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Your photo above Cameron reminds me just how truly awful the original Ratio underframe is. I made one up 20+ years ago and it runs, just. I have another unmade one waiting in the pile....
Tony
Tony
Kiwionrails' Work Bench
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Tbh it isn't that bad compared to other kits of the time, I suppose it is mainly that it hasn't received any update which many of the other ones have at least had something..!
If you fancied a challenge of the brass underframe, gcr427 is the seller on eBay I purchased it from (who I believe owns the Brian Morgan kits these days), however they do not seem to have any Open Cs in stock currently... As noted above though, it is not the easiest etch kit to approach, although that is mainly due to the instructions IMHO...
The alternative for your remaining kit would possibly be to swap the underframe out for W-Irons from MJT/Bill Bedford, with brake gear itself from chopping up bits spares from other kits or a suitable etch.
Regards,
Cameron.
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2,693 Posts
I think the worst kit of that era that I ever came across was the Parkside Grampus wagon. I think this was one of their first kits, made of a plastic that was so brittle, you couldn't cut parts off sprews without breakage and the plastic wheels seemed to have 12mm B2B - completely under gauge. Later kits were infinitely better.
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Diagram X8 MICA B (Continued)
Jumping back in time a bit to April, I've finally managed to make a wee bit more progress on one of the other MICA Bs that I'm detailing using the Hornby Dublo model as a base.
The body has had the various details picked out in black and red which helps to break up the rather stark white!
![Gas Plastic Wood Engineering Rectangle]()
(looking at the above photo I can see that I'll need to have another go at the handrails, as I've missed a few spots...!)
Unlike on the Diag X2 MICA i'm also building, this will be fitted with some fairly standard Morton brake gear, so have once again utilised the Ratio/Parkside PC560 underframe kit, which I believe is taken from their MOGO & 12T MINK kits.
As with the previous few times I've tackled this, it has gone together beauitifully. The main improvements/changes I generally make to this are replacing the supplied plastic wheels with some Gibson ones, the moulded tiebar with some 0.5mm NS wire, the brake rod with some 0.7mm brass wire and replacing the buffers (Lanarkshire Models B021).
![Train Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Motor vehicle]()
(The grey nub poking out the top is some scrap sprue that will be used as a handle during painting)
Married-up with the body, it is looking rather nice!
![Wheel Train freight car Motor vehicle Mode of transport]()
Painting of the chassis will be a fairly simple affair being predominently a rattle-can black, with details picked out in white as appropriate.
Regards,
Cameron.
Jumping back in time a bit to April, I've finally managed to make a wee bit more progress on one of the other MICA Bs that I'm detailing using the Hornby Dublo model as a base.
The body has had the various details picked out in black and red which helps to break up the rather stark white!
(looking at the above photo I can see that I'll need to have another go at the handrails, as I've missed a few spots...!)
Unlike on the Diag X2 MICA i'm also building, this will be fitted with some fairly standard Morton brake gear, so have once again utilised the Ratio/Parkside PC560 underframe kit, which I believe is taken from their MOGO & 12T MINK kits.
As with the previous few times I've tackled this, it has gone together beauitifully. The main improvements/changes I generally make to this are replacing the supplied plastic wheels with some Gibson ones, the moulded tiebar with some 0.5mm NS wire, the brake rod with some 0.7mm brass wire and replacing the buffers (Lanarkshire Models B021).
(The grey nub poking out the top is some scrap sprue that will be used as a handle during painting)
Married-up with the body, it is looking rather nice!
Painting of the chassis will be a fairly simple affair being predominently a rattle-can black, with details picked out in white as appropriate.
Regards,
Cameron.
Joined
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2,844 Posts
Diagram X8 MICA B (Continued)
The 'easy bit' of the chassis on the X8 MICA is now complete, with the black paint & 'cast' numberplate both now fitted...!
![Wheel Train Truck Rolling stock Motor vehicle]()
(My cutting out of the D-plate isn't perfect, but I'd say it passes all-but the closest of macro inspections
)
Unfortunately there will probably now be a bit of a break in progress as I will be moving house in a couple of weeks time, thus everything will shortly be packed away into boxes....!
Regards,
Cameron.
The 'easy bit' of the chassis on the X8 MICA is now complete, with the black paint & 'cast' numberplate both now fitted...!
(My cutting out of the D-plate isn't perfect, but I'd say it passes all-but the closest of macro inspections
)Unfortunately there will probably now be a bit of a break in progress as I will be moving house in a couple of weeks time, thus everything will shortly be packed away into boxes....!
