So.."what is in a Peco kit..?"...asks a newbie

lionwing · February 14, 2013, 07:35:46 PM

I have been looking online at a few Peco wagon kits and wonder what is in the box...?

I'd assume a chassis, wheels and body work..but is this all unpainted, what is the unpainted colour, are they tricky to assemble..etc...

Thanks in advance...

mk1gtstu · February 14, 2013, 07:42:06 PM

They are chassis, wheels, weight, body & couplings as you say. The chassis, wheels & couplings are moulded black plastic, tho bodies are usually brown or white moulded plastic, they are simple to build.

cheers, Stu.

EtchedPixels · February 14, 2013, 08:03:47 PM

The main distinction is between the kits using the 10 and 15' chassis, and those using the 9' chassis.

The 10ft and 15ft chassis a single moulding you stick the wheels in, stick the couplings in and stick the body on top and that is about it. Vans the roof is separate too. It's usually a good idea to paint them and then assemble them. That means you can paint the body one colour, the roof another and then just fit it together. The only tricky bit is fitting the nut that joins the body and chassis. I (and everyone I know) don't bother with the nut and just glue it on

The 9ft chassis comes as a set of pieces you glue together (two sides, two buffer beams, two sets of brake detail). It's a much better chassis and more detailed but a bit more fiddly to build. It's still not hard, but if you want easy as can be start with a 10 or 15ft wagon, van or brake.

Suitable waterslide decals are available from Fox Transfers and others.

If you are an NGS member there is an NGS starter kit (NGK29) which includes a Peco 10ft chassis, body, coal load and full bodyside decals for 'Bassil King'. It is designed as an introductory kit. There are a couple of other simple kits with Decals including NGK025 (BR 16ft mineral wagon), and NGK033 (pair of Railrack PNA wagons), NGK047 (LMS Highfit open), and LMS048 (LMS & GWR wooden open)

I would say that all of those kits are less scary than a small airfix kit

Alan

lionwing · February 14, 2013, 08:17:27 PM

Thank..I'm now a little wiser!

davieb · February 14, 2013, 08:29:14 PM

Quote from: EtchedPixels on February 14, 2013, 08:03:47 PM

If you are an NGS member there is an NGS starter kit (NGK29) which includes a Peco 10ft chassis, body, coal load and full bodyside decals for 'Bassil King'. It is designed as an introductory kit. There are a couple of other simple kits with Decals including NGK025 (BR 16ft mineral wagon), and NGK033 (pair of Railrack PNA wagons), NGK047 (LMS Highfit open), and LMS048 (LMS & GWR wooden open)

I would say that all of those kits are less scary than a small airfix kit

Alan

I totally agree with Alan regarding the Peco kits......Nice and easy to put together

The NGS kits are also easy to put together but require slight modification of the Peco Chassis on some of them

But i found NGK 48 a different matter

The body is made from a "soft" plastic that i found a nightmare to glue together
and there is some small but crucial modifications that need to be made to the body sides and ends to get them to go together "true"
It is all described in the instructions
But it is one that i would say is for someone with more experience of building rolling stock kits $:-\$
rather than a beginner

dave

Agrippa · February 15, 2013, 08:59:14 PM

Some of the kits snap together and make a neat model only requiring paint and transfers.
The TTA tanker kit is quite good.

upnick · February 15, 2013, 09:26:12 PM

Here are the contents of Peco KNR - 45 Cattle Van Kit

E Pinniger · February 16, 2013, 07:59:15 PM

Quote from: davieb on February 14, 2013, 08:29:14 PM
But i found NGK 48 a different matter

The body is made from a "soft" plastic that i found a nightmare to glue together
and there is some small but crucial modifications that need to be made to the body sides and ends to get them to go together "true"

Has anyone else had the same experience (soft plastic that doesn't glue) with this kit? I was thinking of ordering one with my first order from the NGS (joined last month), partly as it includes a generous decal sheet which will be very useful when repainting other wagons! I've plenty of experience with building kits, plastic and otherwise, but am not much of a fan of soft plastic that's hard to glue/paint.

davieb · February 16, 2013, 08:24:38 PM

Quote from: E Pinniger on February 16, 2013, 07:59:15 PM
Quote from: davieb on February 14, 2013, 08:29:14 PM
But i found NGK 48 a different matter

The body is made from a "soft" plastic that i found a nightmare to glue together
and there is some small but crucial modifications that need to be made to the body sides and ends to get them to go together "true"

Has anyone else had the same experience (soft plastic that doesn't glue) with this kit? I was thinking of ordering one with my first order from the NGS (joined last month), partly as it includes a generous decal sheet which will be very useful when repainting other wagons! I've plenty of experience with building kits, plastic and otherwise, but am not much of a fan of soft plastic that's hard to glue/paint.

It's not that hard once you get the hang if it

I used normal "poly" cement to tack the kit together then went over the joints with EMA plastic weld, just make sure nothing has moved
during application

You get a strong bond once the EMA has dried

And despite the kit being soft plastic it took paint well

I used Lifecolor Acrylic paint air-brushed on

dave

dodger · February 17, 2013, 07:39:07 AM

You could also try Parkwood wagon kits. They include a complete assembled Peco wagon chassis and a simple body made up of separate ends, sides, floor and roof if necessary. The body is very easy to assemble.

Dodger

EtchedPixels · February 17, 2013, 04:05:28 PM

The Parkwood kits are now N Gauge Society and slowly being re-introduced, so trickier to get hold of. Some nice kits though including a proper 9' wheelbase china clay wagon.

E Pinniger · February 17, 2013, 08:57:32 PM

Quote from: davieb on February 16, 2013, 08:24:38 PM
I used normal "poly" cement to tack the kit together then went over the joints with EMA plastic weld, just make sure nothing has moved
during application

If it'll stick with plastic weld-type glue it sounds like it's just a softer variety of styrene, which is no problem - I thought from the description it might be vinyl or similar. Thanks for the info!

lionwing · April 29, 2013, 02:05:16 PM

Thanks for the above posts.

I've still to construct the kit (very busy few months etc)...anyway I've had a look through the Humbrol colour chart for some guidance on painting the wagon in a GWR Grey.

#79 - Blue Grey strikes me as a potential along with #64 Light Grey.

The chart can be found here - http://scale-models.nl/cc-humbrol.html

Any recommendations?