(Sort of) My First MOCs.

[Redimus]

So, I've already introduced myself in another thread, where I have been designing a steam engine from scratch (which hopefully I'll still use in some aspect at a later date) but I was kind of struggling to make progress on it, so decided with some encouragement from members of this board, to try and modify someone else's design for a first MOC steamer. The main loco is largely the same as the original (Murdock17's 2-6-0) although significant changes were made to the front, minor changes made to the cab/firebox area and footboards added, all to make the engine look more British-ish.

In order to fit the RC electronics in, the tender had to be built from scratch, and in fact I built a real rough one, because I simply couldn't work out how best to do it with the less than accurate electronics available on LDD. This proved to really help when I came to implement it on the design, and although it's a little bigger and more modern looking than I had hoped, I'm pretty happy with the final result.

(Orange bits are the RC power stuff, some of which had to be made using normal bricks as a makeshift place holder (seriously couldn't find the battery pack anywhere).

As well as that, I have also constructed my first actual physical MOC. Much less impressive or particularly well planned, this was more an exercise in seeing what I could fumble together from my ancient Legos (some of it is 30+ years old, most of it has been chewed by multiple children, then all of it has sat gathering dust for most of a decade).

Considering the ramshackle collection I have, it isn't terrible (really wish I could find enough flat peices to make the doors look better), but I suspect the wheels/buffer beams will be sacrificed for something better sooner rather than later.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Redimus

[Murdoch17]

Great job with the steam engine MOD! It is really hard to turn American engines into British locomotives (trust me, I've tried) but you are a well on your way to doing just that. Also, that coach is a nice first physical MOC. With a little fine tuning (and some real windows), you could have a decent British Railways coach!

By the Way: if you take off the pantograph of the yellow engine, you have a very nice BR class 60. (link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_60 ) but if you leave it on, you have a really accurate class 92. ( link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_92 )

Keep up the good work!

[Redimus]

Cheers. Yeah, I looked at the doors and windows I had available and it was a right miss-match of 70s, 80s and 90s stuff, most of which was in someway broken.

As for my existing motive power, I'm not too fussed about modding at the moment, it's actually a rather nice design as it is.

[zephyr1934]

Nice MOD (of a MOD of a MOD... grin)

[Redimus]

Yup, it's something of a mongrel rather than a mogul by this point! lol

[Redimus]

Well, I ordered the bits for for the 2-6-0, and decided to design some form of coach to go with it. Seeing as it's basically British in outline, it made sense to go the that jack of all trades, the BR Mk1 coach.

Using a Bachmann 00 gauge Mk1 as a reference, I decided on the profile I thought would be best, and came up with (I felt) a really effective way of achieving that, using L shaped brackets to hold 6 high panels with flat tiles on top..., until I started thinking about windows and doors, and realised it was basically impossible unless I just did none-transparent windows (which I don't really want to). So, I developed a hybrid, where the lower curve of the body was still done that way and the rest was the traditional way up, but I simply couldn't find a way where there were no ugly gaps either at the ends or under the windows along the sides.

So I decided to look for inspiration online, and googled upon jamesed_1971's own attempt at the Mk1, which had the same profile, and was shown in such a way as I could see the (very small) difference to how I did it that allowed him to get it to work. Having fixed that problem, the rest of it was basically a case of deciding what it was I actually wanted. Rather than go for a truly accurate version with the correct number of windows and doors, I decided to miss out sever windows, and the middle set of doors, to allow me the space to fit chairs and tables that actually correspond to the windows (as with the real thing). I had also hoped to include opening doors, and had come up with a way to do so, bit to fit the 4 doors needed and keep the overall proportions right I'd have either had make it *even longer* (not great when it's already the length of 2 standard train bases plus an extra 2 studs), or have less windows and even more plain coach side (also the doors wouldn't have look too great open because they were not flat inside). In the end I have settled for making sure the doors are distinct via not sharing any external bricks with rest of the coach sides.

Anyway, wanted to post the near complete coaches so you guys could take a look and suggest any changes before I finalise it. The roof when it is done will have air vents on the top in a zig-zag pattern in the same way the originals did.

Side view.

Closer look at the end, showing my attempts to have actual black ends (not seen any other attempts that I could find in my admittedly quick look for inspiration), and the extra details I've managed to squeeze in (other end has the lamp bracket minus the actual lamp.

A look at the interior and the construction of the sides. I was able to hide the brackets under the tables for this version of the Mk1, although I may have to make a different approach should I attempt a full brake coach or compartment coach.

My only real disappointments with it as it stands are the fact it's 8 studs wide (the 2-6-0 is only 6 studs, if it looks too bad, I'll modify the loco to fit the carrage, as it is very much intended as a test bed for ideas for later designs) and my not being able to include steps under the doors. I have considered ditching the train bases so I could fit them without fouling the bogies, but I suspect that'd make for a less sturdy coach. Under coach detail consists of the battery cabinets, dynamo for charging the batteries and break reservoir (same both sides as with prototype, although there should be a couple of extra bits I couldn't fit).

Edited May 11, 2014 by Redimus

[zephyr1934]

The car is a nice looking design. Though I would agree, it will likely look out of proportion with the 6 wide locomotive. Though I think it will also look a little long compared to the loco too. If so, perhaps save this design for a larger locomotive and look for a nice two axle truck design for this loco?

Another thing to keep in mind with this car design, it looks to be about 40 studs long, and cars this long look awkward on standard lego curves (see the before pictures in my thread on custom track to see what 40 and 50 stud long cars look like in normal lego curves). It will also require extra power to pull it satisfactorily through the curves.

[Redimus]

The great thing about the Mk1s is they got (and indeed still get) pulled by absolutely everything, which means as long as it's vaguely British in outline, it'll look fine in front of them.

Case in point:

That said, I may put the coaches on the back burner until I have a larger layout to put em, because at the moment, a couple of those coaches will take up pretty much the whole layout. lol.

In fact, I think they look rather good together!

[zephyr1934]

He he he... yes indeed, the LDD render of the coach with the locomotive looks more true to life than the photo of the real train with the tank engine pulling the coaches.

[harnbak]

Hey - hope to see this one in real bricks one day. Your second coach is best.

[Redimus]

Yeah, an unlimited choice of bricks makes for quite an improvement of design, lol.

I hope to make the coach (and some other seating layout coaches) at some point in real life, but first I'm waiting on the bits for the loco to arrive.