How to do it

Hints & Tips regarding London Underground railway modelling
Please send us your tips & we will be happy to publish them here.

Index:-

Creating the characteristic track 'flash'
DCC conversion of Tenshodo 'SPUD' motor bogie
Fitting 3rd/4th rails & conductor rail chairs
Cross sectional diagrams of Underground 'tube' tunnel section
Constructing cardboard kits
Replacing & upgrading your EFE train bogies/wheels
Wiring together 2 x Tenshodo motor bogies to be fitted to a single EFE car


Creating the characteristic 'flash' as your tube trains pass into a tunnel or under a bridge

The below shows you how this can be very easily achieved making a very effective prototypical flash underneath your trains.

Creating the characteristic 'flash'


DCC conversion of Tenshodo 'SPUD' motor bogie

The below illustrated instructions show you how to undertake this work. 
If you have 2 Tenshodo motors fitted to a single car wire both motors together (+ to + & - to -) and fit a single DCC chip.

tenshodo_spud_dcc_conversion_a.jpg (65926 bytes) 


Fitting the Peco 3rd & 4th conductor rails & insulator chairs

Use a sharp modellers knife to carefully cut each chair off of the fret. 
Drill a tiny hole in the centre of every 5th sleeper for the negative rail chairs. Drill a hole every 5th sleeper on the right hand side of the track to fit the positive rail chairs (assuming that the train is going forward). Do not drill into the same sleeper as for the negative rail chair, stagger the rail chair sleeper holes between + & - rails in a zig-zag fashion.
Super-glue each conductor rail chair into place ensuring that it is positioned correctly to allow you to slide the conductor rail into place when the glue has completely dried.
I do not recommend using the white plastic base-plates supplied as these tend to make the chair sit too high and the underside of your train is likely to catch, pull up & damage the chair!


The centre negative rail is fitted. Now do the same for the positive outer rail!

The centre negative conductor chairs & rail are now fitted into position, next the positive rail...

Superglue the conductor rail chairs into every 5th sleeper (centre negative rail shown)

As a rule, the positive conductor rail is always fitted to the left hand of the sleeper as the train is moving forward This does not apply where track-work passes through a station &  the platform is on the left hand side. In these cases for safety reasons, the positive conductor rail switches to the right hand side of the sleeper furthest away from the platform. Where track-work passes through a station with platforms on both sides then the outer positive conductor rail is protected up to rail height by vertical wooden boards, located either side of the rail.

The below diagrams provide a cross sectional view of the LU 4 rail traction current collection arrangement. Whilst in reality the positive traction current rail is set 3 inches higher, and the negative rail 1.5 inches higher than the running rails, this is not easily achieved in '00' scale where 4mm represents 1 foot - the difference in model form being a mere 0.5mm, hardly noticeable! I recommend that both conductor rails are fitted at the same height to keep them as low as possible to prevent them fouling the underside of your trains!

London Underground 4 rail current collection arrangement


Cross sectional diagrams of Underground 'tube' tunnels

These dimensions & details are very useful when designing your own model underground tunnels/stations

Cross sectional view of cast iron running tunnels

Cross sectional view of cast iron running tunnels

Cross sectional view of underground tunnel headwall/platform end arrangement.

Cross sectional view of underground tunnel headwall/platform end arrangement.


Constructing cardboard kits
(available from our online shop)

Card kits are low cost & are designed to be easily built using the simplest of tools. 
A craft knife or scalpel and a metal rule are ideal for cutting out. 
For safety reasons, a pair of scissors is recommended for cutting out parts for younger modellers. Each kit includes a 'step by step' assembly guide. 
We recommend the use of 'Evostik' to glue the parts together. 
After cutting out, score all edges which require folding to allow a clean and straight fold. 
A slightly blunted scissor point is good for this purpose.
When your kit is completed, use a felt tip pen to cover the exposed card edges.

Elstree South Streetlevel Models kit under construction (Jan 2008)  


Arnos Grove station card kit under construction for use on 'Abbey Road'. This kit is being modified using 3mm thick plastic card for the roof sections - November 2008
This superb kit is now available via our online shop

The ground floor roof, centre dome & top roof Side walls & windows cut out ready for use Side walls & windows cut out & folded ready to glue to the roof section Side walls/windows as glued to the roof section Fully assembled but not yet completed - the station entrance needs to have further detail added Fully assembled but not yet completed - the roof surfaces now require painting


Jim Connor of Streetlevel models provides tips & techniques regarding cardboard kit construction in the below video. 


Replacing & upgrading your EFE train bogies/wheels

Our modification & upgrade pack will allow you to significantly improve the running qualities of your EFE tube train models. 
This is achieved by replacing the existing poor quality EFE bogies/non pin-point steel wheels with our high quality replacement 
Metromodels trailing bogie fitted with a pair of pinpoint wheels.
Click here to see the instructions. 
These instructions together with detailed colour images are supplied with each motor bogie upgrade purchased.
To purchase, visit our online shop 


Wiring together 2 x Tenshodo motor bogies to be fitted to a single EFE car

For best results, & to ensure maximum, simultaneous traction, wire the two motors fitted into your centre car together. 
Connect the motors together electrically using a pair of single wires soldered to each of the top motor terminals per the image attached.

EFE_2 motors_wired together - how to do it


Information sources

I am often asked for details of books & publications where further information & images of the LU system can be found. The following list, whilst not exhaustive, may be of use. Please bear in mind that many of the books listed are no longer in print.

'London Underground Rolling Stock - by Brian Hardy. 
Published by Capital Transport - 15th edition 2002 - £9.95

This is the rolling stock 'bible' of the London Underground, and well worth having! 
Contains images, car numbers & technical data of all current rolling stock.

'London's Underground' - by John Glover
Published by Ian Allen - 7th edition 1991
Super B&W images & a good overview of the LU system

'Tube Trains Under London' - by J. Graeme Bruce
Published by London Transport - 1977

Illustrated history of LU rolling stock

'The 1938 Tube Stock' - by Piers Connor
Published by Capital Transport - 1989

A super account of the development & history of the classic red 1938 tube stock including B&W & colour images.

'London Transport Railways' - Rail Portfolios 16 - by John Glover
Published by Ian Allen - 1991

64 pages of excellent colour images of LU rolling stock of all types.

'London Transport Railways Album' - Chris Heaps
Published by Ian Allen - 1978

Full of B&W images of rolling stock from steam to modern, buildings and much more.

'Underground Movement' - by Paul Moss
Published by Capital Transport - 2000
Available via our online shop
This superb book looks at London's Underground train design during the 20th Century, particularly from the beginning of the standardised solutions which had considerable input from the Underground's own staff. 
A quality hardback book ideal for the LU modeller. 
224 pages with numerous colour & black & white images.


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