The Airfix railbus is of the Park Royal variety and the motorising kit in its own, with motor wheels and gears, is around £90 including postage.
Hey, this Helijan one moves! Under its own power! Wonder what it'll make of Peco points?
Report tomorrer!
I'm sure from my modelling days that there used to be some kind of loco or motorised bogie you could "bodge" to power the Airfix railbus for a few quid?
There is no suitable motor bogie that's bodgeable, sadly. I've looked into that, and converting the Fleischmann VB railbus into this one which was also a no-go. Hornby 142? Wrong wheelbase. Scratchbuilding is possible but I wouldn't fancy scratchbuilding what is basically a very long 0-4-0.
However, I am glad to say that the Heljan one performs admirably. Its top speed is realistically low and it bounces and lurches over joints and pointwork most realistically.
The only fly in the ointment is the "Royal Train" headcode. I'll have a fiddle, see what I can do.
If I ain't here, I'm in Bilston, scoffing decent chips at last!!!!
I had a ride on the 140 prototype in November 1981 from Sunderland to Seaburn (seen here) http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzac55/3553321401/ and it was quite an experience. It was as if they had commissioned the biggest chump in every field of railway design , got them all drunk and told them to design in the pub. The doors were like a mediaeval torture device.
What is so unbelievable about the 4-wheel railbus story, is that the original ones were phased out in the 1960s due to poor ride quality and customer complaints, and yet despite that 20 years later the bus body on a lwb wagon chassis was wheeled out again.
Now we still have 142s and 143s bouncing around the countryside and squealing around curves. It is almost as if BR found it impossible to learn from their mistakes.
strang steel wrote:Waggon and Maschinenbau 79960 to 79964
Here's 79960 in action on the North Norfolk Railway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmtwmSXpvDo
Were they built to a standard desigh? I was expecting a green DB railbus, but this seems taller.
I rode the KWVR railbus last summer - it was the first train from Oxenhope and something very special.
it works !)
