers. Couplings will wait:

 

 

Ex-LNER long CCT van, insulated meat van, tube wagon, ex-SNCF 'cupboard door' wagon  and ex-LNER bogie brick wagon. (The 'cupboard door' wagon WAS British built for the French after WWII and came back to the UK in the 50s.)

 

@The Johnster Pah! All that kit to build a couple of trucks! Here's a more minimalist approach:

 

 

Yes - seriously. The only thing that's not in the photo is a piece of wet'n'dry and a very fine paint brush for the application of the glue. I do have a question for you Richard, you mentioned that you replace your buffers with metal ones. From where do you source them? The CCT wagon above has nice metal ones, (but they need a shave to flatten the tops as per the original ones), but in the photo in a previous post, a few of my Airfix trucks have lost theirs whilst in store and others have not yet had them fitted - if I do one, I may as well do them all. Go on, be a chum and tell .

 

Cheers and take care - we're looking at a lock-in possibly until JUNE!

 

Philip

 

 

 

 

[John Isherwood]

5 minutes ago, Philou said:

@gary_lner

... we're looking at a lock-in possibly until JUNE!

 

If I'm out and about before the end of June, I'll be more than happy - and very surprised!

 

John Isherwood.

[Philou]

@cctransuk That's June over here - the UK is about 10 days behind - so it could well be July. Glad I found my Ratio signal kits AND some very old but new metal cranks (8d each!!) so I might even get some signals up and running for the proposed layout.

 

John, do you know if there's a thread regarding motorising and putting LEDs in Ratio signals as you seem to be well-versed in the workings of RMweb?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[John Isherwood]

1 minute ago, Philou said:

@cctransuk That's June over here - the UK is about 10 days behind - so it could well be July. Glad I found my Ratio signal kits AND some very old but new metal cranks (8d each!!) so I might even get some signals up and running for the proposed layout.

 

John, do you know if there's a thread regarding motorising and putting LEDs in Ratio signals as you seem to be well-versed in the workings of RMweb?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

Philip,

 

I'm afraid not - signalling is a closed book to me !

 

Sorry,

John Isherwood.

[gary_lner]

1 hour ago, 57xx said:

 

Don't worry too much about the glass/mirror, I hardly ever use it, especially with Parkside kits that go together well without help. One thing to note on your brake gear - one side on needs one V hanger. Here's a similar LNER van I did a while back to illustrate this.

Yeah you are right. Think I got a bit to carried away with the glue lol. Luckily an easy fix at this stage thanks for pointing that out to me. You're LNER van looks great aswell.

[The Johnster]

The various Parkside and Kitmaster wagons and vans have various buffers Philou, some the kit buffers if they aren't too bad, and the Parkside Mica came with plastic hydraulic buffers which I used. I bought a pack of Bachmann wagon buffers in Peter's shop some time ago, all used now.  My Python came with a very nice set of turned brass blackened buffers.  The ones on your LNER CCT should as you say be flattened at the top to support the drop flap door which acts as the 'bridge' to load vehicles from an end loading dock or between CCTs.  The Hornby LNER CCT comes with the correct buffers, but your plan to slice the tops off yours should work.  The squeeze is having a nap in the railway room (which she calls a bedroom because it's got the bed in it, well, fine, it's got a railway in it as well so I sez itza railway room) and I don't want to disturb her by turning the light on, but when I can get at it I'll measure how far the sliced off top is measured from the centre of the buffer on my Hornby for u.

 

Probably not tonight, but possibly tomoz, I'm going to be looking for suitable buffers (and shell ventilators) for the Fruit D.  I know the shell vents are available from Comet/Wizard, and some types of buffers are, in whitemetal, as well.  MJT and Dart Castings do some as well IIRC; anyway, I'll let you know the fruits of my research.  I prefer metal buffers, ideally turned brass, if I can get them; they look better and the plastic wagon buffers from the kits have rather flimsy spindles, and easily break.

Edited March 29, 2020 by The Johnster

[gary_lner]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

@gary_lner You asked to see other 'Parksiders'. here are the ones I started during the week in various stages of completion. There's all the brake gear to be done, rooves, ballasting and the buffers. Couplings will wait:

 

 

Ex-LNER long CCT van, insulated meat van, tube wagon, ex-SNCF 'cupboard door' wagon  and ex-LNER bogie brick wagon. (The 'cupboard door' wagon WAS British built for the French after WWII and came back to the UK in the 50s.)

 

@The Johnster Pah! All that kit to build a couple of trucks! Here's a more minimalist approach:

 

 

Yes - seriously. The only thing that's not in the photo is a piece of wet'n'dry and a very fine paint brush for the application of the glue. I do have a question for you Richard, you mentioned that you replace your buffers with metal ones. From where do you source them? The CCT wagon above has nice metal ones, (but they need a shave to flatten the tops as per the original ones), but in the photo in a previous post, a few of my Airfix trucks have lost theirs whilst in store and others have not yet had them fitted - if I do one, I may as well do them all. Go on, be a chum and tell .

 

Cheers and take care - we're looking at a lock-in possibly until JUNE!

 

Philip

 

 

 

 

Wagons are looking great Philip thanks for sharing. How well do the rooves fit on you're cct and meat van wagon? The one on The wagon I'm making is pretty much equal but looks like it might need a slight persuasion to fit nicely on the top when glueing.

 

Regards Gary 

[The Johnster]

I had a little trouble with the roof of the Python I built last week, Gary, and had to persuade it a little at the ends; it didn't quite match the curve of the van ends.  I put rubber bands around both ends fairly tightly and left it overnight while the glue went off; all is well now!  I think Parkside roofs (rooves?) are thinner than Kitmaster ones, and possibly distort a little in storage.  The one on my recent Km meat van sat perfectly straight away, and the Parkside roof on the current Fruit D is pretty good but needed to be held firmly in place at one end for 5 minutes before it sat properly.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Lanarkshire Model Supplies for buffers, vents, vac pipes, coupling hooks etc etc.

A veritable one stop shop treasure trove for wagon builders.

 

Mike.

[gary_lner]

26 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

I had a little trouble with the roof of the Python I built last week, Gary, and had to persuade it a little at the ends; it didn't quite match the curve of the van ends.  I put rubber bands around both ends fairly tightly and left it overnight while the glue went off; all is well now!  I think Parkside roofs (rooves?) are thinner than Kitmaster ones, and possibly distort a little in storage.  The one on my recent Km meat van sat perfectly straight away, and the Parkside roof on the current Fruit D is pretty good but needed to be held firmly in place at one end for 5 minutes before it sat properly.

Glad it's not just my van roof that needs a little persuasion then, it's mainly the ends as you've noticed. Thanks for the tip with the elastic bands I'll be sure to give that a try. Thanks again.

 

Gary 

[The Johnster]

You're welcome, glad to have been helpful!

 

Enjoy your kits, and stay safe.