GRS body kits

[bazzer42]

Watching my RHB bogie wagons navigate R1's has made me wonder whether I should head towards real GB narrow gauge. Plus all my buildings always seem to have a British feel. Has anyone used the GRS diesel body kits? How would you rate them?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Enginehouse]

I have been thinking about this too. However my personal experience of a steam profile GRS body kit has not been brilliant by any means. Thus I will be interested to see what sort of consensus is achieved from your replies regarding the diesel kits.

Cheers.

Roy H

 

[bazzer42]

Thanks Roy - just from this I think it might be a touch it before you buy it. A nice day out for the wife

 

[yb281]

I've built a couple of the steam outline GRS kits, but not tried one of the diesel kits. My thoughts are;
*They are pretty expensive for what you actually get.
*The instructions supplied with mine were appalling. Not sure if this has been addressed, but you really need to have some experience with building kits and it makes life a lot easier if you can get advice from someone who's already built the kit you're attempting.
* Although the above sounds very negative, with time, patience and a bit of ingenuity, you can end up with a lovely model that you can really make into something unique for your railway.
Thing is that nobody else really makes British outline conversion kits like these. GRS deserve a lot of credit for marketing these kits, but I can't help feeling that the door is partially open for a competitor to enter the market and give GRS a bit of competition in this field.

 

[PaulRhB]

Thing is that nobody else really makes British outline conversion kits like these. GRS deserve a lot of credit for marketing these kits, but I can't help feeling that the door is partially open for a competitor to enter the market and give GRS a bit of competition in this field.

I'd agree with Mel, they are a good basis for a loco but almost a scratch builders aid rather than a kit due to the skill required to get a good finish comparable to rtr stuff.
I'd like to see Rob of Swiftsixteen move on from vans and wagons to try a couple of resin bodies HINT Rob!

 

[yb281]

Thing is that nobody else really makes British outline conversion kits like these. GRS deserve a lot of credit for marketing these kits, but I can't help feeling that the door is partially open for a competitor to enter the market and give GRS a bit of competition in this field.

I'd agree with Mel, they are a good basis for a loco but almost a scratch builders aid rather than a kit due to the skill required to get a good finish comparable to rtr stuff.
I'd like to see Rob of Swiftsixteen move on from vans and wagons to try a couple of resin bodies HINT Rob!

Double BIG hint Rob. As I said, the door is open. You don't have to worry about the chassis running gear, just make something to fit an LGB Otto, Stainz, diesel Kof or something similar.

 

[Martino]

It's true that GRS kits are not like the Airfix kits I made as a kid!

However they do form the basis of a very good model. You will need some skills as a modeller and be ready to some adaptation.

The model you end up with will be individual to you not just like everyone else's.

I agree that GRS should be applauded for producing such wide range of what must be small market products.

I also would like to see what Swift Sixteen would produce!

I like the GRS approach, but then I can't leave anything alone and all my RTR stuff gets heavily kit bashed!

 

[ge_rik]

Like Mel, I've only had experience with GRS steam outline kits and echo his feelings. They provide a good basis, with sufficient detailed parts to turn out a really smart looking loco - but the instructions leave a lot to be desired.

Both IP Engineering and Andel produce diesel kits for 45mm though they include the chassis and motor for battery operation. In my experience IP Engineering and Andel kits tend to be well thought-out and documented.

http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/page...ndelmodels.co.uk/index.php?cPath=23 Rik

 

[bazzer42]

Thanks guys,
I'm tempted to try one on a playmobil block, they do a couple that fit the USA trains block so hoping for a "cheap" experiment as a first stab. I do like the look of that swift sixteen well wagon.
PS Rik - loved the website, spent most of Friday evening on it!

 

[ge_rik]

Thanks guys,
I'm tempted to try one on a playmobil block, they do a couple that fit the USA trains block so hoping for a "cheap" experiment as a first stab. I do like the look of that swift sixteen well wagon.
PS Rik - loved the website, spent most of Friday evening on it!

