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 Posted - June 01 2019 : 5:43:13 PM
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Despite Britian having been wedded to 00 Scale since the late 1930s, at various times manufacturers have tried to educate us to HO Scale by offering UK outline models in that scale. None of these attempts lasted that long, but were interesting interludes...
Lima tried in the early 1970s and also offered some UK outline models in Irish CIE liveries (Coras Iompair Eireann)
One was a relativley modern BR Diesel in orange and black with matching BR Mk2 coaches, which did actually exist in Ireland (even if the loco was way off beam):
But another set included an LMS Fowler 4F tender loco with some earlier style 'Cravens' coaches:
Lima used thier HO BR Mk1 coaches to represent the Cravens stock, which was not a bad lookalike, but the 4F Loco was defenitely 'wrong'! However today these sets are rather hard to find, in fact any items from them are much harder to find than the HO orange and black locos and stock.
Anyway a couple of weeks ago this little gem was on e-bay...
Bidding was rather surpressed by the damage, but I was not deterrred, as I had several bodies from wrecked locos to mend it with AND I knew the very man to do the job..
This is what he did for me... You just can't see the join! I love the CIE 'Flying Snail' logo on the tender!
A lovely job huh? I dof my cap to the talented 'Mr Doodlebug' who has done so much for me over the years.
So all I need now are some Cravens coaches to go with it.....
James
Edited by - Highwayman97 on June 01 2019 5:45:16 PM
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Posted - June 01 2019 : 10:03:47 PM
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Impressive stuff, James! Nice locomotive fix.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - June 02 2019 : 11:27:19 AM
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| A unique move ona rarely discussed lineage. If y ou have half a minf to part with them,send e me a pm.
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Posted - June 02 2019 : 4:49:56 PM
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Thanks Chops,
No thank you, as I have been after this sweet little thing for ages, but glad you like it!
Lima HO British Outline items often turn up on E-bay uk and ie. There was a very limited range of UK outline HO mouldings although they did loads of differnt fictitious private owner vans and wagons. They also sold a lot of European HO items with UK markings. The LMS Maroon or Black tender locos are quite common and cheap.
The CIE liveried much items less plentiful, but if you are after the Orange and Black CIE loco and coaches these turn up a lot. However I have only seen the Flying Snail steam loco twice: Once in a complete set that went for hundreds of GBP and the one here that cost me around 90GBP including the repairs. I did see one of the Cravens coaches on it's own on e-bay but again THE PRICE!!!!! Shocking.
Recently someone I know sold some unusual British HO items on e-bay: An incomplete Irish made Jouef Warship Class diesle loco in BR Blue went for 360GBP
http://www.joueftrains.com/8921.htm
and an Irish made French outline LocoTracteur (Diesel Shunter) in black with a white CIE roundel type logo on the cab sides went for nearly 250GBP.
I think my chum can enjoy a nice holiday somewhere exotic on the proceeds of all his sales....
James
Edited by - Highwayman97 on June 02 2019 5:18:34 PM
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Posted - June 02 2019 : 7:33:27 PM
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Thank heavens you didn't take me up on that, I've
had been working the night shift and was plenty
exhausted. "Flying Snail," eh, that's funny!
The Lima set is what is making me sweat, right now,
it really speaks to me. I did get out to Dublin back
in the day, before the financial revolution, it was
a rather stark place then, but the country side
and the canals were ancient and beautiful.
Nice collection, one does not see Irish lines terribly
often, and it is a pleasure to see these.
I rather like OO, myself, even though it be a
little chunky in outline. Now all of the above
you posted, this is HO?
I haven't done anything with my OO layout, "Henley" in the
past 6 months, and seeing those gorgeous Irish pieces is
motivating me to get on with it! Thanks for posting!!!
Edited by - Chops124 on June 03 2019 02:03:37 AM
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Posted - June 03 2019 : 04:49:32 AM
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Chops,
Yes they are all HO scale, although the so called Warship is really just a model of a German loco painted in BR livery. Marklin did something similar some years earlier: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303085498653
Fleischmann meanwhile did make a much beeter HO model of the same loco https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/333162093466?chn=ps but none of these sold well in the UK because the HO scale chosen was seen as odd and non standard
The Jouef models are interesting as they were made at very short lived factory in Ireland, which was an unsuccesful attempt by them to get back into the UK market that they had once appeared in labelled as 'Playcraft'.
One more irony about models of Irish Railways is the 00/HO Gauge 16.5mm which in 00 4mm scale represents a shade over 4', wheras in HO it is much nearer 4'8 1/2". However Ireland has a wider gauge.... 5' 3". In 4mm scale this would be 21mm in HO this would need to be juat under 18.5mm.
