[Robert Stokes]

I have several old airfix coaches of the red and cream (Mk 1 ?) variety. Two of them have minor faults. The first has an original, badly moulded corner on the roof that I did not notice when I bought it. The second has a break on one of its bogies that allows one pair of wheels to fall out. Both of these faults could possibly be repaired but, since I have more of these coaches than I need, what I want to do is take the roof of the second and put it on the first to produce one perfect model from the pair. My problem is that I can't see how to dismantle them. I imagine that the roof is held on by some lugs that just snapped in when it was being assembled. However, since I don't know where these are or which way they are arranged, I'm afraid to pull too hard to try to get the roof off. Can anyone help please?

 

[Mike Parkes]

Sold mine but from memory the its easy to remove the chassis, think theres a pair of screws to undo and the usual bodyside clips to release. With the body off the chassis remove the interior mouldings and see how the roof is attached. They are LMS Staniers not mk1's. One useful improvement is to stick foam pads on the chassis so that the moulded pivots on the bogies rub gently on them and the rocking motion of the coaches should diminish.

 

[Robert Stokes]

Thank you Mike but either mine are different or you are remembering wrongly because there are certainly no screws that I can see anywhere on them. (If there had been I would have removed them and probably been able to do it without asking.)

 

[Mike Parkes]

QUOTE (Robert Stokes @ 12 Nov 2007, 18:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thank you Mike but either mine are different or you are remembering wrongly because there are certainly no screws that I can see anywhere on them. (If there had been I would have removed them and probably been able to do it without asking.)

The chassis must be clip fitted then, maybe it was the B sets or autotrailer that screws as well. Certainly the way into Airfix coaches is by removing the chassis.

 

[John Webb]

Are we talking about ready-to-run models or models assembled from the kits? If the latter I'm certain that everything was cemented together as they were made up and once together could not be undone.

Regards,
John Webb

 

[Robert Stokes]

I have the ready-to-run coaches from when Airfix did complete model railways back in about the late 1970's or early 1980's. I think that they are really good coaches considering when they were made.

I just want to remove the good roof from one and put it on the other. I think that the roof was the last part put on during assembly as there is slight play between it and the sides at the ends. On the other hand there is no movement between the sides and bottom.

I think that the roof is held on by lugs that snapped inplace when it was assembled but I really need to know exactly where they are and which way to pull it for removal.

Please can anyone help?

 

[Gary]

I have just removed the roof of an Airfix Stanier coach. I jiggled it and it came off. There are 4 crocodile type snap fit clips (8 in total) on each side of the roof moulding that clip to perspex lugs at the top of the glazing. I would say that if care is taken when juggling the roof it would be impossible to break anything. There is no clip fixing at the roof end.

The bogies are fitted with push fit plugs and they just pop out complete with plug when applying some force.

Mainline and Airfix and Dapol stuff (and older Bachmann maybe?) all seem to fit with each other for the most part as they have similar fixings. But then of course it all originated from the same moulds!

Happy modelling
Gary

PS Remove the rubber corridor door from the end of a brake coach and look inside and you will see the clips.

 

[Robert Stokes]

Thank you Gary. That's enabled me to do the job. Membership of this forum really is helpful.

Cheers, Robert.

 

[Robert Stokes]

Naturally enough I thought that this thread was closed, but there is an interesting sequel which might interest you.

In the garage, I keep lengths of wood on a rack above the storage sidings of the layout. The other day I was getting one piece down when I dislodged another. This second piece fell onto one of these Airfix coaches. Thankfully it did no damage whatsoever, but very surprisingly, it completely dismantled it at both roof and solebar level! If Gary had not already told me where the lugs were I would have very effectively found out with this incident.

I am, of course, adapting the rack so that the same thing won't happen again when I might not be so lucky.

Cheers, Robert.

 

[Gary]

And the moral of the story is don't store a ton and a half of wood above your layout!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[dwb]

QUOTE And the moral of the story is don't store a ton and a half of wood above your layout!

An alternative might be "To dismantle an Airfix coach, first place a piece of wood 15 inches above the coach and gently drop..." but an essay by Charles Lamb "On the discovery of roast pig" comes to mind.

David

 

[7113]

QUOTE (dwb @ 12 Dec 2007, 22:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>"To dismantle an Airfix coach, first place a piece of wood 15 inches above the coach and gently drop..."

There's nothing to beat the projectile dismantling method in my opinion, mind you finding all the bits later can be a pain.

Regards

 

[sjp23480]

QUOTE (Robert Stokes @ 12 Nov 2007, 19:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thank you Mike but either mine are different or you are remembering wrongly because there are certainly no screws that I can see anywhere on them. (If there had been I would have removed them and probably been able to do it without asking.)

Gary,

Not sure if you will still have them, but having cannibalised your coaches - would you have any spares left over. like you have a few of these models with some faults and I am trying to locate spare parts!

Thanks,

Steve

 

[pauluk]

I needed to dismantle an Airfix "B" set for painting and couldn't work out how it came apart. Quick search on the site led me here and hey presto, problem solved. Thank you gentlemen.

One slight difference. My coaches have the whole body as a single mould which detaches from the sole bar with lugs (3 each side) holding the thing together.

 

[Vespa]

I assume from the method of construction these are exactly the same as the Dapol kits currently available. A word of warning here is that once the glazing is in and the interior fitted they are an abslolute nightmare to get apart again. The roof is a doddle but the rest can be very annoying. The bogies are just two expanding clips that push fit.

 

[jim s-w]

Why did you need to take them apart? From your description you just needed to swap the bogie from one to the other.

Cheers

Jim

 

[rb277170]

I dropped one of my Airfix Stanier Composites and one of the bogies snapped off. The clip that secures bogey to coach snapped. Anyone got any idea where I can get a replacement or how to secure the bogie? All help great fully received

 

[Robert Stokes]

I had several spare ones of these because I replaced the bogeys with Bachmann ones which needed a different fitting. This was last year and I can't remember whether or not I threw them away or put them somewhere. If I still have them and can find them you are welcome to them. I'll let you know sometime soon whether I can find them (the garage is in a mess at the moment with the rebuild of the layout just started).

Robert

 

[Robert Stokes]

I've found them! I was actually searching for something else and found the bogeys complete with pins. If you send me a private message through the forum with your address I'll send you a couple.

Robert

 

[rb277170]

Robert

Many thanks for the bogie fittings. Arrived back from Belfast today to find your letter. Really very kind of you. Thank you very much. Heading off on business again tomorrow but will reconnect bogie on Saturday.

Russell