kintbury jon Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 Nearly but not quite. The Mk 2Cs were like the air-cons; the BSOs had second class window spacing so they were not the same shell as the BFKs. You're right! I'd never noticed that before (until I google some pictures!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Fisher Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 Or even go the whole hog and relace em with Southern Pride B4's with dampers that little more accurate! Ian I'll pipe up with some dissent... I really don't like the shape of the Airfix mk2D. The body profile is unrealistic, not nearly enough curve on the lower bodyside. The corridor connections aren't very pretty either! The Lima ones may be a couple of mm short, but with SE Finecast flush glazing they get lifted to a whole new level. If you feel like going the extra mile, you can replace the bogies with Replica B4s (a very nice moulding IMO) and cut off the superfluous flap on the corridor connection. Also, if you're not in a wild hurry, it might be worth seeing what the longer term fruits of the Murphy Irish air con mk2s is. A friend recently mentioned that ModelRail were planning to come aboard and produce BR varients- I don't read ModelRail, so if anyone can confirm or otherwise it would be great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Well, I seem to be acquiring a whole fleet of BSOs, but am having limited luck with FOs and no luck at all with TSOs - they are going for quite reasonable money at the moment (in the ??15 a coach area for an unboxed example that needs some work. I dread to think what a mint boxed one would go for). So given I am likely to be swimming in BSOs at some point, can they be 'cut and shut' to make a TSO? Butchering a TSO to change the toilet window might be easier, but if I can buy two BSOs cheaper than one TSO it makes sense to investigate this route... The obvious cut'n'shut would give bog windows on opposite sides, and of course early deep door windows. I believe this would fit for an early build 2E TSO. Anything I've missed (other than the vent, which I'd need to study photos for?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
russellwar Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 If you are going to start cutting up things, would it not be simpler to look at Southern Prides range? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flood Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 The obvious cut'n'shut would give bog windows on opposite sides, and of course early deep door windows. I believe this would fit for an early build 2E TSO. Anything I've missed (other than the vent, which I'd need to study photos for?) Just the real pain that you end up with a air-conditioning service hatch at each end of the coach instead of just one end. Plus the fact that there is a small grill on either side just below gutter level (above the toilet window) at the hatch end of the coach, these will need to be removed from the other end as well. Apart from that it really is a very good idea, you'll even have the sections from the brake/luggage area left over to make a BFK from a 1st if you ever want one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 That was the way people used to make TSOs before Airfix produced one; they made just the BSO and FO for a number of years. Of course, instead of cutting the whole coach in two, you could just take out the sides and end below gutter level, then that only leaves a few vents to rearrange and no big join in the roof to hide. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 If you are going to start cutting up things, would it not be simpler to look at Southern Prides range? Depends how you define 'simpler'. To me, cutting and gluing plastic and resin is a reasonable proposition, but soldering an etched kit isn't. I haven't got that far with my kit construction skills yet, and the place to learn doesn't seem to be on a top end kit, where I need a consistent rake of 6 or so vehicles... Just the real pain that you end up with a air-conditioning service hatch at each end of the coach instead of just one end. Plus the fact that there is a small grill on either side just below gutter level (above the toilet window) at the hatch end of the coach, these will need to be removed from the other end as well. Apart from that it really is a very good idea, you'll even have the sections from the brake/luggage area left over to make a BFK from a 1st if you ever want one. Of course, instead of cutting the whole coach in two, you could just take out the sides and end below gutter level, then that only leaves a few vents to rearrange and no big join in the roof to hide. That was more the plan - take the sides from the BSO and splice them in, leaving the original roof intact... And yes, having the brake pieces available to make a BFK would be interesting. That's a bit more of a cut'n'shut than the BSOs to TSO option - as the brake sections will need some modifying. FOs seem to come up quite frequently though, so acquiring a donor for that shouldn't be too difficult Of course, it will be just my luck that the moment I've finished this, a new RTR range will be announced... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Of course, it will be just my luck that the moment I've finished this, a new RTR range will be announced... Thats the golden rule! Hurry up then! Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Well, I have now received my first 4mm/ft Mk2 air con coaches. I have an Airfix tooling (Mainline branded) Mk2D BSO, and a Lima Mk2F TSO. The obvious difference is the windows - Lima ones being less tinted, and having a huge gap between the glass and the bodyside. The length issue is obviously apparent when you line the coaches up. However, it doesn't appear to be at the ends - having done some comparisons, the pitch of the windows down the side of the coaches are different. I'm assuming here that the Mainline TSO will share the same window spacing as the BSO, but assuming that's the case, the Lima TSO has windows which are not quite as long. I can also obviously see the narrower bogie on the Lima example. I'm assuming this is under-width - I don't have the prototype width of a B4 at hand, but it looks wrong in relation to the bodyside - stepped back further than it should be. The gangways on the Lima TSO example look finer though - the Mainline BSO has chunkier gangways more reminiscent of Mk1 stock. The livery application is also better on the Lima example - the Mainline one hasn't got a white line around the grey band. In balance, I'm happier with the Airfix/GMR/Mainline/Dapol version - but both will benefit from work. The Lima windows are the most distracting problem, but also one of the easiest to fix. With this done, it'll probably sit in the rake quite happily without drawing too much attention to it's harder to resolve faults, like the length issue... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted December 15, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 15, 2009 I can also obviously see the narrower bogie on the Lima example. I'm assuming this is under-width - I don't have the prototype width of a B4 at hand, but it looks wrong in relation to the bodyside - stepped back further than it should be. Have you noticed that the Lima bogie is moulded 'back to front'? Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hiya The Lima B4 is like their DMU bogie, its the right size overall but strangely undersize all over. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hiya The Lima B4 is like their DMU bogie, its the right size overall but strangely undersize all over. I have the opposite problem, this time of year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Have you noticed that the Lima bogie is moulded 'back to front'? Yes - it's something you can easily overlook with a quick pass, but it was nagging at me. I wonder if, given I'll be changing the couplings anyway, it's just a case of whipping the bogies off and sticking them back on the other way round... The Lima B4 is like their DMU bogie, its the right size overall but strangely undersize all over. Hmmm... I'll probably have a couple of the Airfix ones left over from combining two BSOs - it might be simpler to transplant these onto the Lima coach. Then I get standard axle lengths too... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted December 16, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 16, 2009 Yes - it's something you can easily overlook with a quick pass, but it was nagging at me. I wonder if, given I'll be changing the couplings anyway, it's just a case of whipping the bogies off and sticking them back on the other way round... Chopping the couplings off and puting the bogies in back to front to how Lima intended solves the problem. Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted December 16, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 16, 2009 Hiya The Lima B4 is like their DMU bogie, its the right size overall but strangely undersize all over. Cheers Jim Hi Jim, Something in the dim and distant past and memory tells me that it is the old HO MK2 bogie... That would explain why it is undersize all over..... Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Something in the dim and distant past and memory tells me that it is the old HO MK2 bogie... That would explain why it is undersize all over..... It does seem to be the same length and wheelbase as the Airfix/Mainline example I have though. What I think Jim S-W was referring to was that the detail on it is all rather anaemic - each individual part seems overly small, yet it seems to occupy the correct length... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodnok Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Chopping the couplings off and puting the bogies in back to front to how Lima intended solves the problem. I'll add that to the list of things that need to be done Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 For this particular coach i prefer to use one roof and splice in the different side sections. You will then have a stronger and hopefully straighter body, as well as solving the roof tank panel problem and there will be less filling. Re-arranging the body panels is the easier part, the tricky bit is filling the gaps and completely hiding the joins ! Plus you have to completely repaint the coach afterwards ! Go for it baby, here's one of my Airfix 2d to 2e/f conversions from two BSOs. (The spare brake sections went into Lima 2e/fs, but that's a different story). Flush tinted glazing added after repaint. Cheers, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fungus Posted December 4, 2012 Share Posted December 4, 2012 Go for it baby, here's one of my Airfix 2d to 2e/f conversions from two BSOs. (The spare brake sections went into Lima 2e/fs, but that's a different story). Flush tinted glazing added after repaint. Where did you get your flush glazing (or was it home-made)? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intercity 125 Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Did you replace the original gangways and if so with what? They look much better! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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