trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
Having been invited to an Agricultural Show and to bring TT & Friends, I had to get them off the shelves and make them presentable. The two coaches were put behind Thomas (who had just been treated to a wash and brush up. Usual problem with R1 curves!
So, having used chains, altered couplings, etc, they just proved that R1s were not for them! However, as they are an integral part of the TT entourage, something had to be done - and pretty sharpish too!
As we are all aware, it is the extremely long wheelbase that causes the problem.
There are prototypes for unreasonably long wheelbases on railed vehicles but I won't bore you with the deatails. My thoughts were , using some freight trucks, they would become bogie coaches and they WOULD go round the curves!
Just testing for height....
and one of the freight trucks out of hiding..
To save messing about too much (as I was short of time), I decided that I would use the knuckle couplings to join the two coaches, and hook and loop to top and tail the pair.
Not being of the Conan (the Destroyer) type, I opted to remove the bodies and make replacement bases to mount the trucks on. I did think of wood and then I remembered some pieces of uPVC facia I had removed from the house. Using the circular saw, I cut two pieces to size.
I used the original parts as a template to drill the holes in the replacements, did a test fit, and then removed for a quick overspray with some automotive matt black. Once dry, the two bases were screwed in place using wood screws (I reckoned that the uPVC wasn't up to having the holes recessed like the originals) so I needed some longer screws.
The odd holes were fixing holes from a previous existence and will not be seen as the long as the coaches do not fall over!
The two original bases had their screws taped to them and were put to one side (in case they ever needed to be refitted).
Then I needed some foot boards. I thought I had some bass wood strips - I had, but they weren't the right size! I found some offcuts of hardwood and made them fit - using Gorrila Glue and brass pins.
The wood partially covered the screw heads and I should have spray painted the foot boards before fitting! However as it was now evening, I thought I'd touch them up in-situ. H'mmm
So, having used chains, altered couplings, etc, they just proved that R1s were not for them! However, as they are an integral part of the TT entourage, something had to be done - and pretty sharpish too!
As we are all aware, it is the extremely long wheelbase that causes the problem.
There are prototypes for unreasonably long wheelbases on railed vehicles but I won't bore you with the deatails. My thoughts were , using some freight trucks, they would become bogie coaches and they WOULD go round the curves!
Just testing for height....
and one of the freight trucks out of hiding..
To save messing about too much (as I was short of time), I decided that I would use the knuckle couplings to join the two coaches, and hook and loop to top and tail the pair.
Not being of the Conan (the Destroyer) type, I opted to remove the bodies and make replacement bases to mount the trucks on. I did think of wood and then I remembered some pieces of uPVC facia I had removed from the house. Using the circular saw, I cut two pieces to size.
I used the original parts as a template to drill the holes in the replacements, did a test fit, and then removed for a quick overspray with some automotive matt black. Once dry, the two bases were screwed in place using wood screws (I reckoned that the uPVC wasn't up to having the holes recessed like the originals) so I needed some longer screws.
The odd holes were fixing holes from a previous existence and will not be seen as the long as the coaches do not fall over!
The two original bases had their screws taped to them and were put to one side (in case they ever needed to be refitted).
Then I needed some foot boards. I thought I had some bass wood strips - I had, but they weren't the right size! I found some offcuts of hardwood and made them fit - using Gorrila Glue and brass pins.
The wood partially covered the screw heads and I should have spray painted the foot boards before fitting! However as it was now evening, I thought I'd touch them up in-situ. H'mmm
