Tenshodo 9600 (HO)

[Gora]

All,

 

I have just joined the forum and wonder if someone may be able to help?

 

I have been looking for a HO Tenshodo 9600 in Honshu style. It looks like these are all sold out, with some models available now as modified for use in Kyushu. I might be wrong but the Kyushu model looks not to be greatly different to the Honshu, the differences I have found being.........

 

-  deflectors

- hungry boards on tender

- funnel extension

- some minor details (generator behind funnel etc.)

 

...............and with a little care and work a Kyushu could be modified "back" to a Honshu style.

 

I have two questions if I may?

 

1. Are there any significant differences between the Honshu and Kyushu 9600's (other than those listed) that would make this a more difficult change?

 

2. Is it worth doing this, or does anyone know if Tenshodo recycles its models fairly often and if I wait a bit the Honshu will be re-offered?

 

With thanks in advance for any help.

 

Cheers, Andrew

Edited July 13, 2013 by Gora

[marknewton]

G'day Andrew,

 

You must be Australian, judging by your use of the term "hungry boards"!  :)

 

I'm just about to start work, but when I get back tonight I can help you out a bit with some info and comments about the 9600s.

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[Gora]

G'day Mark,

 

Ha, well spotted! :)

 

Thank you for your kind and quick offer, appreciated.

 

Cheers, Andrew

[Martijn Meerts]

Aussies are slowly but surely taking over the forum it seems ;)

[John P Boogerd]

There's a few of us Dutchmen here, too, Martijn.

[marknewton]

I have been looking for a HO Tenshodo 9600 in Honshu style. It looks like these are all sold out, with some models available now as modified for use in Kyushu.

 

Andrew, are you interested in modelling a Honshu engine specifically, or do you just like that particular version of the 9600 class? I ask because there are many variations or versions of the 9600s. The version described as being "Kyushu style";

 

 

is by no means confined to Kyushu, nor were the "Honshu-style" engines only seen there. I have an early mook published by Kemuri Pro in 1972 that has a lengthy article on 9600s on the Chikuho line in Kyushu, and the majority of the engines featured are similar in appearance to the "Honshu-style" model:

 

 

The more I look at photos of these engines the more I realise how many variants there were of the basic design. At first sight I thought the 9600s weren't very attactive locos, but they've grown on me now to the point that I'm very sorry I am I didn't buy some when they were available!

 

1. Are there any significant differences between the Honshu and Kyushu 9600's (other than those listed) that would make this a more difficult change?

 

No. I think forum member bikkuri bahn has one of these models, perhaps he could offer an opinion on the likely ease of conversion.

 

2. Is it worth doing this, or does anyone know if Tenshodo recycles its models fairly often and if I wait a bit the Honshu will be re-offered?

 

I'm not sure whether Tenshodo re-run their models or not. I know that there have been a few instances where Tenshodo models have been restocked by Hobby Search, but I suspect they may have been old stock that was already on hand, not re-releases. Again, perhaps someone more familiar Tenshodo might comment.

 

There is an alternative to waiting, if you're prepared to pay ridiculously inflated prices:

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tenshodo-HO-16-5mm-Gauge-Scale-51020-JNR-Steam-Locomotive-Type-9600-Kyushu-/150929934588?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item23242008fc&_uhb=1

 

At those prices I think they'll be in stock for a while...

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[Nick_Burman]

I was going to say to look at Tenshodo's store @ Rakuten; however a check of that revealed that they too are OOS of both versions. I guess it's the case of grabbing the first one you come across, regardless of version...

 

Cheers NB

[bikkuri bahn]

I think the main difference are the smoke deflectors, the Kyushu versions have rather uniquely shaped ones( the "mon def" fabricated by JNR's Kokura Works).  I suppose you could fabricate from thin plastic stock conventional smoke deflectors to match Honshu versions.  Otherwise, you could merely leave them as is, and make up a story of a transfer from Kyushu to your area of operation.  Better to paint over the white lining though- that was rarely seen except on Imperial trains or maybe last runs.

[Gora]

Hi All,

 

Sincere thanks for all the quick and helpful inputs, that fills in quite a few of the gaps and shows a conversion is possible, if that is I can find one at a reasonable price! Agree Mark, those ebay prices are too inflated and I would rather wait and see.

 

Cheers, Andrew

Edited July 15, 2013 by Gora

[marknewton]

Better to paint over the white lining though- that was rarely seen except on Imperial trains or maybe last runs.

 

I don't know that I agree with you on that one bb. That Kemuri Pro book I mentioned has 56 pages of photos of 9600s in regular service during the late 60s/early 70s, and the majority of them have white lining. And most of them are fairly grubby, too. Maybe it was a Kyushu specialty?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[bikkuri bahn]

I don't know that I agree with you on that one bb. That Kemuri Pro book I mentioned has 56 pages of photos of 9600s in regular service during the late 60s/early 70s, and the majority of them have white lining. And most of them are fairly grubby, too. Maybe it was a Kyushu specialty?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Yes, outside of Kyushu, you didn't see that white lining.  Certainly not in Hokkaido, where 9600's were around until pretty much the end.

[marknewton]

Hmm. The white lining looks rather fetching I reckon - maybe I'm going to concentrate on Kyushu, then!  :)

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[bikkuri bahn]

Hmm. The white lining looks rather fetching I reckon - maybe I'm going to concentrate on Kyushu, then!  :)

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

Actually, a Kyushu themed layout from the early to mid-70s would be an excellent, and seemingly seldom modeled choice.  Like Hokkaido, steam lasted until almost the end(1974), and on the east coast (Nippo Main Line), there were many C55 and C57 types hauling the local passenger services as well as overnight expresses (Nichinan #3). Some C57 hauled freight too!  A good variety of diesel multiple units, and DF50's. All on single track, with semaphore signaling.  Plenty of photographic records, as the fans were flocking in droves to catch the last couple of years of steam services.

 

to add:

Take a look at this aerial view of Oita Station from 1959, typical of a large regional JNR station outside the urban belt.  Way too large to model in HO unless you have a U.S. home basement, but doable in N scale.  But man, what a layout it would be!- 5 passenger platforms, two telfer apparatus, and extensive freight facilties...

http://ev.digital.asahi.com/special/20120324station/images/6-B.jpg

Edited July 26, 2013 by bikkuri bahn