7mm US model dabblings

simond

Western Thunderer
Unipart used that motto in a sales campaign years back

I went in and asked "do you have a fan belt for a 1972 Lancia Fulvia?"

silly question really...
 

JasonD

Western Thunderer
Unipart used that motto in a sales campaign years back

I went in and asked "do you have a fan belt for a 1972 Lancia Fulvia?"

silly question really...

Agreed Simon, but I've had 2 more responses to mine here than Nth American 2-rail O-scale sales tables at UK meets (Winchester 23rd Oct) comments have gotten so far!!
Jason
 

JasonD

Western Thunderer
Are you giving away stuff on your sales stand free ? :)

Yes. Can't honestly say that I'm sure you will find much ...where's the cross-thru' button... anything you need in the free box. Oh, Grandt Line, etc building parts? On3 set of trucks? Amazing what turns up! Llanbedr used to be such a good magic word.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
silly question really...
Not really, I recall asking at a BL garage, in the early 1970s, for a clutch release bearing to suit a WWII military vehicle... and was I surprised when such a bearing appeared.

"No idea what this fits in the BL range mate, package has the correct number for your motor". I am still in the dark about that bearing...

On a similar theme, in the late 1980s the Robey Trust needed a self-aligning ball bearing for the crankshaft of a Robey which was being restored in the Tavistock area. One of the volunteers worked in a dockyard nearby and showed initiative by looking in an appropriate stores catalogue. Now why a crankshaft bearing for a Robey was on the shelf in a dockyard stores is lost in the mists of time, suffice to say that the bearing did fit and the roller has rolled ever since.

regards, Graham
 

Allen M

Western Thunderer
Unipart used that motto in a sales campaign years back
This should probably be in petrol heads
"Thousands of parts for millions of cars." so said the advert. The name originally belong to a very knowledgeable one man cars spares shop in Kidderminster. Sometime in the mid/late 1960s he was offered a sum of money too good to refuse and it went to British Layland. The man carried on under his own name (which I can't recall) for quite a few more years before shutting shop and retiring.
One reason parts fit a variety of different things is that they are 'bought in' items. However bar codes/part number don't show it. An example, for many years I had a BMW motorbike. I could get ignition points & bulbs marked BMW at a high price, the same thing at a VW dealer a bit cheaper and Halfords cheaper still.

Regards
Allen
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
Hmmm I was tempted by the Winchester show, especially as I have a new toy I’d like to give a bit of a run.

Might be just that bit too far from the ‘wrong’ side of London though..

JB.
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
I would be very interested to know if there are any on30 MMI locos for sale at the Winchester show, and what sort of money they are selling for.

JB.
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
@mickoo ..... when you get your A1A-A1A Nohab built you'll have to finish it like this.

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Strabag is an Austrian based international construction company with a rail division.
 

JasonD

Western Thunderer
I would be very interested to know if there are any on30 MMI locos for sale at the Winchester show, and what sort of money they are selling for.

JB.

Winchester was a good Meet, no, not as big a crowd as ...er, last time whenever that was.

My main prob was the owner of the O-scale std gauge layout next to me had a small, short-notice op and had to come down by train. A new On30 layout was the substitute. Last time that no std ga O-scale happened to me was Croydon many, many years ago - I took £20. At least I'm slightly better known now.

I was too busy to walk around much(!), well 1 x b'fast and 3 x flapjacks, so no sightings of MMI locos, but I'll ask.
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
Thanks Jason, I think I may have made the switch now to On3, still early days so not a problem but be interesting to know anyway about uk availability of On3/On30 MMI locos.

JB.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Added to the collection today is an Overland (OMI) GP30, quite a nice detailed model, better than some OMI ones I've seen before so I expect it's quite a recent (relative) production run.

Second is a KTM Union Pacific Big Boy imported by Westside models. KTM did three runs of these engines as far as I can tell, all imported by different sellers. The earliest is Max Grey in the 60's, then US Hobbies in the late 70's and finally Westside in the early 80's. Westside has the best spec but is beaten by PSC which will be beaten by Kohs if and when it gets produced.

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PhilH

Western Thunderer
Second is a KTM Union Pacific Big Boy imported by Westside models. KTM did three runs of these engines as far as I can tell, all imported by different sellers. The earliest is Max Grey in the 60's, then US Hobbies in the late 70's and finally Westside in the early 80's. Westside has the best spec but is beaten by PSC which will be beaten by Kohs if and when it gets produced.

Don't forget the Key Imports Big Boys which pricewise at least come between the PSC and Kohs models.
Nice dull finish to the Big Boy, better than the normal black semi glossy finish on factory painted models. Presumably a custom paint job as I believe these Westside locos were supplied unpainted.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Phil,

I thought Key models was PSC or a partnership, I'll have a rummage around the web. There's a few extras on the Westside that are not on the previous US Hobbies version I have but overall there's little to choose between the two, both lack that zing that the Samhongsa UP 9000's or the PSC AC-6 I have.

