7mm An APT in 7mm

iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
in the near future I want something different so I started thinking and came up with the ultimate big boys train, the APT. Now there is a couple of slight snags with this no-one produces a Mk4 body shell and no-one produces SIG style bogiesindex.jpg


I can get to Crewe and get all of the info I require about sizes but a good line drawing that's another matter, I also need a profile cross section of the carriages as the one posted is a conversion from set 003 to a prototype Mk4 coach. the power cars became the Class 91 on the east coast so the R+D was not entirely wasted. This is a very LONG term project as I may have to get the coach sides eith 3D printed or made flat in Brass. early thoughts are to get it made in 4 sections the underskirt the sides and the roof not decided inspiration and help required please

Had to do it twice as my PC isn't very well at the moment
 
richard carr

richard carr

Western Thunderer
Good Luck it will indeed be an impressive model. I had several runs on it in 1984 when it would run as an unadvertised relief to the 16:30 to Glasgow on Fridays. It took about 4 and half hours to get to Glasgow. The acceleration was amazing (for a train) with 2 power cars but I'm not sure it had 14 coaches but it might have done.

The only problem was that it didn't really have a proper path so it would speed up to 125 mph and then about 10 minutes later have to slow down as it had caught up the train in front.

Richard
 
Stu Fox

Stu Fox

Western Thunderer
Wow - good luck! That's going to be one impressive build. APT/E? or the gas one?
On the bogie stuff - they look a bit like a lengthened version of the bogie on Class 313, 455 EMU's etc... with the air bag secondary suspension. It may be a starting point to source a supplier of these? Also, IIRC, the basic tilt design underbelly was sold to the Italians that 'chucked' back the Pendolino - could these trains offer detailing clues?
I would imagine you're going down the plastic build route? That's one massive amount of brass sheets to cut/etch...

Excellent, adventurous, pioneering choice - go for it!

Regards

Stu
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
And finally it's child
The Class 91 is a power car from the APT with 2 cabs bolted on
The coaches are the same profile, the same as the Mk4 indeed they were intended to have tilt fitted
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
Does any one know what extrusion moulding entails it seems a bit of a mine field to me. I have been looking at sites on the web and from what I can gather they will make the dies and produce the extrusion.
 
S

SteveO

Guest
An interesting and potentially massive project - looking forward to developments. What happened to it - why are we not using it today?

On a lighter note, I can't help feeling this train is the daddy of both K-9 and the Bond Bug...
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
It brings a few challenges!!!!!! the main one being it won't tilt!!!!!! if I go for the full rake 14 in total I will have to power it from the front 2 cars and the middle 2 power cars due to the weight and length of it, each having 1 power bogie each. I am going to have to work out how to transmit the power throughout the whole train, this may be simpler than it sounds as the passenger coaches are articulated and do not require any kind of buffing gear or coupling the connections can be made through the corridor bellows. The coaches will be coupled via the bogies as per the prototype. the bodies I am looking to get extruded it's the same profile as the Mk4 so there may be an opertunity there this being dependant on cost. Other than that the rest of the train is pretty straight forward really etched window frames and doors. we will be looking to 3D print the cab and other bits as the undergubbins are hidden behind skirts it should be fairly do-able
 
alcazar

alcazar

Guest
SteveO said:
An interesting and potentially massive project - looking forward to developments. What happened to it - why are we not using it today?
Click to expand...

They had got it to the "ironing out bugs" stage, and Mrs Thatcher withdrew funding.

The technology was sold, and guess who now buy their trains abroad instead of SELLING them trains?
 
AndyB

AndyB

Western Thunderer
iploffy said:
the main one being it won't tilt!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Why not? :)) Miniature servos are now common and cheap enough - DCC, some track-side transponders (just like the WC Pendolinos)......... must be possible!
Where are the electronics geeks when you need them?;)
 
Intercity126

Intercity126

Western Thunderer
iploffy said:
It brings a few challenges!!!!!! the main one being it won't tilt!!!!!
Click to expand...
Hornby managed to make their old 4mm model tilt with simple ramps on the bogie mounts.

I also travelled on the APT-P a few times (my dad was a railway employee, so he sorted tickets for me). It was a fantastic train to travel on, but as mentioned earlier, pathing restrictions meant that it wasn't always possible to enjoy it at maximum speed.

7270394206_f5d804095a.jpg
APT-P Glasgow Central c 1980 by Intercity126, on Flickr

7336105310_35a1a2f666.jpg
APT-P Shields Road by Intercity126, on Flickr
 
Steph Dale

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Ian,

Let me know where you get with this. It's something I've contemplated many times after seeing it blast through Hemel Hempstead station when I was a kid.

I was going to do it in 4mm, but there are already too many compromises in the Hornby model. I'd suggest a one-piece brass 'shell, the interior detail (if required) can be pushed in each end.

And I think it would be possible to make it tilt with a fairly simple mechanism...!

Steph
 
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