Regards,
Cameron.
Joined
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2,844 Posts
House move completed I'm slowly starting to get back into things...
Unfortunately I stowed my rolling stock at my parents' house during the move, and haven't been able to get back to pick those up. I have however delved-through the kit drawer, and have picked out two POW Sides pre-lettered kits to get back into things with.
Toomer R & Co Ltd 8T Open
The first one would be a Toomer R & Co Ltd wagon which utilises the Slaters 4044 kit as a base.
As with the other Slaters kits this has fallen together very nicely, and I have packed the floor with as much 'liquid lead' as possible to bring the weight up to 35g.
![Wheel Motor vehicle Tire Automotive tire Rolling stock]()
![Wheel Train Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire]()
A couple of touch-ups are required on the main bodywork, howevr the main task will be to mask-off the sides and paint the underframe. Fortunately this will be really easy as it is just plain black...!
Baker Brothers 12T Open
A similar story with this one, although it is based on a Parkside PC69 kit instead.
![Plant Motor vehicle Asphalt Wheel freight car]()
This time I have left the brake levers off for painting as the solebars should be red/brown (Humbrol #100), and didn't feel like being delicate.. Weight has been added in a similar fashion and brings the 'stock' ~12g up to a healthy 36.8g. As with the Toomer the body will be masked-off to allow the underframe to be painted. Details will then be picked-out in black as required.
Regards,
Cameron.
Unfortunately I stowed my rolling stock at my parents' house during the move, and haven't been able to get back to pick those up. I have however delved-through the kit drawer, and have picked out two POW Sides pre-lettered kits to get back into things with.
Toomer R & Co Ltd 8T Open
The first one would be a Toomer R & Co Ltd wagon which utilises the Slaters 4044 kit as a base.
As with the other Slaters kits this has fallen together very nicely, and I have packed the floor with as much 'liquid lead' as possible to bring the weight up to 35g.
A couple of touch-ups are required on the main bodywork, howevr the main task will be to mask-off the sides and paint the underframe. Fortunately this will be really easy as it is just plain black...!
Baker Brothers 12T Open
A similar story with this one, although it is based on a Parkside PC69 kit instead.
This time I have left the brake levers off for painting as the solebars should be red/brown (Humbrol #100), and didn't feel like being delicate.. Weight has been added in a similar fashion and brings the 'stock' ~12g up to a healthy 36.8g. As with the Toomer the body will be masked-off to allow the underframe to be painted. Details will then be picked-out in black as required.
Regards,
Cameron.
Joined
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2,844 Posts
Progress is continuing on both of the above, with the 'black bits' of the underframe now recieving a coat of black rattle can.
Toomer R & Co Ltd 8T Open (Continued)
A very simple job, with enough masking of the sides to ensure they didn't get contaminated with the black rattle can.
![Wheel Vehicle Plant Motor vehicle Automotive tire]()
Baker Brothers 12T Open (Continued)
A similar story here, although the slight added complication of wanting to keep the red solebars free from paint....
![Wheel Train Motor vehicle Vehicle Rolling stock]()
This will need some of the additional ironwork picking out in black once things have dried, and the brake levers themselevs fitted in place.
Huntley & Palmers Ltd 10T Open
Similar to the above; A Slaters kit of a Gloucester 7 Plank fixed-end wagon supplied with pre-applied POW Sides transfers.
![Wheel Motor vehicle Plant Rolling stock Rolling]()
The 'black bits' need painting as with the previous two, but has again gone together well...!
As all the above are supplied with the pre-applied lettering bare, I will be giving them all a coat of protective varnish to ensure it doesn't get damaged....! Past experience with masking tape doing just that has been painful...
Regards,
Cameron.
Toomer R & Co Ltd 8T Open (Continued)
A very simple job, with enough masking of the sides to ensure they didn't get contaminated with the black rattle can.
Baker Brothers 12T Open (Continued)
A similar story here, although the slight added complication of wanting to keep the red solebars free from paint....
This will need some of the additional ironwork picking out in black once things have dried, and the brake levers themselevs fitted in place.
Huntley & Palmers Ltd 10T Open
Similar to the above; A Slaters kit of a Gloucester 7 Plank fixed-end wagon supplied with pre-applied POW Sides transfers.
The 'black bits' need painting as with the previous two, but has again gone together well...!
As all the above are supplied with the pre-applied lettering bare, I will be giving them all a coat of protective varnish to ensure it doesn't get damaged....! Past experience with masking tape doing just that has been painful...
Regards,
Cameron.
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