[esmordav]

Has anyone had experience of adding lighting to old engines, in particular the Triang class 31 or 37? I have just started attempting to do this on a very battered example as a trial and any advise would appreciated.

 

[gdaysydney]

Are you using DC or DCC?

Dave

 

[zmil]

QUOTE (esmordav @ 28 Nov 2008, 04:33) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Has anyone had experience of adding lighting to old engines, in particular the Triang class 31 or 37? I have just started attempting to do this on a very battered example as a trial and any advise would appreciated.

I have Replaced most of the lights with LED's in my Lok's also added tail lighting some threads that may help are

DCC Conversions with New lighting

LEDs in Rail Bus

With some installations I have used the 3mm LEDs direct mounted to the Body through a hole where the light should be
others I have mounted the LED's to the chassis (so the body can be removed without having wiring attached) and mounted some clear plastic in the body for the light to come out.

Hope this helps

Regards Zmil

 

[esmordav]

Dc Lights

does anybody make and sell headlight fittings? as retro fitted to most and current running 1:1 locos?

 

[esmordav]

by the way the electronics is not an issue, i am electronics engineer by trade, making the headlight appear OK is more important, and knowing that modern lights are available for the DRS class 37 (and possibly 55) does anybody know of a manufacturer of headlight mouldings that would suit.

I would link too a site with pics of 31's

www.class31.co.uk

'cos this class is one of the first I saw leaving Tostre works at a very young age (my young age not the engine

).

 

[7113]

QUOTE (esmordav @ 4 Dec 2008, 19:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>'cos this class is one of the first I saw leaving Tostre works at a very young age (my young age not the engine

).

When I saw my first 31 we were both quite young! (Liverpool Street - 1965)

Regards

 

[zmil]

Hi
I Looked at your link Class 31 Diesel

If the lights are molded in the Triang Class 31 body

you could drill them out with the appropriate sized bit
and mount LEDs through the holes , provided you can create a bit of room behind the light fitting for the LEDs and wiring
LEDs come in various shapes and sizes and can be modified to fit. The ends filed flat to look like a headlight Lens

Fiber optics is another way to go , The ends of the optic fiber can be heated to create a lens of the correct size
the other end of the Fibers brought together to a LED

Hope this helps

Regards

Zmil

 

[alastairq]

another option ...which is really pre-DCC era...and first advocated by US modellers....is to create a diode bridge the purpose of which is to allow reduced lighting voltages..........with a view to near-as-dammit constant lighting?

I have hard copy articles from the likes of Model Railroader giving details.......it used the principles of a diode using around 1.5 volts.....

these used GOW bulbs [in the ones I did years ago]....so LED's might prove an easier option?

why not power them via a small battery, to have true constant lighting? Switches activated by traction power/polarity would not be too hard an option to invent???

 

[esmordav]

Ordered some headlight moulding units via Howes Models

If these work I will have to buy new buffer beams 'cos the body i'm using has half of them missing.

I'll try and post some pics as available (how do you do this)

The Tri-Ang class 31 only has the (correctly ish) red marker lights moulded.

Oh and I am not quite as old as a 31

just.