3d Printed LGB Tram Vestibule Ends

[James Day]

Dear All,

My good chum showed me a link to these in an article in G Scale Journal:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/53LZGDLNK/g-scale-tram-vestibule-ends?optionId=59342684

I like messing around with my LGB trams and these looked good. My aim was to convert my Red Old Time Tram to look more like my Yellow one. So I noted down the link and persevered. Yesterday I placed an order.

These are 3d printed in white plastic and cost $22.80 USD per pair. I needed two pairs, so including 'slow' shipping to the UK I paid just shy of £30 GBP in all. They take Paypal. You have to add your own glazing. This is something I am looking into. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself there!)

Be warned, this site is a bit clunky and not over 'helpful' in pointing out your 'errors' and I spent ages trying to work out what I had to do to place and order and hen get it through...

You need to register AND provide Billing and Delivery Addresses before you can place an order. If you don't, and try to enter your addresses as you place the order, the progress bar on the site will just sit and say nothing about why you can't progress!

My ends will arrive in September. I will report back.

James

 

[PhilP]

Dear All,

My ends will arrive in September. I will report back.

James

I am sure you will be very relieved when they arrive, James!
Legs crossed!!


(sorry, couldn't resist) - I have just given blood. Must be something in the orange squash!!

 

[muns]

They were designed for local (Solent) G Scale society member by one of his fields. They do look good.

 

[James Day]

Just arrived home from the wonderful Azores and even managed to have a peek at the two Broad Gauge locos that are still stored there in Ponta Del Garda, but I digress: Whilst I was away I had an e-mail to say that the slow production schedule I had specifically requested to tie in with my holiday had been 'advanced' and my tram ends were already on the way......

Sure enough there was a card waiting for me and the man at the collection point told me that they were about to be sent back! Phew -got there just in time. Shouldn't grumble really, but please be aware they can arrive sooner than you expect! The box was stout and well packed.

The vestibule ends are lovely looking creations. The surface appearance is gently mottled, probably due to the the 3d printing process, so it looks matt rather than smooth and shiny like the originals.

Next step will be glazing, the actual fitting and a few pictures!

Loads to do before I can get on to that though!

James

 

[James Day]

So, the ends are now glazed. I had to use Superglue to get the glazing to stick as nothing else seemed to work. I guess this is for the usual LGB plastic type reasons.

The material that the ends are made from is lightly mottled in texture and this seems to attact dirt quite readily. (I had better put the trams through my carriage washing plant (kitchen sink) after conversion is complete!).

The new tops of the ends need to be screwed into the roof of the tram. To get this off you need to remove the whole of the body via the four screws on the underside which are partly concealed under the skirt. It is quite odd to see the 'naked' tram with the body off. It looks like a shaved cat!



This is from my trailer. The four screws to be removed can be seen either side of the skirt retaining screws.



The trailer skirt and wheel assembly removed. On the motor car you only need to remove the skirt to get unrestricted access to the screws. The two brass contact strips can be seen with the two sprung connections from the body overlapping them.



Naked tram! The gates are held in place with photograhers black putty as they tend to fall out too easily!


Beware the sprung brass contacts that engage with the switch circuit board. They are a real pain and take some wiggling and prising to remove and even more to get back! (Note that they should rest on the contacts of the circuit board when put back!)

The lower portion of the cab ends will now need to be removed. This will help you to get the blanking strip out. This sits in front of the throttle/brake and fills the holes where the clips on the upper tram ends will need to engage. It was only as I got stuck in that I realised that one of mine was already missing whilst the other was glued in so well at one end that it took some real force to get it out! (Save these if you can to allow back conversion, to restore that heritage look should it ever be required!)

After this the lower ends were put back on ready for final re-assembly.



I then presented the body with the glazed cab ends attached to the rump chassis. I had also removed the Clerestory portion to allow access to the fiddly spring contacts and screwed everything back together.

Please note the clips moulded on the underside of the glazed ends should clip snugly in place on the top of the lower ends BUT you may find your tram has develeped 'middle age droop'. Mine had this at one end and the lugs were not strong enough to hold the two together, so some UHU type glue was worked in and the two haves bound together to allow it to set.

The completed model looks great. I still have the trailer to do and I will need to raise my recently added 'reversing lamp' like I did on my 2035 to clear the windows.

Here is an image showing one I prepared earlier!



And one I have yet to do......

As you can see there is a shortage of proper tram drivers on my line and I am forced to employ Pigmy steam crew to control the trams on the uphill journey!

These 3D mouldings are great and very good value. Reccomended!

James

 

[Andrew B. Middleton]

Looks very good indeed!

 

[Mike Savage]

Big improvement IMHO. Well done.

Mike

 

[dunnyrail]

Sure enough there was a card waiting for me and the man at the collection point told me that they were about to be sent back! Phew -got there just in time.

This can be a real problem, I lost an LGB Tram for some 6 minths to the same reason of being on a longish holiday when it arrived. Fortunately with a great deal of help from the Ebay seller with proof of posting etc and diligant follow up from the Post Office, my lost Tram was found in their undelivered office in Northern Ireland of all places. When it finally arrived I was very relieved. Just how we can learn from this and not have stuff sent back, in some cases overseas I am not too sure. Certainly good neighbours and diligent posties or delivery firms that are prepared to try another house do help.
JonD

 

[schienenkönig]

What's about the window glas? Do they come with it?
Peter

 

[Mike Savage]

Nope. No glazing included.