Perfecta Kit No.1 should allow me to motorise an Kitmaster/Airfix Pug. All the parts are in the bag, including the four nickle silver tyres that are fitted over the wheels to allow them to pick up power. This ia all very clever, and makes me wonder that the time and effort that went into producing this. How many did they sell?
The main thing missing from the bag is a motor. Tri-ang X.T.60 is recomended, the same power unit used in "Lord of the Isles". Not, as I assumed, "Rocket" or something from the TT range. Handily, the same stand I bought the Perfecta kit from, could also supply the motor. What are the chances of this!
I've heard of Perfecta kits, and seen adverts for them in old model railway magazines, but this is the first one I've got my paws on.
The plan? I'd love to use the kit to motorise a loco. A bit of a dream at the moment, but it doesn't hurt to dream. Anyway, I think this is one thing I would have regretted not buying if I'd left it.
I think I've got an article somewhere from an old magazine that shows the kit being used. Will see if I can find it.
ReplyDeleteThe problem for you will be finding a decent copy of the plastic Pug kit. I tried building one a few years back and chucked it away in disgust after lots of effort when I just couldn't get the parts to align properly with each other. I think it's the age of the moulds rather than my skills with plastic kits, but you never know.
It occurred to me that I should have bought an original Airfix kit at the same time - this was all on the Kitmaster Collectors Club stand. The earlier plastic is harder, which I would expect to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteYes, mine was definitely a more modern casting than an original Airfix kit; hopefully if you can turn up an old kit the parts will actually fit together -- if I recall correctly the two halves of the boiler in mine seemed to be different sizes!
ReplyDeleteI don’t know how different the kit I am using is, called a Simplas conversion chassis by Wilro Models Ltd from the perfecta kit. but for the fun of it I am motorising a Prairie tank kit, it consists of a mazark casting with bearings that fits between the kits plastic chassis and use is a K’s mark 2 motor and Romford gears,sadly I don’t have the Romford wheel conversion kit No 7 to go with it so lack the coupling rods, not that using a universal rod set is a problem
ReplyDeleteWhen I I motorised my pug kit in the quiet moments back in about 1981 I just bushed the plastic chassis used Stephen pool wheels and a K’s HP2M,amazing the plastic coupling rods survived gentle use but a connecting rod broke but then it’s forty ago and it still works, have fun
Graham
Graham - Possibly related to this? https://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2015/01/mystery-pug-chassis.html
ReplyDeletePhil, I've got a couple of older Pug kits I'm unlikely to use, I'll have a look and see what state they're in...if you'd like one or both, I'll pop it/them in the post.
ReplyDeleteThat's very generous, but realistically, this is many years away from being tackled.
ReplyDeleteMy best friend used this kit about 60 years ago. He found that after he put the tyres on the wheels there was very little flange left.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this is one that he ruined by economising on lubrication by taking some Mazola oil from his mothers kitchen.