Obviously a system of 21mm gauge track or even adopting EM or P4 standards is a big ask for the average modeller, and I am no modeller! But you would think that to look better on the tracks the ready to run models of Irish Railways sold today would all be HO scale, wouldn't you? When in fact they are all 00! This means that the track is nearly half a cm under gauge!
Rant over!
James
PS: mentioning Jouef/Playcraft - Weekend fter next my chum and I are off to the UK National Festival of Toy Trains with this layout of HO scale Playcraft Railways and Highways
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5FTEkrqRIQ&t=12s
Edited by - Highwayman97 on June 03 2019 04:53:25 AM
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Posted - June 03 2019 : 08:23:08 AM
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Thank you for the rant, it was most informative! I wish I could fly over
for the afternoon to join you and your chum; it would be a trove of learning.
I did watch the video- using the red plastic tablecloth was actually a
really clever visual trick as it trained the eye upon the unique look
of the Playcraft structures and rolling stock. The road system was
also very nice- and whilst the vehicles (I noted a sedan pulling a
caravan) marched along smartly, they were considerably
slower than the faster than the speed of light American counterparts
so one could actually enjoy seeing them.
Last night, shook off the last of my procrastination and moved 'Henley'
I have two Playcraft D 6100's, which wore down and don't work anymore.
They were most enjoyable pieces, when the worked, maybe, too I shall
take them to a local wizard and see if he can breath some life back into
one or both.
into a better spot to work upon (Step One). OO here we come!
Edited by - Chops124 on June 03 2019 08:25:44 AM
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Posted - June 03 2019 : 5:09:22 PM
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Chops,
Do your D6100s not work at all, or are they hesitant and jerky?
The early D6100s had a massive can motor inside that used hardly any current at all. It was also very free running, which can be challenge at signal stops! These were 8 wheel drive and 4 wheel pick up.
The later D6100s had an open frame motor and were only 4wd and 4 wheel pick up.
After they have been runnning for some years the pick ups can become a bit dirty and worn. Fixing this means removing the bogie carrying the pick ups, undoing the nuts and surclips etc to get it off. Don't lose any bits!
Unscrew the flat springs that hold the square profile plungers down and remove them one at a time. Clean them and then put them back. I find it best to turn them 90 degrees when replacing in the bogie to present an unworn surface to the wheel.
Then check that the flat springs are correctly flexed to bring adequate pressure on the plungers and screw them back on place. The current is taken up to the motor by some wipers descending from the loco chassis and bearing on the flat springs. Check that these are correctly set to contact the springs and are also clean.
After this the loco will run like new, provided of course the motor works!
The open framed motor is quite conventional, so I will say little about that but the can motor is rather special and if this is not working try these steps….
Firstly they don't need oiling, but sometimes people have done this which eventually bungs them up and causes them to emit an awful grinding noise. I suggest a little WD40 (yes, really) on each bearing to clear away any sludge. The only parts of the loco to oil conventionally are the gears and mechanical bits away from the motor. I have been using WD40 on Playcraft motors for 25 years now and never caused any long term harm.
These motors don't have conventional brushes, as most other motors do, but some long tentacle-like wipers with small carbon pads. These are held in a rectangular insulated pad that is screwed into one end of the motor. If there is still no sign of life after doing the WD40 trick, then unscrew the insulated pad and carefully withdraw it.
Look at both the brush assembly and the commutator - Are they complete, clean and do the wipers engage on the commutator correctly?
Clean the brushes and commutator with meths or some other solvent on a cotton bud or similar. If the brushes have become mis-aligned adjust them until they engage properly. If they are damaged or broken then you will need to find another loco to act as a 'Christmas Tree' to take these bits from.
When correctly replaced you should have a sprightly and sure footed loco that will be good for another 50 or so years!
James
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Posted - June 04 2019 : 09:53:42 AM
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Thank you for that, the two that I have are of the
large can motor and 4wd. I did try some disassembly
a while back, though I recall that some part or
another was held in by tiny bolts. I do recall
seeing the plunger pick up, but rather risk
completely fouling the job, I stopped short.
I'll have another go at it. I recall spending no
small amount on the second D6100 as it
was advertised as NOS. It never even gave
a sputter. Fat luck on that. The other one
just slowly ran less and less and then not at
all.
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Posted - June 04 2019 : 11:47:52 AM
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Sorry to hear that. If you ever fancy shipping the chassis to the UK, I will gladly have a go for you.
Just PM me.
The cars in the video all have T Jet type chassis, even the Playcraft ones have had thier original vibrators removed and a Tjet squeezed in! They can go quite sedately.
Some cars are from Bauer who do 60s and 70s vehicles in the style of Faller AMS but all on new unused T jet chassis!
James
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Posted - June 04 2019 : 9:07:54 PM
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Thanks, mate! I PM'd you. Yes, I really do like them that much, and
it is painful to see them rot on the shelf.
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