Dissasembling a HLW Birney tram

[Melbournesparks]

Not so long ago I aquired a Hartland locomotive works Birney tram.

These little four wheel trams were once common on tram networks throughout the Americas, and in Australia and NZ. A major difference between the Australian/NZ and American version is the doors are on opposite corners. Of course I need to convert mine to the correct arrangement, but first I need to disassemble the car body into it's separate components.

Does anyone have any experience dissasembling one of thsese? It looks like the parts of the car body are glued together, any ideas what sort of adhesive it might be, and if there's a debonder that might work on it?

 

[dutchelm]

The earlier HLW streetcar roofs were "nailed" on. Under the eaves were a couple of brass pins. If you pulled these out the roof would fall off. No glue used.

 

[Melbournesparks]

The earlier HLW streetcar roofs were "nailed" on. Under the eaves were a couple of brass pins. If you pulled these out the roof would fall off. No glue used.

Yeah that part is pretty simple luckily. The tricky bit is separating the ends from the sides, and removing the window frames and glazing. It's all glued together into a single unit.

 

[dutchelm]

I seem to remember it was a bit like LGB. Put a chisel in the join, apply pressure & hope the glue went before the plastic.

 

[Madman]

Or you could just pretend your tram in in the States riding on the correct side of the street.....

 

[dutchelm]

Or you could just pretend your tram in in the States riding on the correct side of the street.....

I was running my trams at a show & one of our club members delighted in pointing out to me that my trams were on the wrong side of the road. He was very envious of my layout but his "cred" would not allow him to play with toy trains.
I explained that the problem was that he was on the wrong side of the layout. From my side they were perfectly fine.
Strange thing was that he was quite happy with that explanation.

 

[Melbournesparks]

I seem to remember it was a bit like LGB. Put a chisel in the join, apply pressure & hope the glue went before the plastic.

That's what I've been doing so far, just have to be careful!

Or you could just pretend your tram in in the States riding on the correct side of the street.....

Haha well considering most of the operating Birneys still existing are in Victoria I think that makes our version correct HLW obviously made a mistake and modeled the US version...

 

[Madman]

I was running my trams at a show & one of our club members delighted in pointing out to me that my trams were on the wrong side of the road. He was very envious of my layout but his "cred" would not allow him to play with toy trains.
I explained that the problem was that he was on the wrong side of the layout. From my side they were perfectly fine.
Strange thing was that he was quite happy with that explanation.

Just goes to show that you can fool some of the people all of the time.....

 

[PhilP]

Would the doors be the right way round in the other hemisphere?

 

[chasaitch]

Or you could just pretend your tram in in the States riding on the correct side of the street.....

That is why we don't live in the States!

 

[chasaitch]

Its the reason we have gun control because we can get at the person passing on the other side with our sword arm, assuming of course we are all righties.

 

[Madman]

Its the reason we have gun control because we can get at the person passing on the other side with our sword arm, assuming of course we are all righties.

All of my life, the question of why you guys drive on the wrong side of the road has haunted me.........Finally, someone has come up with an answer that makes as much sense as why you guys still drive on the wrong side....

 

[chasaitch]

If you watch John Ford Westerns the stage coach driver drives the stage from the right hand seat so the man riding shot gun sits on his left so that he has the greater arc with his rifle without threatening the driver whist the driver can cover the rest of the threat to his right. Simples!

 

[trammayo]

If you look at early cine film of British cities, there was no "rule of the road" - they just drove the carts where there was a gap left or right!

They still do that here in the rural west

 

[dunnyrail]

If you look at early cine film of British cities, there was no "rule of the road" - they just drove the carts where there was a gap left or right!

They still do that here in the rural west

And in some parts of St.Neots as well. Particularly if a Bus is at a stop. Traffic Islands appear to have no effect either.
JonD

 

[Madman]

If you watch John Ford Westerns the stage coach driver drives the stage from the right hand seat so the man riding shot gun sits on his left so that he has the greater arc with his rifle without threatening the driver whist the driver can cover the rest of the threat to his right. Simples![/QUOTE

That's assuming the driver is right handed.....

 

[Hutch]

Just purchase. a large mirror to run it in front of.

 

[Gizzy]

If you look at the very first motor car ever made, you will see it is Right Hand Drive....

 

[Madman]

Well then, what about the streetcars made where the motorman sits dead center. Who will take credit for that.....

 

[Miamigo259]

Yours won't be the first Birney car to have its doors altered due to a change in the rule of the road.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, bought 24 Birneys in 1920 and at that time N.S. drove on the left (as did a number of other Canadian provinces in the past). The rule of the road was changed in 1923, so they had to all be converted to right-hand running!