No. 158 Ex LMS Jubilees – updating Mainline and early Bachmann split chassis models
One of my all time favourite models is Mainline locomotive Mars. I kept my original purchase from 1983 and a couple
of years ago I upgraded the model with a Bachmann mechanism. I think it is still an attractive engine with
its Fowler Tender. The Mainline model of
Mars was relatively expensive, I am guessing to cover the cost of the ‘new’
improved Fowler Tender which I think was all new tooling – that despite Mainline
getting access to the older Airfix 4F / 2P designs.
45698 Mars – Mainline model with Bachmann mechanism
I have been taking an interest in the reported sightings of
Jubilees on the Port Road as discussed on Dan’s RMweb thread about his model of
Stranraer Harbour.
During the 1960s Mars was frequently recorded at Carlisle –
with a Stanier Tender!
Thank you Pete (Courtesy ‘Fairburn 42244’ https://flic.kr/p/cuXpsw)
Where did Mainline’s Fowler Tender come from? A further search of people’s images confirms that back in LMS days Mars was paired with a Fowler Tender which it kept until the late ‘50s.
Thank you David (Courtesy ‘davids pix’ https://flic.kr/p/bwbHo2)
Other pictures indicate that Mars received its Stanier
Tender and Late Crest as early as 1959. Therefore
Mars as portrayed by the Mainline model would not be correct for the Port Road
and Stranraer in the 1960s.
One Jubilee model that is recorded as being at Stranraer in
the 60s was Orion. I bought my original
Mainline model new in 1981 for £17.95 only to sell it in 2007 to raise funds to
buy one of Bachmann’s new unrebuilt Patriots.
Moving forward I have purchased another Mainline Orion. It has been given a Bachmann mechanism, cab
glazing and brass safety valves. I think
a good model.
45691 Orion –Mainline model with Bachmann mechanism, cab glazing and brass safety valves
I need to share a couple more images of Orion number
two. First there is a view taken from
the sales details and then a view immediately upon receipt. It would seem that Orion owners should have
an Aga!
Mainline Orion – advertising detail
Jubilee Amethyst is another of my original Jubilees that I kept
from new. Bought in 1985 it was given a
Bachmann mechanism around 2013. As time
goes by I am beginning to think the 1950s BR livery scheme with lined black
engines and red and cream coaches was actually very smart. I think I now prefer it to the all maroon
coaches and Brunswick green engines.
45700 Amethyst -
Mainline model with Bachmann mechanism
After the demise of Mainline Palitoy, Bachmann reintroduced
the Jubilee fitted with a ‘can motor’.
One of these early models that interested me was Invincible which I had
photographed at Carlisle Citadel in 1962.
45715 Invincible at Carlisle Citadel August 1962
The first Bachmann Jubilees came with cylinders fitted with
plastic slide bars. Other will confirm
but I suspect the wheels were also over wide and chunky. I gave my model of Invincible a new mechanism
and some black coloured ‘247’ etched plates.
Bachmann Jubilee 45715 Invincible with upgraded mechanism and 247 etched plates
There was one other ‘old’ Bachmann model with a Fowler
Tender that had eluded me. That was
45568, Western Australia.
45568 Western Australia- Bachmann model with refurbished
cab windows
The Bachmann model that I tracked down turned out to be a
bit of an oddity. It was little used and
had bright wheel rims and motion.
However it had bright metal slide bars and thin profile wheels. As a result I haven’t upgraded the chassis –
although I have replaced the nylon gear to the centre drivers. Furthermore all the chassis fixing screws for
both the tender and the engine are cadmium plated cheese head screws. In all the years I have been playing with
Mainline and Bachmann models the chassis fixing screws have always been
blackened counter sunk screws.
Bachmann 31-152 aka 45568 Western Australia – the odd cheese head body fixing screws
Bachmann 31-152 aka 45568 Western Australia – the odd
bright metal slide bars
For comparison I have included a picture of an early
Bachmann Jubilee / Patriot chassis with black plastic slide bars. (The early Scot chassis was similar but the
wheel balance weights were crescent shaped.)
Early Bachmann Chassis for Jubilee or Patriot
At a first glance the old Mainline and Bachmann locomotive
bodyshells are identical. However when
the Mainline bodyshell is fitted with a Bachmann mechanism the cab sits too low
and a packing washer is needed beneath the cab.
Packing beneath the Mainline cab when fitted to Bachmann chassis
The need for the washer becomes clearer when the Mainline
and Bachmann mechanisms are compared – the Mainline mechanism is made to sit
1mm higher (why?).
Mainline versus Bachmann chassis
The cab glazing can be another issue with these old
models. Most frequently the clear
plastic for the right hand side (the side that lies in contact with the
polystyrene tray) becomes stained yellow.
The yellow colouring is Bromine which was added to the plastic during
manufacture and which with ageing leaches to the surface of the plastic. (I would say the plastic lenses in my
spectacles are beginning to show the same issue!) A trick that I have successfully used to
remove the discolouration is to immerse the stained item in hydrogen peroxide
solution and leave to stand in bright sunlight – you do need some good ultra violet radiation. My bottle of peroxide solution was bought at
the local chemists as a weak disinfectant / mouth wash and is marked ‘20 VOLS
available oxygen’ (6%). Two days of
immersion with bright sunlight works wonders.
I did notice here in Scotland that with poor sunlight I had left the
bits in the solution for nearly a week and thought the clear plastic became
slightly smokey.
Cab glazing after one day in hydrogen peroxide solution – still some residual yellow colouring. (Note the flower arranging glass nugget to keep the plastic beneath the surface.)
All clear glazing after two days treatment in bright sunshine
One other issue that affects all Bachmann Jubilees, Patriots
and Scots, and probably the Mainline and Replica versions is that the chassis
fixings for the top motion bracket can break.
Broken Bachmann chassis fixing
The key to gaining access is to remove the circlip on the
centre driver. I used one of my wife’s
fine brass dress making pins.
Dismantling
With the motion detached the plastic moulding for the support bracket can usually be pulled out from the mazac chassis. This allows access to the tiny screws that hold the metal parts to the plastic and to the chassis fixing holes which can be cleaned of residual glue and broken plastic. For the cleaning I used the blade of a tiny instrument maker’s screwdriver.
Cleaned
I replaced the broken fixing pins with a short piece of
copper cut from the earth wire of some surplus domestic mains cable.
Ready for reassembly
I guess the clever part is drilling out a hole in the
plastic moulding to accept the copper wire.
The Bachmann plastic is very soft and a suitable size hole can be
created using the same instrument maker’s small screwdriver as I used to clean
out the holes in the chassis.
Nearly 40 years difference, Mainline Mars from 1983 and Bachmann Baroda from 2012
I do like my Jubilees!
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to ‘Fairburn 42244’ and ‘davids pix’ on Flickr
for allowing me use of their historic images of 45698 Mars.
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