Union Mills Class 700 Blackmotor

[exmouthcraig]

Morning All, I'm after my hand to be twisted one way or the other.

Ideally I need 2x 700s for my shed allocation but cant find a great deal about the UM model. I know it will haul everything in sight and everyone who owns a UM model cant speak highly enough of Colin, BUT.............

How awkward are these to dcc? How much detail can I add to make them match the ever growing fleet of new GF locos without it looking out of place?

My other option is to use Rule 1 (not a fan of this but....) we currently have 2x original dapol Q1 class, these will have to be sold to replace with the better newer DCC ready and better running new models.

So the dilemma spend £200 on new detailed (as lavish as the Q1 was) dcc ready locos and be technically wrong, dont like rule 1 so how can I allow that too happen!!! 

Or

Buy 2x 700s from Colin for £??? and spend a few hours adding tiny bits of detail and converting to dcc.

Any help, advice, information and maybe an idea of price for UM would be gratefully appreciated.

Thank you Craig

[Capri_sam]

DCC on union mills in relatively straightforward - there's nothing needs isolating, just solder the chip between the motor and the pickups. There are guides on here on how to do it, I'll edit my reply to paste it in. Having done a couple it's now a half hour job to do neatly. If you grab a small enough chip you don't need to grind out the coal load but I always do and replace with real coal on a plasticard shelf and add a crew, makes a huge difference.

Some piping and coupling hooks from n brass or others make more difference still.

Others have ground off the cast handrails and replaced with wire but I don't bother with that, nor do I blacken the wheels which would help too. Plenty to do if you're handy with a dremel!

Edit: here's the guide: https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=38126.0

[kirky]

I havent got a 700 so I havent DCCed one. However, Ive done several others in the past. Its an easy conversion if youve got space for a decoder. Colin uses can motors so effectively its two wires to the motor and two wires to the pick up wires.
I think you'd get much more satisfaction from modding your trains yourself especially since youve stated you are not a fan of rule 1 - the Q1s would just grate on you and eventually you will end up getting the correct loco for your chosen model. All of course IMO.

Cheers
Kirky

[exmouthcraig]

Thanks Sam, I've seen a few bits online of what others have managed to do, no more then what happens to old GF Bulleid really and ive done a few of them.

All get crew and real coal along with headcode discs and buffer beam detail.

I think  UM are still under £100 mark so maybe it's worth a punt with one, maybe selling my original Q1s will pay for another???

So very true @kirky I'm sure once their detailed up a bit they wont be hiding around the back of the shed!!!

[Capri_sam]

Yes, believe the 700s are £79 each. If they are more it's not by much.

Oh, and they should be in stock in October, last time I asked Colin. But ask as it may be sooner!

[Train Waiting]

Hello Craig

The Union Mills '700' class is a lovely little locomotive.

The good news is that Mr Heard at Union Mills has advised that another batch is to be manufactured this Autumn and is likely to be available sometime in October.  This batch will presumably have the '2015-style' motor which is a tad smaller than previous ones.  This will give you a little more room in the tender to fit the DCC apparatus.

The present price for Union Mills 0-6-0 locomotives is £79.00, so, even allowing for a modest price increase and postage, you'll get lots of change out of £100.00.

Will you be able to resist a 'T9' 4-4-0?

Best wishes.

John

[exmouthcraig]

Thanks @Capri_sam @Train Waiting decision made, I have to have it accurate or the last 8years of planning and research will of been a waste.

Not much support for the Q1 but I'm happy to go with UM.

John, dad would love a T9 so IF he wants one he will have to find photographic evidence of 1 appearing on location, IF he can then of course he will get a T9.

I know photos to support his argument exist, they just happen to be in books in my possession and not his 

[chrism]

John, dad would love a T9 so IF he wants one he will have to find photographic evidence of 1 appearing on location, IF he can then of course he will get a T9.

I know photos to support his argument exist, they just happen to be in books in my possession and not his 

Oooh, you little tinker 

[Dorsetmike]

Another vote for the 700, and while you're about it surely an 0395 would not be out of place; just checked shed allocations on SEMG site and there were 3 or 4 0395s listed between 1929 and 1945 but no 700s, also lots of T9s, problem with the UM T9s is they are of the wide bodied 300 series with 6 wheel tenders most of which got loaned out to Eastern and Central sections in the 1930s however there were 4 of the 300 series at Exmouth in 1939 - edged out of th east and central by Schools and electrification, you can do a bash to narrow can and watercart by filing or milling off a few thou from cab sides and splashers and swap the tender for a Langley S15, you then replace the tender for the Langley S15  with a  BHE N15 tender kit and put the UM tender drive in it with an extra pair of wheels, you could also modify the Langley S15 cab to the Maunsell outline although most of the urie S15s had the same tender as the N15. (You can also mix 'n match Langley and BHE locos and tenders with different chassis to produce all variants of H15, N15 and S15)

Shed allocations
http://www.semgonline.com/shed_allocations/sr-shed-alloc2.html

However DL Bradley in his Drummond locos book lists 3 at Exmouth in 1931

Salisbury and Yeovil both had 700s listed which could well have been seen at Exmouth

http://www.semgonline.com/shed_allocations/sr-shed-alloc3.html

The SEMG lists are not complete, myself and other SEMG members compiled them from books and photos  we had access to; most of my contributions were from the DL Bradley  LSWR loco books for Adams, Drummond and Urie classes plus some books on individual classes like the T9, N & U series moguls, Nelsons etc.

BHE/UM modification (needs an extra pair of wheels at front)


Maunsell S15 (not on correct chassis just what was handy for photo)


T9 hack

[Dorsetmike]

Just had a few words with Mr Heard, 700 & 0395 will probably be in the next run. however he's not contemplating an Adams A12 0-4-2  - so my scratch one may still be unique, the preserved Adams T3 No 563 may stand a remote chance now that it is being returned to steam, I suggested the Swanage railway might want a few to sell in their shop!

[exmouthcraig]

Wonderful news Mike, I plan to order 2 700s as soon as they are available. Unnumbered but late Crest for preference then they will become the 2 I need them to be!!

[Roy L S]

Wonderful news Mike, I plan to order 2 700s as soon as they are available. Unnumbered but late Crest for preference then they will become the 2 I need them to be!!

I don't believe UM have ever produced a loco with Late Crest unfortunately.

Roy