Thanks - I work on the principle that I provide a virtual shoulder to look over even if the reaction is "Well I certainly wouldn't do it like that!" When I was starting-out I spent quite a while pinching ideas and inspiration from other people so hope that maybe my ramblings may help to get someone else started.

Rik

 

[hornbeam]

Well I've semi built a box cab diesel... Unfinished as the roof is preformed... To a shape that doesn't match the body.

I've built many of their kits and still do. Instructions are dam awfull, and sometimes the fit of parts is. No kits will fall together easily but with work are good. I'd buy them but as I say be prepared to do a bit of work.

 

[Enginehouse]

There comes a point where a decent scale drawing and some exceedingly cheap material can be transferred into a first class model. Where a standard well known type of diesel is concerned it might be less trouble to scratch build the beast where at least the chassis of choice can easily be "built in to suit" without too many problems.

Most kits can be made into beautiful models with a certain amount of work and possibly a bit of in depth research. Only the modeller him/her self will be able to decide whether the time saved (possibly) by building a kit will be worth the almost certainly increased cost involved over and above a completely scratch built model.

In the case of GRS body kits, a request for a chassis (the one they advertise) for their Peckett Steam Loco body is certainly an amusing choice!

Cheers

Roy H

 

[garrymartin]

I have seen a couple of the completed diesel kits and the end result looks really good, but I cannot say what they were like to build. There is a picture of one on the Elsecar thread.
As for the steam loco's I think I am right in saying that they have re done the Hunslet and the Peckett 0-4-0's and these are the only two still avaiable. I will know more tomorrow as I intend ringing up and ordering the Peckett.

 

[yb281]

I have seen a couple of the completed diesel kits and the end result looks really good, but I cannot say what they were like to build. There is a picture of one on the Elsecar thread.
As for the steam loco's I think I am right in saying that they have re done the Hunslet and the Peckett 0-4-0's and these are the only two still avaiable. I will know more tomorrow as I intend ringing up and ordering the Peckett.

They had a Peckett body already made and in primer on their stand at Llanfair last year. I was interested in buying it until I looked closer and saw that the cab detailing had been omitted. They did offer to SELL me the kit to complete it, but as it was already £135 (if I remember rightly) I declined.

 

[garrymartin]

I have also just noticed on their website they have a support page
http://www.grsuk.com/index.asp?info/welcome.htm .
The box cab diesel is mentioned within.

 

[bazzer42]

Mmmm looking at their support site I think that building a body will be a fun challenge. May pop to Exeter and see if there are any there to touch first.
Thanks

 

[3Valve]

Forum member Doug has built one of the GRS Boxcab kits. His thread on the build is here: -

http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=325&high=boxcab

 

[Doug]

Forum member Doug has built one of the GRS Boxcab kits. His thread on the build is here: -

http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=325&high=boxcab

Easy to build the boxcab, its basically a box. An American company now do scale models of the actual prototype i based mine on, and for not much more than the GRS kit.

GRS also do a preformed roof section that is the right shape. My kit came with the roof in two parts that you join together and took a fair bit of fettling to get them to fit.

 

[garrymartin]

24 hours later the kit has arrived, well done GRS! It does contain full detailing for the cab. Cost £116+pennies inclusive of p&p. The donor "Rusty" was purchased a while ago in as new condition for about £24 (plus p&p)
Construction of one of these models has been very well covered by ge_rik in his blog spot, a link to which is in his post above
Now back to the diesels!

 

[yb281]

24 hours later the kit has arrived, well done GRS! It does contain full detailing for the cab. Cost £116+pennies inclusive of p&p. The donor "Rusty" was purchased a while ago in as new condition for about £24 (plus p&p)
Construction of one of these models has been very well covered by ge_rik in his blog spot, a link to which is in his post above
Now back to the diesels!

Fair play, that's excellent.