The paint finish is nice and I think is post factory, as you say they were imported unpainted and in some cases partially stripped down to avoid taxes.

It is much more lifelike to my eyes and the smokebox grey more subdued that the almost bright silver you sometimes see. The wheels have been painted a sort of blue grey and it's taken some battering and rubbed off the balance weights and around the wheel boss, I suspect some washers have been left out during the rebuild post paint. I'm not a fan of the pressed chrome plated valve gear so both engines will at a bare minimum get new etched valve gear at some point.

I'm tempted to do very little with this one other then add a bit of light weathering, strip the wheels and put on a decent primer that actually sticks and some matt black paint over the top. I'll service the drive train and if it runs smooth leave it, if not I'll stick a gearhead motor in for slow speed running and walk away.
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer
Mick,
I don't think there's any connection between PSC and Key Imports. PSC has recently come under new ownership and seems to now only deal in detail parts.

The Brass Guide 2009 edition lists the following 0 Scale Big Boys:

Max Grey/KTM 1958 unpainted #4000-4014
US Hobbies/KTM 1968 unpainted #4000-4014
Westside/KTM No date unpainted, quantity 295
PSC/? 1981 unpainted
PSC/? 1983 factory painted, Crown
PSC/? 1983 factory painted, Crown, ball bearings
Key/Samhongsa 1989 unpainted, 4000 Class as delivered
Key/Samhongsa 1989 factory painted, 4000 Class as delivered
Key/Samhongsa 1989 unpainted, 4020 Class modified
Key/Samhongsa 1989 factory painted, 4020 Class modified

Key Imports have a new Big Boy under development, price not stated.

Kohs also have an 0 Scale Big Boy under development, first announced in 2002. There's a photo of a sample tender on their website, produced in 2019, but they don't seem to have got as far as a sample loco yet. Estimated price $6000.
They've also announced an 0n3 D&RGW K36 - Oh dear ! :rolleyes: (not that I could afford it anyway !)

I've got the same "chrome plated" valve gear problem on an Overland UP 0-6-0 switcher that I'm converting to DCC, as a couple of friends are building a US switching layout. Brass or Steel blackening chemical won't touch it, so I may try Humbrol metalcote which looks reasonably like weathered steel.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Phil,

Cheers, didn't realise there were so many renditions, I must have put the wrong search criteria in....or just fat finger syndrome :))

Interestingly I just also picked up the box for the PSC AC-6 I bought last time I was there, couldn't find it back then, it's marked Crown Series and some other logo, Iron Horse something....can't check as it's now buried near the bottom of the pile.

Seems I may need to trade my US Hobbies and Westside in at some point for PSC or even better Key/Samhongsa ;)

Maybe when I win the lottery :cool:

I've no idea what the valve gear is made of, but it just spoils the models, mind, they're old models so it's what was acceptable back then.
 

JasonD

Western Thunderer
I've got the same "chrome plated" valve gear problem on an Overland UP 0-6-0 switcher that I'm converting to DCC, as a couple of friends are building a US switching layout. Brass or Steel blackening chemical won't touch it, so I may try Humbrol metalcote which looks reasonably like weathered steel.

Phil, please let us know what 'coating' works for you. I had an 'ooooooooh ... so that's what you can do' couple of minutes with the physical methods (random Google find):
Chrome Plating: Must Know Facts and Ways to Remove Chrome Plating

The Sunset/3rd Rail D&H Challenger doesn't have boy-racer chrome coupling rods (nickel-silver?) - acceptable on the mantel-piece.
Jason
 

PhilH

Western Thunderer
Mick,
The PSC Crown series are supposed to be the top of the range in PSC Brass, possibly produced in smaller quantities and come in a gold rather than an orange box. Whether they are that much better than non-Crown models is perhaps debateable.

D&RGW K36B.jpg

For comparison - top is a PSC Crown Series Brass K36, bottom a PSC/MMI Diecast K36.
The Crown cost just over 3 times the cost of the MMI ! :( Needless to say I bought the Crown before the MMI locos became available, but they do seem to be more collectable and have increased in value. :)

When you do (or should I say if you do !) win the lottery get in touch, as I have a Key Big Boy and Key Challenger which are surplus to requirements and given a ridiculously large sum of money I might reluctantly be able to part with them. ;)

Jason,
Thanks for the link. I suppose grit blasting might be a solution, although paint would be reversible if I decide to sell it.

UP 4450B.jpg

Shiny paintwork and valve gear not really acceptable in a switcher !​
 
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